Design and Fabrication of a Briquetting Machine

Abstract

10.37933/nipes.e/3.4.2021.This research paper reports the design and fabrication of an appropriate, efficient and cost effective biomass briquetting machine that is suitable for local use both in terms of the briquetting press for local manufacture and the briquettes produced. The machine was designed to compress biomass materials (sawdust, rice husk and palm fruit shell) in the briquetting die easily. The developed machine was fabricated using 100% local content. The machine comprised of a hopper, compaction chamber, die/barrel, feed screw extruder, feed screw housing, bearings power transmission shaft and the frame. The developed machine was tested by using it to produce briquettes samples from sawdust, rice husk and palm fruit shell under the same condition of binder concentration. The compressive strengths of each samples were obtained. Results showed that the compressive strength of the briquettes samples ranged from 0.9kN/m2 to 1.3kN/m2 with palm fruit shell having the highest compressive strength of 1.3kN/m2. The machine was found suitable to be used in producing briquettes from sawdust, rice husk and palm fruit shell for both local and industrial uses.