Integrated Briquetting Plant: Study for Maichew Particle Board FactoryIntegrated Briquetting Plant: Study for Maichew Particle Board Factory

Temesgen Gebrekidan

doi:10.11648/j.sjee.20150303.11

Abstract

Biomass briquetting is a process which converts agro residue and saw dust materials with low bulk density into a uniform size and more convenient households or industrial fuel product. The major advantages offered by biomass densification are related to handling improvement and increasing calorific value per unit volume. In general this process offers energy generation opportunity from any biomass residue. Maichew Particle Board Factory generates a huge amount of dust particles from its different lines which recovered using different cyclones. But this recovered waste doesn’t use as a fuel for boiler or dryer and also not yet convert to any valuable product. It is simply disposed to the environment. Therefore, the objective of the project was to study an integrated briquetting plant for Maichew Particle Board Factory which converts the waste dust particle in to valuable product. This case study involved the overall energy review of Ethiopia and briquetting process in detail. According to the selection of appropriate technology which converts the eucalyptus dust to high quality briquette fuel screw press extruder with a pre heater and heated die coils has been chosen. In addition the amount of energy required to convert the dust particle to briquettes is also evaluated. Based on the results of this study, the economic evaluation of the integrated briquetting plant for Maichew Particle Board is feasible besides to its socio environmental benefits. It is an investment which can recover its capital with almost two years.

Highlights

Biomass has been a major source of household’s energy in Ethiopian
In Ethiopia briquetting plant set up in early 1980s have failed to practice in commercial wise, mostly because of poor management skill, high power consumption and lack of technical constraints involved and the lack of knowledge to adapt the technology to suit local conditions
The developing countries like Ethiopia can turn their huge agro and forest residue to generate energy with environmental friendly. As it observed in the above; from the different available briquetting technology screw press extruder with a pre heater and heated die coils has been chosen with respect to optimum energy consumption, low wear age and quality of briquettes

Summary

Introduction

Biomass has been a major source of household’s energy in Ethiopian. Biomass meets the cooking energy needs of most rural households and half of the urban household’s demands. Despite significant penetration of commercial energy in Ethiopia during last few decades, biomass continues to dominate energy supply in rural and traditional sectors. Biomass energy constitutes wood fuels (including charcoal, and wood wastes), crop residues (such as coffee husk, bagasse, rice husk and crop stalks) and animal dung (including biogas) [8, 10]. Ethiopia’s energy system is characterized mainly by biomass fuel supply, with households being the greatest energy consumers. The total percentage total energy consumption in 1998 is estimated the following table

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion