There is a growing demand for Bio Coal Briquettes and there are many who are opting to make and sell briquettes for a profit. Though making fuel briquettes can be a messy affair, it does have its plus points too such as generating environmental friendly fuel that is not at all expensive and is renewable. There are charcoal briquettes that are known to be much cleaner and smokeless than the lump charcoal. Briquettes are blocks of compressed coal dust, charcoal dust, wood chips, sawdust or biomass. It is extensively used as fuel in both boilers and stoves.
Charcoal as a substance does not have any plasticity and therefore it cannot be molded into any shape without the addition of a binding material. In order to turn charcoal dust into briquettes, it is important to first add an agglomerating material and then applying pressure to the combination for briquette to be formed. There are different ingredients that are used to make charcoal briquettes and these include:
Heat Fuel: Heat fuel is responsible for supplying energy and therefore the quality of briquette is determined by the percentage of heat fuel materials. About 90% heat fuel material is good for making briquettes that will undoubtedly give more fire. The different materials that can be used include wood charcoal, mineral carbon, charcoal fines, coal and biomass.
Accelerants: This materials used to create accelerants are chemical nitrates particularly sodium nitrate. It is best to avoid potassium nitrate and ammonium nitrate because they can tend to be dangerous. Nitrates are fuel energy and can tend to provide heat but it depends on what market one is targeting because this can be expensive and even sawdust can be used as an accelerant for a low-end market. In order to remove smoke from sawdust, it is a good idea to ferment it a bit by allowing it to be immersed in water for five days. Briquettes require accelerants so that it can burn faster.
Charcoal as a substance does not have any plasticity and therefore it cannot be molded into any shape without the addition of a binding material. In order to turn charcoal dust into briquettes, it is important to first add an agglomerating material and then applying pressure to the combination for briquette to be formed. There are different ingredients that are used to make charcoal briquettes and these include:
Heat Fuel: Heat fuel is responsible for supplying energy and therefore the quality of briquette is determined by the percentage of heat fuel materials. About 90% heat fuel material is good for making briquettes that will undoubtedly give more fire. The different materials that can be used include wood charcoal, mineral carbon, charcoal fines, coal and biomass.
Accelerants: This materials used to create accelerants are chemical nitrates particularly sodium nitrate. It is best to avoid potassium nitrate and ammonium nitrate because they can tend to be dangerous. Nitrates are fuel energy and can tend to provide heat but it depends on what market one is targeting because this can be expensive and even sawdust can be used as an accelerant for a low-end market. In order to remove smoke from sawdust, it is a good idea to ferment it a bit by allowing it to be immersed in water for five days. Briquettes require accelerants so that it can burn faster.
White Ashes: Briquettes with white ash color symbolizes quality and these white ashes can only be noticed if briquettes possess sufficient amount of calcium carbonate, limestone or lime. Though these are not heat fuels they can reduce the burning rate so that the briquettes burn for a longer duration at low fire.
Briquette Binders: Charcoal lacks plasticity and charcoal dust can also not hold it into shape without a binder. Starch is supposed to be one of the best bidders especially cassava starch which is easily available and also very cheap. Alternately, corn starch, maize flour, wheat starch can also be used.
Press Release: Another ingredient that is important to use is sodium borate or borax, which is a chemical. This chemical is used when charcoal paste has to be pressed to create a block of briquette and the India Briquette Press then automatically releases from the press. This step should be followed only if a high-pressure briquette-making machine is being used.
Fillers: Fillers are a kind of substance that is added to briquettes to increase the weight, density and volume.
Briquette Binders: Charcoal lacks plasticity and charcoal dust can also not hold it into shape without a binder. Starch is supposed to be one of the best bidders especially cassava starch which is easily available and also very cheap. Alternately, corn starch, maize flour, wheat starch can also be used.
Press Release: Another ingredient that is important to use is sodium borate or borax, which is a chemical. This chemical is used when charcoal paste has to be pressed to create a block of briquette and the India Briquette Press then automatically releases from the press. This step should be followed only if a high-pressure briquette-making machine is being used.
Fillers: Fillers are a kind of substance that is added to briquettes to increase the weight, density and volume.
