Abstract:
This work was done in two parts. The first part was the design and constn~ctiono f a machine
model using wood and the second part was the determination of the oprin~al mixture of
pulverized coal-rice h~isk briquettes. The design was based on granular material analysis to
find the different loads due to shear stress on various parts of the machine as the materials
flow during consolidation. The loads obtained were used to dimension gears, shafts and
puIleys that form the power transmission system of the machine. The machine was then drawn to produce a detail dimensional inodel in software form using AutoCAD. A soft copy of the drawings, the detail and assembly view is included in a computer media attached at the back of this work. Briquette compositions of coal, rice husk and palin oil sludge were produced at various compression pressures in the range from 20 to 45MPa. Their handling and combustion characteristics were tested and evaluated. Results revealed that the density, axial compressive strength and durability increased with increased compressiori pressure. The charcoal formation rate and percentage charcoal formation also increased steadily with
increased compression pressure but remained stable at 0.025 kg/rnin and 26.1 8% respectively from compression pressures of 35 to 45MPa while burning rate, specific R~el consumption, ash formation rate and percentage ash formation decreased steadily with increased compression pressure but remained stable at 0.095krJmin, 0.56kg/kg, 0.0001 kglmin and 0.1% respectively from compression pressures of 35 t6 45MPa. The briquette density showed an increase from 527 to 1470.01kg/in3. Experiments performed revealed that a 5:3:1 ratio by weight of coal, rice husk and palm oil sludge gave the optimum calorific value of 19970KJ/kg. The result showed that the calorific value of rice husk has been improved, therefore putting an economic value to a rather waste material.
