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Converting briquettes of orange and banana peels into carbonaceous

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DOI: 10.1007/s40974-020-00148-4

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Energ. Ecol. Environ.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40974-020-00148-4
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Converting briquettes of orange and banana peels
into carbonaceous materials for activated sustainable carbon
and fuel sources
Bahareh Karimibavani1 • Ayse Busra Sengul1 • Eylem Asmatulu1
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0133, USA
Received: 5 November 2019 / Revised: 5 February 2020 / Accepted: 6 February 2020
 The Joint Center on Global Change and Earth System Science of the University of Maryland and Beijing Normal University 2020
Abstract Orange and banana peels were dried, chopped,
and briquetted under pressures of 2, 3, and 5 tons/cm2, and
then carbonized at 600 C for 60 min to investigate some
of their physical and thermal properties for use as sus-
tainable carbon and fuel sources. The effects of com-
paction/briquetting loads on density, durability, and
ignition temperature were analyzed for both non-car-
bonized and carbonized orange and banana peel briquettes.
The acceptable compaction load was found to be 2 and
5 tons/cm2 for orange and banana peel briquettes, respec-
tively. The acceptable manufacturing condition in order to
have less weight reduction in the drop test in terms of
durability for solving handling and transportation problems
was 2 tons/cm2 for both orange and banana peel briquettes.
Ignition temperature tests showed that orange peel bri-
quettes produced under 3 tons/cm2 and banana peel bri-
quettes produced under 5 tons/cm2 had acceptable ignition
temperatures. In the case of carbonized briquettes, the
acceptable compaction load for orange and banana peel
briquettes was 5 and 2 tons/cm2, respectively. Based on the
analysis of compression strength tests, residual strengths
were 2.15, 2.18, and 2.30 MPa for orange peel briquettes
and 1.74, 2.03, and 2.45 MPa for banana peel briquettes
under 2, 3, and 5 tons/cm2, respectively. By increasing the
compaction load, residual strengths were increased for both
orange and banana peels; however, beyond 5 tons/cm2, the
quality of the briquettes deteriorated.
Keywords Orange peels
Banana peels
Briquetting

Carbonization
Mechanical properties
Ignition
temperature
Activated charcoal
& Eylem Asmatulu
e.asmatulu@wichita.edu
1 Introduction
Demand on renewable energy has been increasing due to
the fluctuation in oil prices, limited fossil fuel reserves, and
increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (Cicerone
and Nurse 2014; Dincer and Acar 2015; Lu et al. 2019;
Şengül et al. 2019). Banana and orange peels can be con-
sidered as biomass-based renewable energy sources for
partially reducing fossil fuel demand (Chaturvedi et al.
2018). This kind of energy source is an environmentally
friendly substitute for fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas,
and petroleum. Both industrial food processing plants and
households produce a large amount of banana and orange
peels as garbage, which can be converted into a useful
energy source and activated carbon for wastewater
treatment.
Orange and banana peels have a large amount of cel-
lulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, which have the potential
ability to be converted into high value-added products.
They can also be used for fuel production in the form of
gas, liquid, or solid. Biofuels are categorized into two
generations (Dincer and Acar 2015). In the first generation,
biofuels are generated from carbohydrates, lipids, and oils,
or agro-industrial waste. In the second generation, cellulose
is converted into bioethanol. Production of energy from
cellulosic biomass generates almost zero emissions of
greenhouse gases on a life-cycle basis (Lynd et al. 2005;
Singh et al. 2018). One application of orange and banana
peels is the generation of ethanol and other fuels. Ethanol
can be used as a solvent, scent, flavoring, medicine, and
fuel for cars and industrial heating. Natural bioethanol can
be generated by the fermentation process using either
bacteria or yeast, whereby the sugar released from cellulose
is metabolized and converted into ethanol (Vaid et al.
123

