抄録
Enokitake (Flammulina velutipes) is one of the most popular cultivated mushrooms in Japan. A huge amount of waste culture is disposed thus its utilization as biomass fuel is needed. In addition, the ash can be used as fertilizer because the waste culture contains plant nutrients (P, K, Mg and Si). Due to high moisture content of waste mushroom culture, however, drying is necessary prior to use. As an approach for drying, compositing was conducted. The waste culture after drying was burned in a semi-pilot scale combustor with a combustor volume of 535 L. Reduction of NOx emissions by urea solution injection and SO_2 capture by Ca(OH)_2 powder injection were attempted. The ash was analyzed to determine contents of plant nutrients. Though the content of silica was high, the contents of water-soluble and citric-acid-soluble components were low. The treatment at high temperatures is considered to decrease the solubility of silica. Heavy metal contents were sufficiently lower than the acceptable level for the case of sludge fertilizer.
