Title: Influence of binders on physical properties of fuel briquettes produced from cassava rhizome waste

Authors: Ranjit Sen; Sujinda Wiwatpanyaporn; Ajit Padmakar Annachhatre

Addresses: Environmental Engineering and Management Programme, School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 4, Khlong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand ' Environmental Engineering and Management Programme, School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 4, Khlong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand ' Environmental Engineering and Management Programme, School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 4, Khlong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand

Abstract: Investigations were undertaken to produce fuel briquettes from cassava rhizome waste with five binders namely molasses, starch gel, concentrated slop, cassava pulp and soybean residue at the ratios of 6:4, 7:3, 8:2, 9:1 and 10:0. Physical properties viz. density, compressive strength and impact resistance index of briquettes showed gradual improvement with the increased amount of binders. Briquettes produced from cassava rhizome charcoal with molasses, starch gel and concentrated slop as binders in proportion of 6:4 and 7:3 yielded higher density ranging from 0.69 to 0.91 g cm⁻³, compressive strength from 8.51 to 14.94 kg cm⁻², impact resistance index from 153.7 to 416.7 and calorific values from 21,670 to 24,367 KJ kg⁻¹, respectively. From economic analysis, it was found that briquettes produced from cassava rhizome charcoal with either molasses or starch gel binder in proportion of 7:3 were found best with highest BCR of 2.01 and 2.15, respectively.

Keywords: agro-industrial waste; cassava rhizome waste; carbonisation; briquetting; densification; density; compressive strength; impact resistance index; IRI; calorific value; binders; physical properties; fuel briquettes; molasses; starch gel; concentrated slop; cassava pulp; soybean residue; cassava rhizome charcoal.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2016.076750

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2016 Vol.17 No.2, pp.158 - 175

Received: 06 Oct 2014
Accepted: 05 Jun 2015
Published online: 26 May 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article