Use of Banana Tree Residues as Pulp for Paper and Combustible

The aim of this work is to characterize banana tree residues and use it in pulping and combustion
processes. The soda-anthraquinone pulping of the banana tree residues can be simulated by
polynomial models, and then predict the pulp properties (yield, Kappa number, viscosity and
brightness) as a function of operating variables (temperature 160 to 180°C, time 40 to 60 min and
soda concentration 7.5 to 12.5%) with errors less than 20%. Operating under optimal conditions
(160°C, 40 min and 7.5% soda), a pulp with 39.23% yield, 28.59 Kappa number, 48.25% brightness,
1149 ml/g viscosity, 48.0 Nm/g tensile index, 3.80 kN/g burst index and 4.83 mNm2/g tear index was
obtained. On the other hand, heating values (17751 kJ/kg), the flame temperature (1300 to 2400°C)
and dew point temperature (48 to 54°C), of the different values of excess air used (10 to 50%) in
combustion of the banana tree residues were determined and compared with other non-wood
lignocellulosic materials. As a consequence, the price of energy obtained by combustion of these
residues (3.38 10-6 €/kJ) was less than the price of coal (25.94 10-6 €/kJ) and much lower than those
of fluid fossil fuels (>37.67 10-6 €/kJ).