Production of smokeless briquette charcoals from wet cake waste of ethanol industry

Abstract

The main aim of this research was to improve physical property of wet cake waste from ethanol industry to produce smokeless briquette charcoals as alternative fuels. By carbonization at 400, 450, 500 and 550°c vary times 30, 45, 60 and 90 minutes in oxygen-limited conditions. The maximum yields and fixed carbon were obtained at temperature 500°C, 60 minutes. This condition has 40.50% yields, 1.17% moisture, 34.42% ash, 16.57% volatile matter and 47.84% fixed carbon. Then bring wet cake waste to briquette charcoals in two types such as hot and cold compressed.After carbonization hot and cold compressed have higher heating value 20,257.25 and 24,790.21 KJ/kg respectively. In addition cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis, hot compressed cost 0.17 baht/piece, total production at breakeven 704,225 pieces and payback period of 0.18 years, while cold compressed cost 0.3175 baht/piece, total production at breakeven 341,297 pieces and payback period of 0.17 years.