Pelletization of Compost for Energy Utilization

The presented paper tested pelletization of seven compost samples from six composting plants. If the produced compost meets the legal requirements for application to agricultural land, it is suitable for application in the soil. Low-quality composts that cannot be applied to soils or for which there is no demand can be energy utilized for co-incineration with fuels of high calorific value. Compost pelletization represents a type of processing that makes the handling of the material easier and enables more accurate dosing. Mechanical properties were determined for the produced pellets. The average durability of pellets expressed as the Pellet Durability Index was 94.1 %. The average pellet hardness expressed as the load value was 17.5 kg. The average value of moisture resistance expressed as the Wettability Index was 18.0 %. These pellets are of lower quality than pellets produced from spruce wood (Picea abies L.). (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.Y.