2018). Scientists have found that orange and banana peels
are good sources of ethanol production, which occurs
through the enzymatic hydrolysis steps of fermentation
using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Manikandan
et al. 2008; Padam et al. 2014; Wilkins et al. 2007).
Methane is the main component of natural gas, which is
produced by methanogenic bacteria in an anaerobic envi-
ronment. This method has been used for producing
methane from orange and banana peels. Methane is more
combustible than ethanol. There were no large differences
between vegetable waste and fruit waste, such as that from
mango, pineapple, tomato, banana, and orange, used as
feedstock to produce methane (Ángel Siles López et al.
2010; Odetoye et al. 2018).
Carbonization is defined as the process by which organic
material is converted into carbon or a carbon-containing
residue by means of pyrolysis or destructive distillation.
Pyrolysis is the thermochemical decomposition, or chem-
ical and physical formation, of an organic material into a
carbon composite, a process that occurs under higher
temperature and an inert (oxygen-free) atmospheric con-
dition. Cellulose has the chemical formula of C6H10O5.
Based on atomic mass and molar mass, cellulose can
produce 44.4% (72 g/162 g) carbon, as long as the
hydrogen and oxygen in the cellulose during the car-
bonization process are converted to water molecules that
eventually leave the process.
The numerous steps involving carbonization are highly
complex. Based on the amount of available oxygen, there
are two separate thermal conversion processes. The best
carbonization process occurs when there is no oxygen in
the reaction environment. Under this condition, car-
bonization will occur completely through thermal decom-
position. In the first stage, or combustion stage, the
available oxygen that is trapped in the experimental
chamber as the result of heating oxidizes some of the
carbon (C), sulfur (S), nitrogen (N), and hydrogen (H).
Thus, in this first stage, CO2, SO2, NO2, H2O, and carbon
monoxide (CO) are generated because of the presence of
oxygen in the environment. As more oxygen is consumed,
the second thermal stage, or gasification stage, with less
available oxygen will begin. In this stage, some of the
carbonaceous material is altered into a gas phase in which
carbon combines with the remaining single oxygen and
creates some CO as the result of partial burning of the
material. Lack of oxygen causes the actual pyrolysis stage
where the remaining cellulose and char experience com-
plete pyrolysis. As a result of the different processing
conditions during carbonization, gas and solid products are
generated. These include methane, CO2, solid carbon, and
liquid tar or oil (C6H8O) (Amarasekara et al. 2017; Itodo
et al. 2010; Tchobanoglous 1993).
123
B. Karimibavani et al.
Activated carbon has a uniform crystalline structure
with high porosity and adsorption capability (Ajmal et al.
1996; Khorasgani et al. 2019). This medium has been used
as a purification solution to remove impurities in taste,
color, and odors from liquid, water supplies, and animal
and vegetable oils. Also, activated carbon has been used in
the prevention of toxic and biorefractive substances in
environmental pollution (Khalkhali and Omidvari 2005).
Generally, activated carbon has been utilized in pharmacy
and other industries. Orange and banana peels provide
many opportunities for investigation to be used as activated
carbon because of their extensive availability, large vol-
ume, and cost-effective price. During the pyrolysis and
gasification processes of orange and banana peels, carbon
is generated as a by-product. In order to make activated
carbon, two primary activation processes are used—phys-
ical (or gas) and chemical—or a combination of both. In
physical carbonization, the intended material is carbonized
at a high temperature in a carbon dioxide or steam atmo-
sphere. In chemical activation, the intended material is
impregnated with chemical agents such as KOH, CaCl2,
ZnCl2, and H3PO4 (Marsh et al. 1984; Wennerberg and
O’Grady 1997).
Many sources of organic carbon have been used as
precursor materials. They are mainly agricultural refuse
and can be found easily and cheaply. Hazelnut husks along
with zinc chloride (ZnCl2) have been used to prepare
activated carbon (Imamoglu and Tekir 2008). Zinc chloride
has also been used to activate peach stones and other
biomass (Caturla et al. 1991). Pomegranate seeds as a by-
product of the fruit juice industry can be activated by the
ZnCl2 chemical compound (Uçar et al. 2009). Ruiz et al.
(2015) used palm shells to create activated carbon for
environmental remediation (Abnisa et al. 2013; Ruiz et al.
2015). Mango nuts have also been investigated as precursor
material (Kwaghger and Ibrahim 2013). In addition, acti-
vated carbon was prepared from coir pith using a chemical
activation method to adsorb the toxic heavy metals in water
(Kadirvelu et al. 2001). Aravindhan et al. (2009) explored
marine algae as activated carbon sources. Amarasekara
et al. (2017) investigated the briquetting and carbonization
of naturally grown algae biomass for low-cost fuel and
activated carbon production for various industries. Tumu-
luru et al. (2015) analyzed the influence of process con-
ditions on the density and durability of barley, canola,
wheat oat, and straw briquettes. Even sludge that is pro-
duced by waste treatment plants and coal-fired power
plants can be used as a precursor material for briquetting
(Al-Qodah and Shawabkah 2009; Amarasekara et al. 2017;
Asmatulu 1996, 2015; Datta et al. 2008; Kaliyan and
Morey 2009; Li and Liu 2000; Nuraje et al. 2015).
Some other applications of biomass including but are
not limited to energy, health, and environmental
Converting briquettes of orange and banana peels into carbonaceous materials for activated…
Fig. 1 Images prior to
briquetting process: a chopped
banana peels, b chopped orange
peels, c ground and sieved
banana peel powder, and
d ground and sieved orange peel
powder
remediation since biomass provides low-cost or waste-
derived matrices for preparing active components in many
applications. Biomass can be used for creating a three-
dimensional carbon structure that may be employed as a
catalyst for battery (e.g., rechargeable zinc-air and lithium-
sulfur) applications (Chen et al. 2016; Li et al. 2019).
Furthermore, biomass can also be used for photovoltaics,
specifically in dye-synthesized solar cells as electrolytes
(Bella et al. 2014; Ma et al. 2016; Salvador et al. 2014) or
electrodes (Zolin et al. 2016). Gomez-Aviles et al. (2019)
generated a carbonaceous precursor from biomass to be
used as a photocatalyst to remove pollutants from con-
taminated water. Avetta et al. (2013) employed biomass as
a photosensitizer to degrade another biomass for cleaning
purposes.
The present study explains the steps of converting
orange and banana peels into briquettes and then activated
charcoal for sustainable and feasible carbon and fuel
sources.
2 Experiment
2.1 Materials
Orange and banana peels were collected and used as pre-
cursors for the preparation of briquettes and charcoal.
These peels were washed with tap water several times to
remove impurities, and then cut into small strips and dried
under sunlight until a constant weight was reached. After
that, the dried peels were pulverized using a blender and
sieved into a smaller size. The dried and size-reduced peels
were kept in a dry cool place to avoid absorbing additional
moisture or experiencing extreme environmental condi-
tions. The ash content of orange and banana peels is
between 2.5 and 4.5 wt%, while calorific values are
between 3800 and 5800 kcal/kg in a dry base, respectively.
The moisture content of chopped orange and banana peels
is between 4 and 8 wt% prior to the briquetting process.
Figure 1 shows images of the chopped banana and orange
peels, as well as pulverized (1 mm) and sieved banana and
orange powders prior to the briquetting process.
2.2 Methods
2.2.1 Briquetting of biomass
The briquetting process was conducted using a uniaxial
hydraulic press and a cylindrical mold with an inner
diameter of 1.27 cm. The die and punch mold were
designed using CATIA software and produced in a
machine shop. During fabrication of the briquettes, dried
and sieved samples were mixed with cornstarch (2% of the
sample weight) using a vortex at 3000 rpm for 5 min. Then
3 g of each prepared sample was measured on a scale and
inserted into the mold using a funnel. A thin film of veg-
etable oil was applied to the punch rod and hole surface of
the mold to decrease resistance during the punch/piston
123

