REAPROVEITAMENTO DE RESÍDUOS AGROINDUSTRIAIS COMO PRÁTICA SUSTENTÁVEL PARA GERAÇÃO ENERGIA RENOVÁVEL

Abstract

Rural development in a sustainable and balanced way is currently a concern in agro-industries/cooperatives. And one of the most important points is the environmental impacts caused by agro-industrial activities, maximized by the absence of an adequate environmental management system on the part of the organization. Therefore, the inadequate disposal of generated waste contributes to the pollution of rivers and soils, leaching of compounds and proliferation of communicable vectors of diseases causing public health problems. Therefore, this work proposes an alternative for the reuse of waste through eco-efficient social technology, ecological briquettes, capable of adding economic and environmental value. The briquettes are produced by a biomass compaction process, aiming to increase the energy density, with adequate granulometry and moisture content to be used in cooperatives' boilers to replace conventional firewood. Cofruta, cooperative of fruit growers in Abaetetuba, where the research was carried out, is located in the municipality of Abaetetuba, in the state of Pará-Brazil. The evaluated biomasses were the residues of açaí seeds and cupuaçu and murumuru husks. All biomasses presented thermophysical characteristics with high energy potential. The briquettes produced with murumuru husks showed greater energy efficiency, while the açaí seed briquettes followed by cupuaçu husk briquettes showed greater strength and durability.