DESIGN,CONSTRUCTION AND EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OFTHEPRODUCTSOF A LOW COST BRIQUETTE MACHINE FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES IN NIGERIA
DESIGN,CONSTRUCTION AND EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OFTHEPRODUCTSOF A LOW COST BRIQUETTE MACHINE FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES IN NIGERIA
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Date
2008-07
Authors
SANI, ITODO FIDELIS
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Abstract
The decreasing availability of fuel wood, coupled with the ever rising prices of kerosene
and cooking gas in Nigeria draws attention to consider alternative sources of energy for
domestic and cottage level industrial use in the country. This research work was conducted
to design and construct a low cost briquette machine for rural communities in Nigeria. It
involved the modification of the existing CINVA RAM press and evaluation of the
products produced. Selected agricultural residues (i.e. rice straw and rice husk), saw dust
residue of softwood and a combination of 50% rice husk + 50% saw dust by weight with
30% optimum cassava starch by weight as binder were used to produce briquettes.
Performance characteristics were evaluated for the briquettes produced based on average
fuel efficiency, burning rate and specific fuel consumption. Calorific value of 16,577KJ/Kg
was obtained for rice straw briquette, 14,396KJ/Kg for rice husk briquette, 15,547KJ/Kg
for sawdust briquette, 17,529KJ/Kg for 50% rice husk + 50% saw dust briquette and
12,378KJ/Kg for firewood (Parkia biglobosa). The average fuel efficiency, burning rate
and specific fuel consumption values of 10.68%, 1.10Kg/hr, 0.3g/g, 22.42%, 0.83Kg/hr,
0.13g/g, 15.40%, 1.03Kg/hr, 0.26g/g, 18.52%, 0.93Kg/hr, 0.16g/g and 12.29%, 1.62Kg/hr,
0.36g/g were obtained for rice straw briquette, rice husk briquette, saw dust briquette, 50%
rice husk + 50% saw dust briquette and firewood respectively.Statistical analysis using the
least square differences in comparison to each of the fuel samples average performances
showed that rice husk briquettehadthemost outstandingthermal performance.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE
AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA.
NIGERIA
JULY, 2008
Keywords
DESIGN,, CONSTRUCTION,, EXPERIMENTAL,, EVALUATION,, PRODUCTS,, LOW,, COST,, BRIQUETTE,, MACHINE,, RURAL,, COMMUNITIES,, NIGERIA