The Utilization of Agricultural Residues for Solid Fuel Alcohol and Lipid Fuel Briquette Production

Abstract

This research showed the feasibility of using material residues from household and industry for remanufactured products. Solid fuel alcohol and lipid fuel briquette prepared with agricultural residues (rice husk, coconut coir dust and chopped mango branches) were produced and their fuel properties were tested. The result showed that the agricultural residues with chopped mango branches and rice husk had high heating values of 4,020 and 3,330 kilocalories per kilogram, respectively. The values of these residues indicated good properties particularly for the fuel supply purpose. In comparison, the solid alcohol, without adding any residue and with adding the chopped mango branches, showed high heating value of 4,820 and 5,030 kilocalories per kilogram, respectively. After the 1-month storage of the solid alcohol fuel, the fuel with chopped mango branches show no statistically significant difference in period of rolling boiled temperature (291 seconds), compared with the one obtained from the solid alcohol on the date of production (233 seconds). Adding agricultural residues reduced loss of the net weight of the solid alcohol. However, adding the chopped mango branches showed increasing percentage of ash after storage for 2 and 3 months. This might affect to the fuel property of the solid alcohol. For production of lipid fuel briquette, the result showed that lipid without agricultural residue (control) had the highest heating value (8,210 kilocalories per kilogram). The lipid mixed with rice husk performed thermal property very well with the minimum boiling time (303 seconds) and the greatest rolling boil time (504 seconds) compared to the counterpart mixed with coconut coir dust and chopped mango branches. Thus, different agricultural residues could affect to the fuel and thermal properties of both solid fuel alcohol and solid lipid fuel briquette.