Search

Introduction: The Cuban sugar industry offers opportunities to use its byproducts and waste to obtain new goods, under the concept of biorefinery. Several proposals have been made for the diversification of sugar agroindustrial companies with the potential to do so, without the provision of a strategic procedure to follow where concrete actions for technological integration are shown. Objective: To propose a strategic procedure for technological integration, applicable in nondiversified sugar agroindustrial companies, that allows the use of byproducts and waste under the biorefinery concept. Materials and Methods: The historical information corresponding to a non-diversified sugar agroindustrial company in the province of Camagüey was taken into account to obtain criteria related to the complex analysis of processes. The methods for technological management and assimilation allowed for the elaboration of a proposal for technological integration to obtain xylitol, pellets and torula. Results and Discussion: Using a heuristic diagram, a strategic procedure to follow for technological integration is described, which ranges from the identification of sugarcane growth potentialities and the disposal of byproducts or waste, considering the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of the possible integration, until reaching optimization and proposal of productive linkage. Conclusions: A strategic procedure was proposed for technological integration in non-diversified sugar agroindustrial companies, considering from the availability of sugarcane to the possibility of productive linkage. The integration proposal for production allows the use of byproducts and waste under the biorefinery concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This research arises from the need to have criteria that support the versatility of sugarcane bagasse, not only used as fuel for the process that produces it, but also its use in the ways that farming industry residues are currently used, in the form of pellets. Objective: To review in the bibliography what is exposed about the use, properties and pretreatments applied to sugarcane bagasse, which are the cause of its potential as an energy carrier in the form of pellets. Materials and Methods: References from the last ten years were consulted, in relation to the use of bagasse, its chemical and energetic properties, the different types of pre-treatments that can receive before being used as an energy carrier and the substances that are extracted. Results and Discussion: From the physical properties analyzed, low nitrogen and sulfur contents were found. In addition, the caloric power was observed in a range of 17-19 MJ/kg. Among its lignocellulosic components, cellulose is the one with the highest percentage. Like pellets, the presence of lignin is essential during compaction. The characteristics of the biomass pellets were searched, observing that the sugarcane bagasse complies with the standards. Conclusions: The review carried out is the starting point for research directed towards the study of the use of agro-industrial waste as an energy carrier in the form of pellets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]