An overview of torrefied bioresource briquettes: quality-influencing parameters, enhancement through torrefaction and applications

Abstract

In recent years, the need for clean, viable and sustainable source of alternative fuel is on the rampage in the global space due to the challenges posed by human factors including fossil induced emissions, fuel shortage and its ever-rising prices. These challenges are the major reason to utilize alternative source of energy such as lignocellulosic biomass as domestic and industrial feedstock. However, biomass in their raw form is problematic for application, hence, a dire need for torrefaction pre-treatment is required. The torrefaction option could ameliorate biomass limitations such as low heating value, high volatile matter, low bulk density, hygroscopic and combustion behaviour, low energy density and its fibrous nature. The torrefied product in powder form could cause air pollution and make utilization, handling, transportation, and storage challenging, hence, densification into product of higher density briquettes. This paper therefore provides an overview on the performance of torrefied briquettes from agricultural wastes. The review discusses biomass and their constituents, torrefaction pre-treatment, briquetting of torrefied biomass, the parameters influencing the quality, behaviour and applications of torrefied briquettes, and way forward in the briquetting sector in the developing world.

Briquettes from a Mixture of Cow Menure, Rice Husks and Wood Dust as Alternative Fuel

“…Proximate analysis is used in a few tests to determine the briquettes' quality after they have dried (Akhator et al, 2023). The water content (%), ash content (%), volatile compounds (%), and fixed carbon (%) of briquettes (Waheed et al, 2022) combined with rice husks, wood dust, and cow menure were all measured using proximate analysis. A bomb calorimeter was used to assess the calorific value (calories/gram), aside from that.…”

Dataset on the performance characteristics of briquettes from selected agricultural wastes using a piston-type briquetting machine

“…The torrefied samples were thereafter water preconditioned. The hydrogen bonding capability provided by the water preconditioning enhances the plasticity of the torrefied products and decreases energy consumption [7] . The three samples each in their raw and torrefied state were blended in pairs with one another (i.e., cornhusk and cassava peel; cornhusk and sawdust; sawdust and cassava peel) at the ratios of 100/0, 90/10, 70/30, 50/50, 30/70, 10/90 and 0/100.…”

Sustainability of Briquettes Production Based on Biomass from Vineyard Winter Pruning

“…Vines need yearly winter pruning, which results in large quantities of biomass containing lignocellulose, that might be used for producing densified biofuels. This biomass consists of a mixture of tendrils and stems of different lengths, with a diameter up to 40 mm, in quantities reaching 1.5...2.5 t•ha -1 , and a humidity ratio of 40...50% [12,26,27]. Presently, in most of the plantations, this biomass mixture is either chopped and left as mulch between the vine rows (thus raising phytosanitary risks) or is collected and transported away from the vine area, where it is burned into the open air, thus creating negative effects over the environment (emissions of particles into the atmosphere) [28].…”