IMPACT OF GRINDING COCONUT SHELL AND AGGLOMERATION PRESSURE ON QUALITY PARAMETERS OF BRIQUETTE.

In Poland, biomass is still considered as the basic source of renewable energy. Energy from biomass accounts for 15 % of global energy consumption, while in developing countries this share is higher. The main advantage of biomass is lower emissions of sulphur dioxide during combustion compared to fossil fuels. The main sources of biomass for production of low-processed solid biofuels, such as bales or chips and high processed pellets or briquettes, are plantations of energy plants. Energy plant species, possible to use as a raw material for the production of biofuels, are plants characterized by a high annual growth, resistance to diseases and pests, small habitat requirements and adaptation to the Polish climatic conditions. The paper presents the physico-chemical properties of coconut shells in terms of their energetic use. The results obtained are: humidity (9.4 %), calorific value (17308.68 J·g-1), low ash content (0.66 %) and volatile content (77.7 %) are comparable to those of biofuels available on the market. The work was also carried out to assess the effect of the shredding degree and the applied agglomeration pressure in the briquetting process on the quality characteristics of the obtained briquettes. For briquetting the raw materials the POR ECOMEC Junior Press was used. Tests were conducted for particulate matter on 8 and 12 mm sieves and for agglomerate pressure of 37 and 47 MPa. The obtained results showed that proper granulation of the raw material and application of appropriate agglomeration pressure improve the qualities of the briquettes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]