Production and Characterization of Rice Husk Based Charcoal Briquettes

Abstract

Utilization of agricultural residues and weeds as alternative materials for fossil fuel is ofinterest due to its environmental friendliness. The present study proposes production of rice huskbased charcoals briquettes. Three different types of biomass viz. bagasse, rice straw, and waterhyacinth were carbonized, crushed and sieved through screens to obtain the particle size of 150-750μm. Each sieved biocoal was then well mixed with the rice husk charcoal at the mixing ratios betweenthe rice husk charcoal and the other charcoal of 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, and 20:80. The mixtures weredensified, using cassava starch as binding agent, via the cold extrusion process. The densifiedcharcoals were finally sun dried. Physical and mechanical properties i.e., density, ultimate stress, andtoughness of the mixed biocoal briquettes produced were examined and it was found that the mixingratio had a significant effect on the physical and mechanical properties of the briquettes. Density,ultimate stress and toughness increased with increasing mixing ratio (rice husk charcoal quantity).The rice husk-bagasse charcoal briquette was found to possess the maximum density, ultimate stressand toughness followed by the rice husk-rice straw and the rice husk-water hyacinth charcoalsbriquettes. Flue gas temperature and CO, and NO contents were monitored and recorded during thecombustion tests. The experimental results revealed that the flue gas temperature was maximized atthe greatest proportion of the rice husk charcoal. The rice husk-bagasse briquette provided flue gaswith maximum temperature followed by the rice husk-rice straw and the rice husk-water hyacinthbriquttes. Investigation on CO and NO contents exhausted showed that they were not significantlyaffected by the mixing ratio.