PRODUCTION OF COMPOSITE SOLID FUEL USING ORANGE PEELS AND CORN COBS FOR ENERGY SUPPLY

Abstract: This study presents investigation of orange peels and corn cobs being some of the numerous biomass wastes in Nigeria to determine their characteristics through briquetting technology. This is part of the efforts geared towards production of fuel product from agro-waste biomass and a more environmentally friendly fuel that can be used as an alternative fuel to the commonly used fossil fuel that has brought about global warming threatening our environment and the earth. This effort is also to reduce our over-dependence on the use of fuel-wood so as to reduce its consequences on climate change and other consequences on the environment. In the process, orange peels and corn cobs were collected from within the environment of Chanchaga and Kasuwan-Gwari Local Government Area of Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. The materials were sun-dried and milled using locally fabricated harmer mill, sieved through a 2.36mm sieve and mixed in the ratio of 20:80, 80:20, and 50:50 – orange peels to corn cobs; labelled sample A, B and C respectively. The samples were mixed at varying weight with the paste of 80g of starch as the binder and compacted in a manually operated hydraulic jack briquetting machine. Their physical properties, proximate and ultimate analysis, ignition time, and water-boiling capacity of the produced briquettes were determined according to ASTM standard. Results from the produced briquette shows sample A with highest calorific value of 31886.041kcal/kg followed by sample B with 31295.618kcal/kg and the least was sample C with 31136.771kcal/kg respectively. Sample A also has the highest carbon content followed by sample B and C respectively. Meanwhile, sample B has the highest fixed carbon content followed by A and C respectively. The sulphur and nitrogen contents which are the toxic elements in fuel are 0.110% 0.345%, 0.280% and 2.024%, 2.086% and 2.009% for sample A, B and C respectively. This shows low toxic contents in the briquettes