Preparation of Biomass Briquettes using Various Agro-Residues and Waste Papers

Development of a substitute fuel for conventional fuels, such as wood, coal, charcoal and Liquefied Petroleum Gas LPG, is important. Briquette production technology, a kind of unpolluted coal technology, will facilitate to prevent global warming and serve to conserve forest resources. The main ingredients of biomass briquettes are agricultural wastes (such as straw, sugarcane bagasse, maize stalk, coconut husks and leaves, groundnut shells and rice husk), sawdust and the waste papers from the municipal waste, which mainly act as a binding agent. Briquettes are very cheap as they are manufactured from waste. They are additionally used as a substitute fuel for cooking purposes and several other heating processes. The experimental work focuses on developing a method to manufacture briquettes of consistent quality at low pressures by employing a wet technique. The impact of process variables like shape, density, moisture content and calorific value on briquettes with different combinations were studied. The usage of briquettes instead of firewood results in preventing deforestation and reducing green house effect. In this situation, briquettes could potentially offer a means of waste management while providing a new fuel business opportunity for the local economy.