Moisture Content Impact on Properties of Briquette Produced from Rice Husk Waste

An agricultural waste-based source of energy in the form of briquettes from rice husk has emerged as an alternative energy source. However, rice husk-based briquette has a low bulk density and moisture content, resulting in low durability. This study investigated the effect of initial moisture contents of 12%, 14%, and 16% of rice husk-based briquettes blended with 10 wt% of kraft lignin on their chemical and physical characteristics. The briquetting was done using a hand push manual die compressor. The briquette properties were evaluated by performing chemical (ultimate and proximate analysis, thermogravimetric analysis), physical (density, durability, compressive strength, and surface morphology) analyses. The durability values of all briquette samples were above 95%, meeting the standard with good compressive strength, surface morphology, and acceptable density range. The briquette made from the blend with 14% moisture content showed the highest calorific value of 17.688 MJ kg(-1), thanks to its desirable morphology and good porosity range, which facilitates the transport of air for combustion. Overall, this study proved the approach of enhancing the quality of briquettes from rice husk by controlling the moisture content.