Ingegneri eccellenti 2021: Boris Brianti

Conclusions The aim of this work was to study the possibility of an energy valorisation of biomass residues.

The residues considered in the analysis have been: agricultural residues (in particular the pruning residues of apple, grapevine, olive, pear, peach and citrus trees), barks (coming from the forestry industrial chain) and the compost out of specification produced in last sieving operations of the waste management plants treating the OFMSW and the green residues (leaf, pruning, branches from public and private gardens management).

An overview of the possible pre-treatments and conversion processes employed for biomasses has been proposed in the introduction.

The first step of the analysis has been the study of the quantities of each residue produced each year at national and local level. This procedure has been performed by means of three different methodologies (according to the residue considered).

The quantification of pruning residues has been performed starting from the data collected from ISTAT database (agricultural surfaces dedicated for each culture type) and applying literature coefficients expressing the average production of pruning residues in terms of t/ha. The results have been presented at national level, but a focus on each region, in particular Trentino-Alto Adige has been proposed.

The quantification of the bark production has been performed at regional level (for Trentino-Alto Adige region) starting from the procedures proposed by Emer et al. and Prando et al. considering the average annual trade price of a representative specie (Spruce), the data relative to the local production (acquired from ISPRA database) and the import and export trades (acquired from the Chamber of Commerce of the Bolzano province).

For what regards the over-sieve material (compost out of specification), a national analysis has been proposed, concentrating than the focus on a specific waste management plant placed in Trentino-Alto Adige region. The data relative to the national estimated production have been elaborated starting from the data provided by ISPRA and exploiting the specific information provided by the local waste management plant.

Of the three typologies of residues, two have been chosen to perform a deeper characterization and a techno-economic analysis: barks and the over-sieve material.

In the second part of the work, the characterization of the selected feedstocks has been performed. The bark samples have been collected, in local sawmill companies, while the compost out of specification have been collected in the 92