Composition Analysis for Implementing Small Scale Sawdust Briquette Manufacturing Process

Abstract

A compressed block of flammable biomass material, such as charcoal, sawdust, wood chips, peat, or paper, is called a briquette and is used as kindling and fuel for a fire. The study was conducted with the objective of improving product quality, testing domestic briquette production in Sri Lanka, and providing a solution to the current fuel crisis. Production process analysis was done here, and the production of briquettes was evaluated using a homemade production machine. Several primary (sawdust and planner scraps), secondary (Jack fruit leaves) and binding (Paper waste and cow dung) materials were used as raw materials and briquettes were manufactured under various compositions. Several home-based tests were performed to determine the physical and combustion properties of the briquette samples produced. These are density, boiling and firing, ash content and shatter resistance tests. Based on the results of the experiments, it was found that adding a binder to the briquette product rather than using only the primary material would increase the quality of the final product. Paper waste and cow dung were used as binders, and it was found that adding 30% - 40% more paper to the primary material than cow dung would increase the stability of the product. Also, jackfruit leaves were used as a secondary material and it was found that using 15% of jackfruit leaves does not harm the quality of the final product, which can reduce the cost of production. According to correlations between all results, the optimum composition found was 45% of primary material + 15% of secondary material (Jack fruit leave) + 40% of binding material (paper waste). These tested small briquettes can be easily used to light a fire during excursions. It can also be concluded that medium-sized products can be used for cooking.