Fig. 2 Images from briquetting
process: a steel mold of
hydraulic press, b orange peel
briquettes under different loads,
and c banana peel briquettes
under different loads
removal and release of the briquette after fabrication.
When the desired pressure was reached, 2 min of load was
continuously applied on the samples to create strong bri-
quettes through the compiler reaction and mechanical
interlocking processes. The pressure was released after
2 min and the mold dismantled to remove the produced
briquette. Applied compression loads of 2, 3, and 5 tons/
cm2 were maintained during 2 min of load for each sample.
Beyond the 5 tons/cm2 load, the quality of the briquettes
started deteriorating. Figure 2 shows images of the steel
mold (die and punch) of the hydraulic press, and orange
and banana briquettes under different loads. After bri-
quetting, the samples were dried in an oven at 105 C until
a constant weight was achieved. All samples were then
stored inside airtight bags in a cool dry environment for
2 weeks to prevent moisture absorption.
2.2.2 Density of briquettes
The density of the samples was determined by direct
measurement, which consists of obtaining the volume of
each briquette by measuring the diameter and height, and
the briquette mass was determined using a precision scale
of ± 0.0001 g.
2.2.3 Drop tests of briquette
Drop tests of the briquettes were performed to analyze the
weight reduction in the briquettes at the end of the test run.
Data were calculated as the percent of weight reduction,
which is the difference between the initial weight and the
weight after 100 drops, divided by the initial weight (g/
g %). In the drop test, each specimen was dropped at a
123
B. Karimibavani et al.
constant distance of 1.8 meters using a plastic PVC pipe
(15.2 cm in diameter) onto a concrete floor, and then the
weight of the specimen was recorded. This test was
recorded after every tenth drop. The reason for using the
plastic pipe for this test was to keep the height constant and
to keep the briquette pieces from rolling away from the test
area. The drop test was immediately stopped after reaching
a 50 wt% mass loss of the briquettes.
2.2.4 Ignition tests on non-carbonized briquettes
Ignition temperatures for the orange and banana peel bri-
quettes were determined using a muffled furnace under a
fume hood. Each sample was placed on a plate and inserted
into the middle of the furnace in order to obtain uniform
heat distribution. To ignite the briquettes, a specimen was
tested to determine the ignition range. Before the initial
ignition, the specimen was checked after every 10 C of
change in order to reduce the number of times the furnace
door was opened. The specimens were observed until a
flame/spark appeared, and at that point, the temperature
was documented. After removal from the furnace, the
samples were allowed to cool under a fume hood.
2.2.5 Ignition temperature for carbonized briquettes
The carbonization process was carried out by loading dried
peels into a furnace and heating them to a carbonization
temperature of 600 C under a purified N2 flow (20 mL/
min). The briquettes remained in the furnace for an hour.
After that time, the furnace was shut down and cooled to
room temperature. The carbonized briquettes were then
placed in a muffled furnace for the ignition test. In this test,
Converting briquettes of orange and banana peels into carbonaceous materials for activated…

