Effect of briquetting temperature on the properties of biomass briquettes

Abstract

The importance of and growing worldwide interest in developing technologies that could utilise biomass material cannot be over looked particularly in developing countries. This study investigated the effect of briquetting temperature (normal and high temperature) on the physical and combustion properties of sawdust briquettes at two binder levels of 25 and 35%. Apart from the durability rating, the physical and combustion properties of the briquettes at the 25 and 35% binder levels were significantly influenced (p<0.05) by the briquetting temperature, that is, the normal temperature briquetting (NTB) process and the high temperature briquetting (HTB) process. It was observed that at both binder levels, the mean values recorded for the combustion properties of the briquettes produced using the HTB process were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those reported for the NTB process. The briquettes produced using the NTB however gave higher volatile matter content and higher heating values of 65.15±0.47% and 84.35±0.43%; 27.15±0.04 MJ/kg and 31.57±0.17 MJ/kg respectively at the 25 and 35% binder levels. The dimensional stability of the briquettes produced using the NTB process was higher at the 25 and 35% binder levels compared to those from the HTB process.