## 2 Raw Material Characterization  
Sugarcane bagasse is the solid residue produced in sugar mills after the extraction of juice, and over the years, it has become an important energy input [46]. Thus, it is necessary to know its characteristics in order to use it efficiently with adequate drying performance for the generation of steam, pyrolysis, or gasification, or for hydrolysis [47]. Sugarcane, _Saccharum officinarum_ L. (Poaceae), has been known since 8000 BC and is one of six species of the genus _Saccharum_, which is a group of tall grasses from Southeast Asia. The stems are the parts from which sugar juice and bagasse are produced [46]. However, leaves and other parts can also play an important role in the generation of energy, mainly in co-generation systems, as described by [PERSON] et al. (2019) [48]. The composition of sugarcane is approximately 86 to 92% juice and 8 to 14% fibrous material [46]. This depends not only on the composition of stems, but also on other factors, such as the plant variety, number of tips and leaves, maturation, harvesting period, whether it was burned or not before harvesting, whether the harvest was mechanized or manual, and climatic factors such as whether it rained or not during the plant growth period [49]. Physical and chemical characteristics of sugarcane bagasse have a direct influence on its use as an energy source. The commonly used method is bagasse combustion in steam generators, and knowledge of bagasse characteristics is necessary for the design of steam generation equipment [46]. Figure 1 shows a scheme of the sugar and sugarcane bagasse production process. As can be seen from the process diagram shown in the figure, after cutting the sugarcane, the materials are successively processed through a set of roller mills, where the cane juice is extracted. This juice subsequently undergoes an evaporation process in order to eliminate excess water and concentrate the sugar. In the end, the juice also undergoes a centrifugation process to eliminate all remaining water and any solid particles, namely fibrous remains of the cane. After the pressing process by the roller mills, the sugarcane gives way to bagasse. This is partly consumed to feed the furnace that provides the heat for the evaporation of water from the cane juice, while another part is left over as final waste [50]. Sugarcane bagasse is a complex mixture of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, which make up the cells of the walls in vascular bundles [51]. The amount of fiber in the stems depends on the length and diameter of the stems. The number of nodes and the distance between nodes influence the amount of fiber obtained in the extraction [46]. Cellulose is a high-molecular-weight polymer composed largely of glucose units. Hemicellulose is largely composed of xylose units with small parts of arabinose, both with five carbons in the molecular structure (pentose), as opposed to glucose, which has six carbons in its molecular structure (hexose). Lignin is a complex substance composed largely of aromatic phenolic compounds that generally give the sugarcane fiber its stiffness [52; 53; 54]. The relative amounts of these compounds depend on the variety of the cane, the age, and the size of the stems. There are also small amounts of inorganic compounds, such as calcium and silica, present in the cellular structures, but these do not have a significant effect on the overall fiber composition [55]. Ash is an inorganic compound found in the bagasse structure, and its composition depends on the plant species, soil, type of fertilization, and inorganic materials dragged during harvesting, which can be mechanized or manual. The main elements are silica, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and other inorganics [56; 57; 58]. In a study, [PERSON] et al. (2015) collected 60 samples of sugarcane bagasse from industrial sugar and alcohol production units located in Sao Paulo and northeastern Brazil [60].