Development and Experimental Investigation of Briquetting Machine for Use in Rural Area

Biomass is an organic matter such as agricultural crop residues, forest plant materials and animal wastes used as animal fodder, domestic fuel energy source in India. The briquetting technology is the extrusion process of various biomass materials to produce briquettes as a biofuel substitute for fuel wood, coal and charcoal. Mahua (Madhuca Indica) seeds oil extraction plant have waste known as mahua deoiled cake (Doc) is major forest biomass and is locally available in southern parts of Gujarat. The development of an efficient and low-cost screw press type briquetting machine appropriate for rural peoples of developing countries was carried out. The four combinations with different proportions of raw biomass such as mahua seed deoiled cake, coal, rice husk and grass were used to produce briquette C1 (70:10:10:10), C2 (50:20:20:10), C3 (100:0:0:0), and C4 (50:0:50:0), respectively. The properties of briquettes were determined as the density of briquettes, shatter resistance, tumbling resistance, water retention test and calorific value. The highest resistance to water penetration was observed for combination C1 briquettes as 52.20% because mahua Doc has less porosity and high density. Combination C4 briquettes were observed for a maximum degree of densification and maximum energy density ratio as 31.37% and 1.1, respectively. Tumbler resistance and shatter resistance were observed maximum for combination C1 as 86.70% and 99.82%, respectively which comprises 70% mahua Doc, 10%, coal, 10% rice husk and 10% grass. A high calorific value was found 3946.43 kcal/kg in combination C3 (100:0:0:0) because briquette made of 100% mahua Doc. The addition of Mahua Doc matter in the briquette was found better results as an increase in calorific value, water retention, shatter and tumbling resistance.