Briquettes

Eco-briquettes

Biomass briquettes are produced from agricultural waste and are a substitute for fossil fuels such as petrol or coal and can be used for boiler heating in production companies and for domestic application. Biomass briquettes are a renewable source of energy and a means to avoid the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Biomass briquettes help to save on boiler fuel expenses. Through the use of biomass briquettes carbon credits for reducing the atmospheric emissions can be awarded. Biomass briquettes also provide higher caloric value per kilogram which saves approximately 30-40 % of the boiler fuel expenses. Briquettes are manufactured of wood-processing or plant-growing waste biomass from the agricultural sector. No adhesive materials are used in the moulding process. The lignin which is naturally present in the biomass connects the particles and forms them under the influence of high temperature in the pressing process. The combustion of eco-briquettes is much more effective than the one of firewood. The moisture content in briquettes may be much lower, around 4% while in wood this content may be higher than 65%.

To illustrate this, an example of eco-briquettes produced through extrusion follows:

The technology of extrusion as a method for production of briquettes from vegetable wastes (straw, sunflower husks, etc.) or fine grated wood waste (sawdust) under high pressure at a temperature from 160 to 350 C ° is much better in comparison to other methods such as using piston presses.
Eco-briquettes have developed over time into two different types: with an opening in the centre and without an opening. Both types qualify as eco-briquettes but are formed through the use of different techniques. Eco-briquettes without an opening have been produced with the use of a piston press which compresses stuck together layers of biomass particles. Briquettes with an opening are produced with the use of a screw press.The opening is caused by the screw passing through the centre. This allows additional surface for the combustion process.             

• Eco-briquettes are cleaner as opposed to conventional wood and coal;
• They are easy to store and arrange; 
• Eco-briquettes burn steadily;
• They do not release harmful residual matters such as sulphuric dioxide;
• The ash produced from the combustion of eco-briquettes has the properties of fertilizer while coal ash has no such application;
• Eco-briquettes may be used in open or closed combustion chambers and barbeques.

Eco-pellets 

Eco-pellets are a subtype of the energy products produced from biomass. For the first time they have been used in Europe in Sweden in the beginning of the 1990s. Along with the basic advantages, pellets can be used in boiler installations with automated feeding and dosing system for a controlled combustion process. 

„Rapid Oil Industry“ Co., Ltd. manufactures eco-briquettes and eco-pellets from residual biomass – straw, corn, sunflower. The feedstock is pre-processed by being dried and grinded. This type of bio-fuel excels with a high caloricity – 20-25 MJ/kg at significantly lower levels of ash, sulphur content and harmful emissions in the atmosphere, compared to fossil fuels. The pellet production corresponds to the requirements of standards DIN 51731. The basic qualitative indicators are: