Abstract
The study was undertaken to investigate the properties of cassava starch and gum arabic bonded briquettes from the sawdust of Azadirachta indica. The briquettes were produced using a Jack press at an average pressure of 10.7 kg·cm−2. The sawdust and binders were mixed at ratios of 100:15, 100:25, 100:35 and 100:45 in weight, respectively. The briquettes produced were subjected to physical and combustion tests. Both the physical and combustion properties of the briquettes vary with binder types and binder levels (p < 0.05). The result shows that briquettes bonded with starch gave better performance based on density of 0.546 g·cm−3, durability rating of 95.93%, heating value of 33.09 MJ·kg−1, percentage of fixed carbon of 84.70% and low ash and volatile matter of 3.35% and 11.95%, respectively, while briquette bonded with gum arabic has density of 0.425 g·cm−3, durability rating of 94.85%, heating value of 32.76 MJ·kg−1, percentage of fixed carbon of 87.30% and low ash and volatile matter of 4.45% and 8.75, respectively. Since the aim of briquetting is to produce briquette that will serve as a good source of fuel and support combustion, the best briquette was produced when the sawdust-starch ratio and sawdust-gum arabic ratio was 100:25 and 100:35, respectively.
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