Abstract:
Woody biomass is briquette-densified to enhance its physical and mechanical
properties during handling and storage. However, Limited study on the physical
consistency of briquettes made from wood biomass and bottom ash blends has been carried
out. The bottom ash used in this study is a residue from burning coal for the powerplant.
The physical quality was evaluated for three different compositions (70:30, 50:50, and
30:70). The piston press type machine (laboratory scale) was employed to produce a
briquette. This work aims to evaluated the effect of mixing ratio (wood residue and bottom
ash) and compaction pressure on the physical quality (water content, ash content, VM,
calorific value) and combustion behavior. The compaction pressure was varied between 100
kg/cm2 and 150 kg/cm2. The result revealed that the compaction pressure affected the
physical quality of the briquette. Lower moisture content (MC), ash content (AC), and
calorific value (CV) were obtained at the higher compaction pressure. The moisture content
of 1.6% was better for the wood residue and bottom ash mixture's compaction pressure. The
calorific value of briquette ranged from 5200 kal/g to 5700 kal/g. In conclusion, the
combination of low-cost and abundant forest biomass mixed bottom ash available with
wood biomass could lead to better physical quality and help meet the demand for the
briquette in the future.
