Production and Characterization of Hybrid Briquettes from Corncobs and Oil Palm Trunk Bark under a Low Pressure Densification Technique

Sunday Yusuf Kpalo, Mohamad Faiz Zainuddin, Latifah Abd Manaf and Ahmad Muhaimin Roslan
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Sunday Yusuf Kpalo: Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Nasarawa State University, Keffi 961101, Nigeria
Mohamad Faiz Zainuddin: Faculty of Environmental Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
Latifah Abd Manaf: Faculty of Environmental Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
Ahmad Muhaimin Roslan: Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 6, 1-16

Abstract: The objective of this research was to investigate the quality of hybrid briquettes developed from corncobs (CC) and oil palm trunk bark (OPTB) under a low-pressure densification technique. The materials were combined in varying ratios of CC to OPTB (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 0:100) and wastepaper pulp (10% by weight) was added to each mixture as a binder. The briquettes were produced using a manually operated 20-tonne hydraulic piston press at 28 °C temperature and ≤7 MPa compaction pressure. The mechanical strength of the briquettes was determined by the drop test and compression test methods, while a bomb calorimeter was used to determine the calorific values. The results showed that the physical properties of hybrid briquettes ranged from 9.24–10.00% moisture content, 0.38–0.40 g/cm 3 density, and 87.60%–92.00% water resistance. Mechanical strength showed a 98.28%–99.08% shatter index and 18.47–21.75 MPa compressive strength, while calorific values ranged from 16.54–16.91 MJ/kg. The hybrid briquettes fared better than the CC briquettes. The significance of this study lies in the production of briquettes with suitable physical, mechanical and thermal properties by utilizing OPTB which have hitherto not been used, mixed with corncobs. This could bring substantial environmental and socio-economic benefits to rural communities of the developing countries.

Keywords: Corncobs; oil palm trunk; bark; hybrid briquettes; density; compressive strength; calorific value; low pressure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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