Citation: Brandi´c, I.; Pezo, L.;
Bilandžija, N.; Peter, A.; Šuri´c, J.;
Vo´ca, N. Artificial Neural Network as
a Tool for Estimation of the Higher
Heating Value of Miscanthus Based
on Ultimate Analysis. Mathematics
2022, 10, 3732. https://doi.org/
10.3390/math10203732
Academic Editor: Krzysztof Ejsmont
Received: 1 September 2022
Accepted: 8 October 2022
Published: 11 October 2022
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Article
Artificial Neural Network as a Tool for Estimation of the Higher
Heating Value of Miscanthus Based on Ultimate Analysis
Ivan Brandi´c
1
, Lato Pezo
2
, Nikola Bilandžija
1,
*, Anamarija Peter
1
, Jona Šuri´c
1
and Neven Vo´ca
1
1
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
2
Institute of General and Physical Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 12/V,
11000 Belgrade, Serbia
* Correspondence: nbilandzija@agr.hr
Abstract:
Miscanthus is a perennial energy crop that produces high yields and has the potential to
be converted into energy. The ultimate analysis determines the composition of the biomass and the
energy value in terms of the higher heating value (HHV), which is the most important parameter in
determining the quality of the fuel. In this study, an artificial neural network (ANN) model based on
the principle of supervised learning was developed to predict the HHV of miscanthus biomass. The
developed ANN model was compared with the models of predictive regression models (suggested
from the literature) and the accuracy of the developed model was determined by the coefficient of
determination. The paper presents data from 192 miscanthus biomass samples based on ultimate
analysis and HHV. The developed model showed good properties and the possibility of prediction
with high accuracy (R
2
= 0.77). The paper proves the possibility of using ANN models in practical
application in determining fuel properties of biomass energy crops and greater accuracy in predicting
HHV than the regression models offered in the literature.
Keywords: artificial neural network; prediction; miscanthus; energy potential
MSC: 49M37
1. Introduction
Recently, energy crops have been increasingly used as raw materials for energy pro-
duction. Cultivation of energy crops is possible on neglected (marginal) agricultural land
that is not used for growing food crops. The production of thermal energy from biomass
is highly efficient and sustainable. The main advantage of using biofuel from biomass is
the reduction of greenhouse gases due to the neutrality of carbon dioxide. Research on
energy crops for biomass production shows the possibility of environmental protection and
economic production efficiency and provides a sustainable way of energy production [
1
].
By using biomass as an energy source, a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
can be achieved. For this reason, biomass is considered a good substitute for fossil fuels
and has been increasingly studied recently [
2
]. According to the European Commission
(European Commission, Joint Research Centre), biomass is one of the most important
renewable energy sources in the EU and can provide the possibility of a reliable energy
supply. Miscanthus is an energy crop used to produce biomass, and its cultivation provides
high yields per unit area. Miscanthus is a perennial energy crop with low agrotechnical
requirements and can be grown on marginal soils. The quality of biomass-derived fuels is
influenced by the physical and chemical properties of the biomass. The content of carbon,
hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen determined by ultimate analysis are important
chemical parameters that affects the quality of the fuel [3].
Ultimate analysis is important in determining the fuel properties [
4
]. The heating
value indicates the heat energy generated during combustion. HHV is an important energy
property of fuels that defines the energy efficiency of feedstock use and it is influenced by
Mathematics 2022, 10, 3732. https://doi.org/10.3390/math10203732 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/mathematics
