Title:
Innovative System for Industrial Hemp Harvesting
Author(s):
Assirelli, A., Quacquarelli, I., Caracciolo, G., Del Re, L.
Document(s):
Paper
Poster
Abstract:
Despite the growing interest for hemp, the mechanical harvesting remains a bottleneck for the diffusion of the crop. The separation of the different fractions (fibres, shivs, seeds) is a crucial aspect for obtaining products complying with the requirements of the processors/end users. Owed to their different physical properties and chemical composition, bast and hurd fibres are suitable for a wide range of industrial applications including bio-composites, construction materials, textiles, insulation, bedding, paper production, ropes and twines and many others. For building a sustainable supply chain the separation of the different fractions should be carried out directly in the field thus optimizing the recovery of single fraction. The wheat combines equipped with specific devices can be used without problems for seeds, while the collection of the fiber for textile requires special care to safeguard the integrity of the fiber length. When the target is the fiber for non-textile industrial purposes, e.g. material for filling or insulation the harvesting may be carried out following less specific strategies. Of course, the winning strategies has to foresee the containment of the cost perhaps using available solutions. The work presents a study conducted with forage harvesters for assessing their suitability for the collection of the hemp field straight retting with interesting results in terms of operating (2 ha h-1) and dimensional classes of cutting shivs. No clogging occurred during the test and the results showed a good percentage of separation (46%) from bast fibres to core material (Hurds) directly to exit of pneumatic transport system of the self-propelled forage harvest.
Keywords:
harvesting, hemp, pretreatment, fiber, mechanization
Topic:
Biomass Resources
Subtopic:
Biomass Crops and Energy Grasses
Event:
25th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
1DV.2.25
Pages:
294 - 297
ISBN:
978-88-89407-17-2
Paper DOI:
10.5071/25thEUBCE2017-1DV.2.25
Price:
FREE
