Portable X-ray fluorescence sensor for ecofriendly, low-cost, and fast assessment of eucalypt charcoal attributes

ABSTRACT Brazilian steel industries require high-quality charcoal to produce pig iron. Desirable charcoal attributes include high elemental carbon content, large mean particle size (MPS), and high density, while producing low contents of ash and volatile matter, and presenting low contents of water...

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Main Authors: Renata Andrade, Lucas Benedet, Marcelo Mancini, Sérgio Henrique Godinho Silva, Camila da Silva Freitas, Marco Aurélio Carbone Carneiro, Nilton Curi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade Federal de Lavras 2025-06-01
Series:Ciência e Agrotecnologia
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-70542025000100220&lng=en&tlng=en
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author Renata Andrade
Lucas Benedet
Marcelo Mancini
Sérgio Henrique Godinho Silva
Camila da Silva Freitas
Marco Aurélio Carbone Carneiro
Nilton Curi
author_facet Renata Andrade
Lucas Benedet
Marcelo Mancini
Sérgio Henrique Godinho Silva
Camila da Silva Freitas
Marco Aurélio Carbone Carneiro
Nilton Curi
author_sort Renata Andrade
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Brazilian steel industries require high-quality charcoal to produce pig iron. Desirable charcoal attributes include high elemental carbon content, large mean particle size (MPS), and high density, while producing low contents of ash and volatile matter, and presenting low contents of water and contaminants (e.g., phosphorous). These attributes are commonly determined by standardized laboratory analyses, which are time consuming and costly, besides generating chemical effluents. Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometry can be used to avoid the downsides of laboratory analyses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of pXRF data in machine-learning models trained to predict attributes of eucalypt charcoal. pXRF data (elemental contents) from 276 charcoal samples were used to train predictive models using six machine-learning algorithms. Auxiliary explanatory variables (drying time, wood age, fine particle content, and friability) were included in the models. Models were trained to predict the following charcoal attributes: fixed C (%), ash content (%), volatile matter (%), MPS (mm), water content (%), density (kg/m3), and P contents (%). Satisfactory predictions were obtained for volatile matter, MPS, moisture, and density (R2 > 0.6), and very accurate predictions were obtained for ash and P contents (R2 > 0.75). The inclusion of auxiliary explanatory variables increased the prediction accuracy of MPS (R2 increased from 0.61 to 0.82), bulk density (from 0.56 to 0.73), and P contents (from 0.86 to 0.94). These results indicate that pXRF can be used as an ecofriendly alternative to assess the quality of eucalypt charcoal utilized in metallurgy.
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spelling doaj-art-45471b361858424f955daeae593fac5e2025-08-20T02:07:13ZengUniversidade Federal de LavrasCiência e Agrotecnologia1981-18292025-06-014910.1590/1413-7054202549026424Portable X-ray fluorescence sensor for ecofriendly, low-cost, and fast assessment of eucalypt charcoal attributesRenata Andradehttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8856-2558Lucas Benedethttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0560-8790Marcelo Mancinihttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4118-7943Sérgio Henrique Godinho Silvahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2750-5976Camila da Silva Freitashttps://orcid.org/0009-0008-4387-5807Marco Aurélio Carbone Carneirohttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4349-3071Nilton Curihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2604-0866ABSTRACT Brazilian steel industries require high-quality charcoal to produce pig iron. Desirable charcoal attributes include high elemental carbon content, large mean particle size (MPS), and high density, while producing low contents of ash and volatile matter, and presenting low contents of water and contaminants (e.g., phosphorous). These attributes are commonly determined by standardized laboratory analyses, which are time consuming and costly, besides generating chemical effluents. Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometry can be used to avoid the downsides of laboratory analyses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of pXRF data in machine-learning models trained to predict attributes of eucalypt charcoal. pXRF data (elemental contents) from 276 charcoal samples were used to train predictive models using six machine-learning algorithms. Auxiliary explanatory variables (drying time, wood age, fine particle content, and friability) were included in the models. Models were trained to predict the following charcoal attributes: fixed C (%), ash content (%), volatile matter (%), MPS (mm), water content (%), density (kg/m3), and P contents (%). Satisfactory predictions were obtained for volatile matter, MPS, moisture, and density (R2 > 0.6), and very accurate predictions were obtained for ash and P contents (R2 > 0.75). The inclusion of auxiliary explanatory variables increased the prediction accuracy of MPS (R2 increased from 0.61 to 0.82), bulk density (from 0.56 to 0.73), and P contents (from 0.86 to 0.94). These results indicate that pXRF can be used as an ecofriendly alternative to assess the quality of eucalypt charcoal utilized in metallurgy.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-70542025000100220&lng=en&tlng=enProximal sensorspXRFmachine learning algorithmsmetallurgywaste minimization
spellingShingle Renata Andrade
Lucas Benedet
Marcelo Mancini
Sérgio Henrique Godinho Silva
Camila da Silva Freitas
Marco Aurélio Carbone Carneiro
Nilton Curi
Portable X-ray fluorescence sensor for ecofriendly, low-cost, and fast assessment of eucalypt charcoal attributes
Ciência e Agrotecnologia
Proximal sensors
pXRF
machine learning algorithms
metallurgy
waste minimization
title Portable X-ray fluorescence sensor for ecofriendly, low-cost, and fast assessment of eucalypt charcoal attributes
title_full Portable X-ray fluorescence sensor for ecofriendly, low-cost, and fast assessment of eucalypt charcoal attributes
title_fullStr Portable X-ray fluorescence sensor for ecofriendly, low-cost, and fast assessment of eucalypt charcoal attributes
title_full_unstemmed Portable X-ray fluorescence sensor for ecofriendly, low-cost, and fast assessment of eucalypt charcoal attributes
title_short Portable X-ray fluorescence sensor for ecofriendly, low-cost, and fast assessment of eucalypt charcoal attributes
title_sort portable x ray fluorescence sensor for ecofriendly low cost and fast assessment of eucalypt charcoal attributes
topic Proximal sensors
pXRF
machine learning algorithms
metallurgy
waste minimization
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-70542025000100220&lng=en&tlng=en
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