Suitability of selected agro-wastes for briquette production, Pallisa district.

Abstract

Groundnut husks, cotton stalk and sorghum stalk are abundant agro-waste in Pallisa district. In their loose form however, they are not preferred as bio-fuel a Densification of these agro-wastes to form briquettes will allow their use-as substitute to fire wood and charcoal. This research involved the investigation of the thermos chemical properties of the different samples of briquettes prepared from varying material composition. The three selected agro- waste were mixed with varying ratios and briquetted with 40grams, of cassava binder. A bomb calorimeter was used to determine the calorific values of the samples while their burning temperature was estimated by the use of a Temperature Flame Chart. The findings showed that single material briquettes had comparably higher calorific-value as compared to composite material briquettes. Non-carbonized groundnut husk briquette bad the highest calorific value of 9·5 8J/g and it burnt with a yellowish red flame in the furnace whose flame temperature is estimated to fall within the range of 2500-2700K. The calorific value of carbonized sorghum, briquette was higher than that of carbonized cotton. Keywords: Densification, Carbonization, Calorific value, Flame temperature.