Effects of Moisture on the Fundamental Mechanical Properties of the Biomass Flow Models

Abstract. The effects of moisture on biomass flow characteristics are known to be significant. However, the degree and origin of such changes are not well understood. This knowledge gap exists partly because of the lack of quantitative data on the fundamental mechanical properties of bulk biomass. Cubical triaxial tester (CTT) is a true triaxial tester with a flexible pressure application membrane that minimizes the interference of the test device with the mechanical responses of a specimen. It has been shown that the test data collected with CTT enables the interrogation of mechanical behavior bulk solids based on first principles. Different fundamental mechanical properties of bulk ground biomass will be determined using a CTT. By examining the change in mechanical properties with respect to the differences in the moisture level of milled corn stover and Douglas fir, this study aims to elucidate the effect of moisture on the bulk mechanical behavior of ground biomass with a focus on flowability.