Effect of Roller Layout on Biomass Bales Quality and Baling Energy Consumption during Rotary Compression

Abstract

Baling cellulosic biomass into round bales is an effective way to reduce the cost of storage and transportation. To improve the quality of bales and reduce the baling energy consumption, this paper introduces the steel roller layout parameters of the round baler into the biomass baling process. Alfalfa was used as an experimental material for five levels pitch value of roller circumferential layout baling experiments. The results showed that the introduction of chamber non-roundness (pitch value of roller circumferential layout) destroyed the formation of the entanglement high density ring cylindrical shell lamination of the outer layer of bales, which was beneficial to the compression of bales core material. When the pitch value was 30 mm, the maximum baling pressure, radial pressure transfer loss, and the baling energy consumption of baler were reduced by 30.4%, 33.4%, and 13.7%, respectively. When the pitch value was 60 mm, the relaxation ratio and radial density difference were reduced by 6.3% and 35.8%, respectively, and the radial density uniformity of alfalfa bale was increased by 32.0%. The experimental results provide a theoretical basis and technical support for the chamber structural optimization design of the round baler.