Production and Characterization of Rice Husk Based Charcoal Briquettes*

Utilization of agricultural residues and weeds as alternative materials for fossil fuel is of interest due to its environmental friendliness. The present study proposes production of rice husk based charcoals briquettes. Three different types of biomass viz. bagasse, rice straw, and water hyacinth were carbonized, crushed and sieved through screens to obtain the particle size of 150-750 µm. Each sieved biocoal was then well mixed with the rice husk charcoal at the mixing ratios between the rice husk charcoal and the other charcoal of 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, and 20:80. The mixtures were densified, using cassava starch as binding agent, via the cold extrusion process. The densified charcoals were finally sun dried. Physical and mechanical properties i.e., density, ultimate stress, and toughness of the mixed biocoal briquettes produced were examined and it was found that the mixing ratio had a significant effect on the physical and mechanical properties of the briquettes. Density, ultimate stress and toughness increased with increasing mixing ratio (rice husk charcoal quantity). The rice husk-bagasse charcoal briquette was found to possess the maximum density, ultimate stress and toughness followed by the rice husk-rice straw and the rice husk-water hyacinth charcoals briquettes. Flue gas temperature and CO, and NO contents were monitored and recorded during th