Fig. 3 Images showing

carbonized briquettes: a orange
peel before and b after ignition
tests; and banana peel c before
and d after ignition tests

since most of the volatiles were removed from the samples,

burning was considered whenever white ash was observed,
at which time the ignition time and temperature were
recorded. The furnace temperature was set to the ignition
point, and samples were kept in the furnace to burn com-
pletely. Then samples were allowed to cool down under a
fume hood; however, these samples were broken and dis-
integrated gradually, thereby showing that carbonized and
burned briquettes lose most of their agglomeration strength
(Fig. 3).

2.2.6 Compression tests on briquettes
A universal MTS machine was used to analyze the residual
compression strength of the test specimens. A machine was
set with a flat surface fixture, and samples were placed
between two metallic plates. The actuator rate was set at
0.05 in/min (1.27 mm/min), which means that every min-
ute 0.05 inch was applied to collect the compression data.
Load versus displacement data were recorded using Test-
Works software. Since the burned and carbonized samples
were extremely brittle, the compression strength tests were
not applied on those specimens. For comparison, an anal-
ysis of variance (ANOVA) program was used for each test
to determine the optimum testing conditions.
3 Results and discussion
3.1 Density analysis of briquettes
Figure 4 shows the relationships between densities of the
orange and banana peel briquettes and applied briquet-
ting/compacting loads. Average density values of 2, 3, and
Fig. 4 Density values of orange and banana peel briquettes as an
independence of applied briquetting load
5 tons/cm2 briquette loads of orange briquettes are 1078,
1092, and 1100 kg/m3, respectively. Based on the residual
plot, there is no outlier in the ANOVA model. The analysis
of variance and standard error by accepting the null
hypothesis (H0) showed that there is no significant varia-
tion in the density data since Fvalue (2.570) \ Fcritical
(5.143). Hence, there is no large difference among the three
manufacturing conditions. As shown in Fig. 4 for the
orange briquettes, the higher the pressure applied, the
higher the density obtained. Considering the density,
2 tons/cm2 pressure was found to be suitable for orange
peel briquettes. The density of common wood lies between
380 and 1090 kg/cm3, depending on the type of trees (e.g.,
Thuja plicata, Callitris glaucophylla and Eucalyptus cre-
bra). Note that the density of various kinds of wood is
frequently under 1000 kg/cm3 due to the volume of a given
example of wood as well as the cell walls, mineral con-
tents, and voids/cracks in the middle (Leys 2020). The
density that was found for orange briquettes is twice as
high as woody biomass density (* 735 kg/m3). It can be

