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Innovative Approach to Produce Raw, Torrefied Almond Shells and Plastic Waste Blend Pellets.

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Title: Innovative Approach to Produce Raw, Torrefied Almond Shells and Plastic Waste Blend Pellets.
Authors: Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar1 (AUTHOR) jayashankar.tumuluru@usda.gov, Oginni, Oluwatosin2 (AUTHOR), Smith, Zachary P.1,2 (AUTHOR), Wahlen, Bradley D.2 (AUTHOR)
Source: Energies (19961073). Mar2026, Vol. 19 Issue 5, p1159. 20p.
Subject Terms: *Pelletizing, *Agricultural wastes, *Polypropylene, *High density polyethylene, *Biomass energy, *Polymeric composites, *Plastic scrap
Abstract: The increasing demand for sustainable materials has driven interest in biocomposites that incorporate low-value agricultural residues to offset the use of virgin plastics. The study investigated the production of blend pellets from raw and torrefied almond shells and post-consumer plastic waste as a potential feedstock for biocomposite and biofuels applications. Almond shells were torrefied in a lab-scale fixed-bed reactor at 300 °C for 30 min prior to the pelleting tests. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) wastes were size-reduced in a Crumbler (rotary shear grinder) fitted with a 2 mm head and a 2 mm screen to remove the fines. A portion of the crumbled HDPE, and torrefied almond shells were further ground in a Wiley mill fitted with 2 and 1 mm screens for flat die pelleting tests. The flat die pellet mill used for testing had a 6 mm die and a length-to-diameter (L/D) ratio of 2.0. The blend ratio consisted of 30% torrefied almond shells and 70% HDPE, with a 10% starch binder. The measured pellet properties include unit, bulk and tap densities, durability, and expansion ratio. The bulk density of the blend pellets ranged from 360 to 410 kg/m3, and durability ranged from 80% to 88%. The blend pellet unit density ranged from 830 to 880 kg/m3. The blend pellets produced using crumbled HDPE, PP and raw and torrefied almond shells in a ring die pilot-scale pellet mill with an L/D ratio of 6 and steam conditioning exhibit similar densities to those of HDPE pellets produced using a flat die pellet mill, albeit with lower durability. The study indicated that a smaller grind size and preheating the blend before pelleting produce blend pellets with higher density and greater durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Database: Energy & Power Source
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Header DbId: enr
DbLabel: Energy & Power Source
An: 192640884
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
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  Label: Title
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  Data: Innovative Approach to Produce Raw, Torrefied Almond Shells and Plastic Waste Blend Pellets.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tumuluru%2C+Jaya+Shankar%22">Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> jayashankar.tumuluru@usda.gov</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Oginni%2C+Oluwatosin%22">Oginni, Oluwatosin</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Smith%2C+Zachary+P%2E%22">Smith, Zachary P.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wahlen%2C+Bradley+D%2E%22">Wahlen, Bradley D.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Energies+%2819961073%29%22">Energies (19961073)</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 19 Issue 5, p1159. 20p.
– Name: Subject
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pelletizing%22">Pelletizing</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Agricultural+wastes%22">Agricultural wastes</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Polypropylene%22">Polypropylene</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+density+polyethylene%22">High density polyethylene</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biomass+energy%22">Biomass energy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Polymeric+composites%22">Polymeric composites</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Plastic+scrap%22">Plastic scrap</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The increasing demand for sustainable materials has driven interest in biocomposites that incorporate low-value agricultural residues to offset the use of virgin plastics. The study investigated the production of blend pellets from raw and torrefied almond shells and post-consumer plastic waste as a potential feedstock for biocomposite and biofuels applications. Almond shells were torrefied in a lab-scale fixed-bed reactor at 300 °C for 30 min prior to the pelleting tests. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) wastes were size-reduced in a Crumbler (rotary shear grinder) fitted with a 2 mm head and a 2 mm screen to remove the fines. A portion of the crumbled HDPE, and torrefied almond shells were further ground in a Wiley mill fitted with 2 and 1 mm screens for flat die pelleting tests. The flat die pellet mill used for testing had a 6 mm die and a length-to-diameter (L/D) ratio of 2.0. The blend ratio consisted of 30% torrefied almond shells and 70% HDPE, with a 10% starch binder. The measured pellet properties include unit, bulk and tap densities, durability, and expansion ratio. The bulk density of the blend pellets ranged from 360 to 410 kg/m3, and durability ranged from 80% to 88%. The blend pellet unit density ranged from 830 to 880 kg/m3. The blend pellets produced using crumbled HDPE, PP and raw and torrefied almond shells in a ring die pilot-scale pellet mill with an L/D ratio of 6 and steam conditioning exhibit similar densities to those of HDPE pellets produced using a flat die pellet mill, albeit with lower durability. The study indicated that a smaller grind size and preheating the blend before pelleting produce blend pellets with higher density and greater durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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        Value: 10.3390/en19051159
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 20
        StartPage: 1159
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      – SubjectFull: Pelletizing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Agricultural wastes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Polypropylene
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: High density polyethylene
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Biomass energy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Polymeric composites
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Plastic scrap
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Innovative Approach to Produce Raw, Torrefied Almond Shells and Plastic Waste Blend Pellets.
        Type: main
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      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar
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            NameFull: Oginni, Oluwatosin
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            NameFull: Smith, Zachary P.
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            NameFull: Wahlen, Bradley D.
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            – D: 01
              M: 03
              Text: Mar2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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            – TitleFull: Energies (19961073)
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