Evaluation of Typha Grass as Potential Feedstock for the Production of Fuel Briquette

Abstract

This study established that a minimum of 2, 738.61 metric tons of fresh typha grass (TG) could be obtained from some of the Kano River Irrigation Scheme’s facilities per perennial cycle of the TG. Some sample of fresh TG was randomly harvested and sun dried without any treatment. The dried TG was subjected to some physico-chemical characterizations (moisture content (%), ash content (%), char content (%), and calorific value (MJ/kg)). The results recorded suggested TG as a potential material for fuel briquette production. Furthermore, the dried TG was carbonized and used to produce typha grass fuel briquettes (TB) using five (5) tons hydraulic press machine, three different binding materials (arabic gum (AG), starch (S), and cement (C) at three different dosages (4, 9, and 12% (wt/wt)). The results achieved reveals that the TB produced with starch binding material at 12% dosage exhibited superior properties, including, 97.5 ± 2.00%, 1970±170 (kg/m³ ), 68.22%, 26.45±0.22 MJ/kg, 140 ± 0.22 min, 0.42 ± 0.21 g/min, and 277± 0.06 ppm recorded for mechanical durability,  bulk density, char content, calorific value, water boiling test, specific fuel consumption rate, and carbon monoxide emission, respectively.  Overall, the TG was found to be abundant enough to be adopted as a feedstock for the production of fuel briquette. Its properties and  the produced TB properties have shown that TG is a suitable candidate for the fuel briquettes production.