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Briquetted biomass, like sugarcane bagasse, a by-product of sugar mills, is a renewable energy source. This study aimed at the production and characterization of bagasse briquettes. The production of briquettes was carried out with different blending ratios (5, 10, and 15%) and average particle sizes (0.75, 2.775, and 4.8 mm) with various binders of cow dung, waste paper, and admixture (molasses and wastepaper). The bagasse underwent drying, size reduction, sieving, binder addition, and densification using a manual press during the briquetting process. Characterization of the physical and combustion parameters of briquettes, such as density, shatter resistance, proximate, and calorific value, followed the American Society for Testing and Materials procedures. The result shows that the maximum density of briquettes was 0.804 g/cm3, while shatter resistance varied from 83.051 to 94.975% (4.8mm, 5% cow dung and 0.75mm, 5% admixture binders respectively). ANOVA analysis showed that the factors and their interactions had a significant influence (p value < 0.05) on the physical properties. The optimum parameters of briquettes achieved were 14.953% admixture binder, 0.776 mm particle size, 0.805 g/cm3 density, and 95.811% shatter resistance. Bagasse briquettes with a 5% cow dung binder achieved a high calorific value of 39927.05 kcal/kg. The ultimate analysis revealed a composition of 47.49% carbon (C), 5.133% hydrogen (H), 1.557% nitrogen (N), 0.374% sulfur (S), and 45.446% oxygen (O). Therefore, bagasse has a high calorific value and can be used for briquetting to replace fossil fuel and firewood in different applications. In addition, due to its availability, utilizing as fuel source has economic advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Producing biomass briquettes from industrial solid wastes is a more environmentally friendly way to provide alternative energy and is essential for Ethiopia to satisfy its growing energy needs while also ensuring efficient waste management in the expansion of industrial parks. The main objective of this study is to produce biomass briquettes from a mixture of textile sludge and cotton residue using avocado peels as a binder. Textile solid waste, avocado peels, and sludge were dried, carbonized, and turned into powder to make briquettes. Briquettes made from the mixture of industrial sludge and cotton residue were combined in various ratios: 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, and 50:50 with the same amount of the binder. Briquettes were then made using a hand press mold followed by sun-drying for two weeks. The moisture content, calorific value, briquette density, and burning rate of biomass briquettes ranged from 5.03 to 8.04%, 11.19 to 17.2 MJ/kg, 0.21 to 0.41 g/cm3, and 2.92 to 8.75 g/min, respectively. The results revealed that the briquette produced from a 50:50 ratio of industrial sludge to cotton residue was the most efficient. The inclusion of avocado peels as a binder enhanced the briquette's binding and heating properties. Thus, the findings suggested that mixing various industrial solid wastes with fruit wastes could be an effective means of making sustainable biomass briquettes for domestic purposes. Additionally, it can also promote proper waste management and provide young people with employment prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass energy accounts for more than 92 percent of overall energy consumption in Ethiopia. As a result, Ethiopia is one of the world's most biomass-dependent countries. The high reliance on wood fuels and agricultural residues for fuel harms society's social, economic, and environmental well-being. This study aims to create and test the quality of fuel briquettes made from the coffee husk. Also built and produced are a carboniser/charcoal kiln, a manually operated molder system, and a briquette stove for burning the manufactured briquette. The carboniser converts 15 kg of raw coffee husk into 6 kg of carbonised char in 25 minutes, and the manually operated briquette molder can press 30 kg per hour. The efficiency of converting raw coffee husk into carbonised char content was 40.12%. In the geological survey of Ethiopia, the geochemical laboratory directorate received triplicate samples of the fuel briquette charcoal for analysis. Moisture content, fixed carbon content, ash content, sulfur content, and calorific value were determined using a bomb calorimeter and a ceramic lining furnace. Physical properties of fuel briquettes ranged from 10.03% moisture content, 970 kg/m3 density, 81% fixed carbon, 5.15% ash content, 0% sulfur, and 30.54 Kcal/kg higher heating value, according to laboratory results. The results of the study revealed that the coffee husk fuel briquettes produced have more positive characteristics. Fuel briquettes were cost-effective and environmentally friendly and reduced deforestation compared to firewood. This study clearly shows that briquettes made from coffee husk could be used as an alternative energy source when this kind of waste is well managed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia relies on fuelwood and charcoal for energy, but their use causes deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. As a major flower exporter, Ethiopia needs to manage floriculture waste and convert it into alternative energy sources. The objectives of this study were to produce charcoal briquettes from floriculture waste using locally available appropriate technology and compare their energy potential and indoor air pollutant emissions with those of conventional energy sources such as acacia charcoal. Floriculture waste was collected from the dumping site of the Batu floriculture industry in southern Ethiopia and carbonized using a metal kiln. Briquettes were then produced by mixing ground charcoal with clay soil. Proximate analysis, water boiling tests, indoor air pollution tests, and combustion characteristic analyses were conducted on the produced briquettes and commercially available acacia charcoal. To our knowledge, this is the first study to comprehensively investigate the production of charcoal briquettes from floriculture waste and their potential as an alternative energy source and a means to reduce indoor air pollution globally. The effectiveness of carbonizing floriculture waste was 33.4 ± 0.7 % (mean ± standard deviation). The calorific values of floriculture waste, carbonized floriculture waste, floriculture waste charcoal briquettes, and acacia charcoal were 4370 ± 63, 6178 ± 1.6, 5194 ± 40, and 7593 ± 0.2 Cal g−1, respectively. Floriculture waste charcoal briquettes had a thermal efficiency of 28 ± 1.2 %, which was 3 % higher than that of acacia charcoal (25 ± 1.6 %). No significant difference was observed in specific fuel consumption and fire power between floriculture waste charcoal briquettes and acacia charcoal. In the Batu floriculture industry areas, 22,091 tons per year of floriculture waste charcoal briquettes can be produced, providing a total energy of 4.8 × 108 KJ per year. This has the potential to substitute 32,005 Mg per year of fuel wood with reducing carbon loss by 16,323 Mg C per year. Indoor air pollution tests have shown that burning floriculture waste charcoal briquettes emits 31.8 % less carbon monoxide (CO) compared to acacia charcoal. These results suggest that briquettes produced from floriculture waste using locally available appropriate technology have potential as an alternative energy source and can mitigate greenhouse gas CO 2 emissions and indoor pollutant CO emissions. • Charcoal briquettes from floriculture waste (FWCB) were produced and analysed. • Calorific value of FWCB was 31.6% lower than that of acacia charcoal (AC). • Thermal efficiency of FWCB was 3% higher than that of AC. • Specific fuel consumption and fire power of FWCB and AC were not different. • FWCB emitted 31.8% less carbon monoxide compared to AC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]