Determination of physical properties and combustion characteristics of water hyacinth (<i>Eichhorniacrassipes</i>) briquettes

Abstract

Water hyacinth causes practical problems for marine transportation, fishing, hydro power, irrigation schemes, chokes other aquatic lives, favours mosquitoes breeding, fosters water borne diseases and it is a serious threat to biodiversity. A study was undertaken to determine the properties of water hyacinth, physical and combustion properties of briquettes made from water hyacinth (WH) of different binder ratio of plantain peels (PP) at different pressures and particle sizes. There was comparison of the combustion properties of water hyacinth briquette with bituminous-charcoal, red mangrove and Anthonothamacrophylla firewood. Three particle sizes of 0.5 mm (D₁), 1.6 mm (D₂) and 4.0 mm (D₃), four pressure levels of 3MPa (P₁),5MPa (P₂), 7 MPa (P₃), and 9 MPa (P₄), and five binder ratios of 10% (B)₁,20% (B₂,), 30% (B₃), 40% (,B₄) and 50% (B₅) by residue weight were used as variables. Comparison of combustion characteristics of water hyacinth briquettes with these energy sources was determined following American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) method. Results showed variation in the percentage bulk density with respect to particle size; 349.71% for 0.5 mm, 193% for 1.6 mm and 139% for 4 mm of water hyacinth. PP improved the calorific value of WH from 3190 kcal/kg to 4533.56+ 22.44 kcal/kg (briquettes). The burning rate of the briquettes varied from 0.92 + 0.03 g/min to 2.66 +0.05 g/min. Thermal fuel efficiency and water boiling time of fuel sources were: 28.17+0.88% and 9.25+ 0.42 min (briquettes), 31.29+0.19% and 8.99+ 0.22 min (bituminous-charcoal), 23.55 + 0.56% and 11.43 + 0.43 min (red mangrove wood) and 21.31 +0.28% and 14.94 ± 0.22 min (Anthonothamacrophylla firewood). The optimum briquettes WH-PP production is at particle size of 0.5 mm, binder ratio of 40% and compaction ratio of 9 MPa.