Wednesday, May 2, 2007 - 9:30 AM
5A-04
Bundled slash: A potential new biomass resource for fuels and chemicals
Philip H. Steele, Brian K. Mitchell, Eugene Columbus, and Mark Bricka. Department of Forest Products, Mississippi State University, Box 9820, Mississippi State, MS 39762
Harvesting slash has been uneconomic to harvest for energy utilization due to the high cost of collection and transportation. However, higher energy costs and the development of new technology are beginning to change the economic equation for slash utilization. John Deere corporation has developed the 1490 slash bundler that collects and densifies slash into 12-foot long, 24-inch diameter bundles weighing more than 1000 lbs when green. Yields of slash for 3 stand ages (first thin, second thin and mature) were measured in southern pine plantation pine stands immediately following harvest. Moisture content of the bundles was measured green and monthly for 4 months. The needle and branch wood components of the slash were separated and weighed monthly. Bundle moisture content was correlated to weather over the period. Bio-oil was produced from the slash to determine the potential of this biomass type as a pyrolysis feed stock.