123

Fig. 5 Weight reduction in
orange and banana peel
briquettes obtained at 2, 3, and
5 tons/cm2 after 100 drop tests
concluded that the orange peel briquette is stronger than the
wood briquette because of its higher density and com-
paction (free of larger voids).
By comparing these test results with earlier investiga-
tions, and based on some standards, acceptable ranges for
density and durability were reported. In the case of wood
density, an acceptable range is 641–769 kg/m3. The density
for both banana and orange peel briquettes is around
1000 kg/m3, which is high. In the case of durability, based
on some studies and standards, the durability of a hay wafer
is more than 95%, while the durability values of rice straw,
coal, and wood are more than 80%, 95%, and 96.5%,
respectively. Thus, the durability of orange and banana
peel briquettes is more than 98%, which is highly durable.
The compressive strength of coal is reported to be around
0.375 MPa. The compressive strength of orange and
banana peel briquettes is between 1 and 2 MPa, which is
higher than the compressive strength of coal (Nuraje et al.
2015).
The same density studies were also conducted on the
banana peel briquettes. According to the residual and
normal plots, there is no outlier. As can be seen in Fig. 4
and based on ANOVA, by rejecting the null hypothesis and
considering that Fvalue (6.140) [ Fcritical (5.143) for banana
peel briquettes, there is a significant difference in density
between the manufacturing conditions. Also, the p value in
this case is about 0.0354, which is less than 0.05, so it can
be concluded that at least one of the briquetting loads could
create a higher density. The average densities of the 2, 3,
and 5 tons/cm2 briquetting loads of banana briquettes are
1241, 1246, and 1259 kg/m3, respectively. The briquettes
made at briquetting loads of 2 and 3 tons/cm2 are different
from those produced at 5 tons/cm2, but the density values
of briquettes made at briquetting loads of 2 and 3 tons/cm2
are close to each other. The highest average density is
123
B. Karimibavani et al.
1259 kg/m3, which is 21 times greater than that of the
woody biomass briquette, which may affect the strength of
the banana peel briquettes. Since the density difference
between compression pressures of 2 and 3 tons/cm2 is
about 5 kg/m3 and the density difference between com-
pression pressures of 3 and 5 tons/cm2 is about 13 kg/m3, it
can be concluded that a briquetting load of 5 tons/cm2 can
make stronger briquettes of the highest density and better
durability.
3.2 Drop tests of briquettes
In order to determine the durability of the produced orange
and banana peel briquettes, a number of drop tests were
conducted. The average weight reduction (%) of the orange
peel briquettes produced at 2, 3, and 5 tons/cm2 (manu-
facturing condition) is 2.01%, 1.45%, and 1.45%, respec-
tively (Fig. 5). Normal and residual plots did not show any
outliers in the model. The analysis of variance by accepting
the null hypothesis as Fvalue (4.51) \ Fcritical (5.143)
illustrated that there is no significant difference in weight
reduction with these manufacturing conditions. The p value
in this case is about 0.064, which is between 0.05 and 0.1
and thereby considered a significant difference. Thus, in
order to save labor, time, and energy, a briquetting load of
2 tons/cm2 can create a strong enough orange peel bri-
quette with a better quality. Also, when a higher briquetting
load was applied, the lower weight reduction in the bri-
quette means that the weight-reduction curve was
decreasing or experiencing a downward trend by increasing
the load (Fig. 5).
Similar weight-reduction tests were conducted on the
banana peel briquettes. As can be seen in Fig. 5, the
average weight reduction for banana peel briquettes pro-
duced at 2, 3, and 5 tons/cm2 loads is 0.955%, 0.703%, and
Converting briquettes of orange and banana peels into carbonaceous materials for activated…
0.499%, respectively. Normal and residual plots did not
show any outliers in the ANOVA model. Since Fvalue
(4.020) \ Fcritical (5.143), there is no significant difference
in the weight reduction in these manufacturing conditions.
Again, in this case, the p value is around 0.07, which is
between 0.05 and 0.1, a significant difference. Based on the
test results, a briquetting load of 2 tons/cm2 could produce
a strong banana peel briquette, which is the lowest bri-
quetting load used to manufacture briquettes.
3.3 Ignition temperature analysis for non-
carbonized briquettes
Figure 6 shows the ignition temperature test results of non-
carbonized orange and banana peel briquettes as an inde-
pendence of applied external loads. The average ignition
temperature for orange peel briquettes under 2, 3, and
5 tons/cm2 briquetting loads is 228, 236, and 242 C,
respectively. Based on normal and residual plots, there is
no outlier in the ANOVA model. Because Fvalue
(12.34) [ Fcritical (5.143), there is a significant difference
