Drying research in perennial mugwort (Artemisia Dubia Wall.)

Abstract

Lithuania’s annual consumption of energy is 201 PJ, of which about 30 % is extracted from biomass. Herbaceous energy crops which are growing in a high biomass yield can be successfully used by biofuel. All herbaceous plants have high humidity which influences the possibilities of the harvest storage. Humidity of Artemisia dubia Wall. was 59.15 ± 0.8 % when they were cut in October. A drying research in thick still layer was carried out at the laboratory of biomass treatment, logistics and solid fuel processes in the Aleksandras Stulginskis University. It was found that using ventilation of 11.16 ± 3.9 ºC temperature and 83.9 ± 13.2 % relative humidity of unheated environmental air through a layer of crushed Artemisia dubia Wall. while using supplied comparative intensity of ventilation which was changing from 150 to 590 m3·(t·h)-1, the drying time has decreased from 10.9 to 4.7 days. Biomass has been dried to safe 11.66…13.06 % moisture. During studies an established influence was found at intensity of ventilation for the mass drying process and change of the physical properties of Artemisia dubia Wall.