An experimental study of the combustion characteristics of groundnut shell and waste paper admixture briquettes

Abstract

The study was undertaken to assess the heat released of briquettes produced from waste paper and groundnut shell admixture in five mixing ratios (90:10; 80:20; 70:30; 60:40; and 50:50). The briquettes were prepared on an existing motorized briquetting machine. The suitability of briquetted fuel as domestic fuel was studied in terms of flame propagation, afterglow, calorific value, and utilized heat, after sun drying the prepared briquettes for nineteen (19) days. The results of propagation rate and afterglow obtained for all the six compositions are satisfactory they range between 0.13 to 0.14 and 365 to 380 respectively. These energy values obtained for the whole samples are sufficient enough to produce heat required for household cooking and small scale industrial cottage applications. Finally it was observed that composition variation affects the properties of the briquettes.