CHARACTERIZATION OF PARTICLE SIZE OF POLYDISPERSED BIOMASS BY MECHANICAL SIEVING

Polydispersed biomass has as one of the main features variations in particle dimension and size. Mean diameter determination methods by screening are widely used due to their relative simplicity and low cost. However, when applied for heterogeneous materials such as polydispersed biomass, they can lead to misleading results. Thus, we evaluated three methods for determining mean diameter of polydispersed biomass particles, aiming at most accurate results. The methods are based on size fractionation by mechanical sieving: one analytical (Sauter diameter) and two by graphical analysis of particle distribution functions (Mass Distribution Density - MDD and Cumulative/Augmentative Distribution - CAD). The method based on graphical analysis of mass distribution density (MDD) was the most efficient for sugarcane bagasse analysis, once it enabled detecting different populations and clearly identifying their respective characteristic dimensions. Therefore, it is a powerful tool for particle size analysis of polydispersed biomass.