PRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE HEATING PROPERTIES OF COAL AND RICE HUSK BRIQUETTES USING CaSO4 AS A BINDER

Ogbuagu Jephtha1, Onuegbu Theresa2, Ikelle Issie Ikelle3,
Chimezie Onuoha4, and Anyigor Chukwuma5
1&2Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka
3,4&5Department of Industrial Chemistry, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki
E-mail: iikelle@ymail.com
ABSTRACT
This work involves the production of briquettes from coal and rice husk. The different briquette samples were produced by blending varying compositions of coal and rice husk at the following ratios of 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80 and 0:100 using calcium sulphate as a binder and calcium hydroxide as the desulphurizing agent. The briquettes were produced mechanically using a manual briquetting machine with pressure maintained at 5MPa. Results of the proximate analysis showed that of the different compositions that 60% coal:40% rice husk briquettes with following values for ash content 25.92%, fixed carbon 47.18%, moisture content 3.82%, density 0.474g/cm3, volatile matter 23.08%, porosity index 42.53%, calorific value 118.44KJ/g, water boiling test 2.14mins, ignition time 33.10secs, burning time 19.85mins and sulphur content 7.04% exhibited optimum combustible quality when compared with other compositions of briquettes
produced.