Briquettes fuel production from sugarcane bagasse for sustainable community energy solutions

Abstract

The objective of this study is to determine optimum conditions for producing briquettes fuel from biomass, examine the properties of the resulting briquette fuel and transfer the technology to target communities. The production process entails implementing a screw-type briquette press equipped with controlled temperatures through a molded pipe clamp electric heater for shaping the briquettes. This is an innovative approach that allows briquettes to be produced and ready for use in a single step, while other processes require the briquettes to be dried first. The production capacity was estimated to be 12 kg/hr. Bagasse, a byproduct of sugarcane processing, was the biomass used in the current research. For this study, four distinct temperatures were chosen for experimentation, 100, 110, 120, and 130°C. The proportions of bagasse, cassava flour, and water were investigated for briquette production utilizing two formulae: 1 kg bagasse to 0.1 kg cassava flour and 0.5 liters water, and 1 kg bagasse to 0.3 kg cassava flour and 0.5 liters water. The findings indicated that bagasse briquettes could be effectively manufactured at 120°C. The ideal proportion of bagasse particles, cassava starch, and water was 1 kg : 0.3 kg : 0.5 liters, respectively. The moisture content, volatile matter, ash, and fixed carbon were respectively 8.04, 70.20, 13.05, and 16.11 wt.% on a dry basis, based on the physical and chemical property tests of the briquette fuel. The material has a density of approximately 856.70 kg/m³, a compressive strength of 89.34 kg/cm², and a higher heat value (HHV) of 24.05 MJ/kg, with a longer burning time than regular charcoal. The research emphasizes using bagasse for innovative renewable energy production technologies and disseminating this technology in target communities in Thailand.