Abstract:
Investigation of briquettes of different species of wood sawdust as solid fuel was
carried out.
Briquettes of sawdust species of Teak, Masonia,
lroko, Afara and Common
Sawdust (mixture of difference species of wood) were produced by mixing them with
binders.
Two different binders, the starch paste and sodium silicate were used to
agglomerate different sets of the sawdust mixture together.
briquettes of 100% sawdust were produced.
For each of the species,
Also briquettes of sawdust mixed with pal m
kernel shell of 0.85mm and 1.18mm in grain sizes in ratio of 70:30, (sawdust to palm
kernel shell) were produced.
The mixtures were compressed at 6.89MPa (lOOOpsi) using
a manually operated hydraulic briquetting machine.
Experimental
Flame Temperature,
tests, which involved the determination
were carried out.
of Calorific Value and
Proximate Analysis was also carried out to
determine the constituent of the briquettes, which includes, Percentage Volatile Matters,
Percentage
Ash Content, Percentage
Moisture and Percentage
Fixed Carbon. Water
Boiling Test which involve Percentage Heat Utilized, Specific Fuel Consumption
and
Time Spend in Boiling Ikg of water were carried out on each of the sample briquettes
having been sun-dried properly.
The masonia briquette with grain size of 1.18mm palm
kernel shell was found to be the best solid fuel under the different tests.
