Production and Characterization of Bio-Briquette Produced from Rice Husk, Corn Cob and Charcoal Dust

Nazir Yunusa, Abdussalam Mamoon, Mustapha Muktar

Abstract: Bio-briquette is a renewable energy source that is produced from biomass materials such as rice husk (carbonized and uncarbonized), corn cob (carbonized and uncarbonized) and charcoal dust. The carbonized sample was obtained by controlled burning of feed stock in a kiln. In this study, the physical and chemical characteristics of bio-briquette produced from these materials were investigated. The objective of the study was to determine the suitability of the biomass materials for the production of bio-briquette and to evaluate the properties of the briquette with respect to their energy content and use. The characterization included measuring the proximate analysis, bulk density and calorific value of the briquettes. The results indicated that the rice husk, corn cob and charcoal dust were suitable biomass materials for the production of bio-briquette. The elemental analysis showed that the biomass materials had a high carbon content, indicating their potential as a fuel source. The physical characterization results showed that the bulk density of the briquettes produced was higher than that of the raw materials. The calorific value of the briquettes increased with the increase in the carbon content of the biomass materials, and this was reflected in the increase in the compressive strength of the briquettes with increasing carbon content. Overall, the study demonstrated that the rice husk, corn cob, and charcoal dust could be converted into a high-quality renewable energy solid fuel with carbonized rice husk having characteristics relatively close to that of charcoal dust fuel, with calorific value of 22.1924 MJ/kg, and 28.246 MJ/kg respectively. All the bio-briquette produced had desirable physical and chemical properties, making it a suitable alternative to traditional fossil fuels. The use of BIO-briquette can contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and improve the energy security of rural communities.

Keywords: about four key words separated by commas