Combustion Enhancement of Torrefied Agricultural Waste Briquettes: Effects of Temperature, Time and Binder Ratios

This study investigated the enhancement of combustion properties in briquettes produced from torrefied agricultural wastes (rice husk, sawdust, and maize cob) by analyzing the effects of torrefaction temperature, duration, and binder ratio. The torrefaction behavior was examined at temperatures ranging from 200°C to 300°C and durations from 10 to 60 minutes under an inert nitrogen atmosphere. The torrefied samples were characterized, and briquettes were produced. Results indicated that sawdust was the most efficient feedstock due to its low ash content (2.5%) and high carbon content (50%). The optimal torrefaction conditions were 240°C–260°C for 30–40 minutes. A binder-to-material ratio of 1:5 yielded briquettes with the highest heating value (18,716 kJ/kg) and material strength. The study concluded that torrefaction and binder optimization significantly enhanced the combustion properties of agricultural waste briquettes.