between the ignition temperatures under different briquet-
ting loads. Also, the p value is 0.0075, which is less than
0.05. Based on the standard error and ANOVA results,
orange peel briquettes made under a briquetting load of
2 tons/cm2 are statistically different from those produced
under a briquetting load of 3 tons/cm2 and 5 tons/cm2.
However, the difference of the average ignition tempera-
ture between briquetting loads of 2 and 3 tons/cm2 is about
8 C, but this difference between briquetting loads of 3 and
5 tons/cm2 is only 6 C. Thus, a 3 tons/cm2 manufacturing
condition in this test for orange peel briquettes would be a
good manufacturing condition because of the higher igni-
tion temperature and lower briquetting load (Fig. 6).
Figure 6 illustrates the ignition temperature test results
of non-carbonized banana peel briquettes as a function of
applied external loads. The average ignition temperature
for banana peel briquettes under 2, 3, and 5 tons/cm2 loads
is 242, 244, and 248 C, correspondingly. The model
Fig. 6 Ignition temperature test results of non-carbonized orange and
banana peel briquettes as an independence of applied external load
indicates that there is no outlier in the results. Since Fvalue
(9.12) [ Fcritical (5.143), there are some significant differ-
ences among the ignition temperatures under different
briquetting loads. Also, the p value is this case is 0.0152,
which is less than 0.05, meaning that the least difference
between the two pressures is significant. Depending on the
standard error and ANOVA results, banana peel briquettes
produced under briquetting loads of 2 and 3 tons/cm2 are
statistically different from those produced under briquet-
ting loads of 5 tons/cm2. Nevertheless, the difference in
average ignition temperature between briquetting loads of
2 and 3 tons/cm2 is only 2 C, but the difference between
briquetting loads of 3 and 5 tons/cm2 is about 4 C. As a
result, the 5 tons/cm2 manufacturing condition in this test
for banana peel briquettes could be better due to the higher
ignition temperature (Fig. 6).
3.4 Ignition temperature analysis for carbonized
briquettes
Ignition temperature tests were also conducted on the
carbonized briquettes using a muffled furnace. The inter-
esting point here about the ignition temperature of the
carbonized briquettes is their higher ignition temperatures
compared to that of the non-carbonized briquettes. This
difference is more significant for banana peel briquettes
than for orange peel briquettes. Due to the presence of
volatile components and oily/liquid compounds in the
structure of the peels, the ignition temperature for non-
carbonized briquettes could take place at a lower temper-
ature. During the burning of the carbonized briquettes, no
flames or smoke formed at these high temperatures. When
white ash on the surface of the orange peel briquette and
gray ash on the surface of the banana peel briquette were
observed, those times and temperatures were recorded as
that of ignition, which is similar to the signs of ignition for
charcoal. After the burning process, some ash appeared on
the surfaces of the briquettes. Because these data are based
on visual observation, the ignition temperature could be
lower than what was recorded.
Figure 7 displays the ignition temperature test results of
carbonized orange and banana peel briquettes versus
applied external loads. The average ignition temperature
for carbonized orange peel briquettes under briquetting
loads of 2, 3, and 5 tons/cm2 is 256, 258, and 272 C,
respectively. Normal and residual plots indicate that there
is no outlier in the model. The analysis of variance by
rejecting the null hypothesis since Fvalue (12.02) [ Fcritical
(5.143) shows a significant difference between the ignition
temperatures under different briquetting loads. The p value
in this case is around 0.008, which is less than 0.05, indi-
cating at least one significant difference between the two
briquetting loads related to ignition temperature. Based on
123

Fig. 7 Ignition temperature test results of carbonized orange and
banana peel briquettes as an independence of applied external load
standard error and ANOVA model results, the orange peel
briquettes produced under a briquetting load of 2 tons/cm2
are not different from those produced under a briquetting
load of 3 tons/cm2, but the orange peel briquettes made
under briquetting loads of 2 and 3 tons/cm2 are different
from those produced under a briquetting load of 5 tons/
cm2. The difference in average ignition temperatures
between briquetting loads of 2 and 3 tons/cm2 is about
2 C; however, the difference between briquetting loads of
3 and 5 tons/cm2 is about 14 C. Thus, a manufacturing
condition of 5 tons/cm2 in this test for carbonized orange
peel briquettes can be considered a good manufacturing
condition, owing to the higher ignition temperature for
safety purposes (Fig. 7).
The average ignition temperature for carbonized banana
peel briquettes under briquetting loads of 2, 3, and 5 tons/
cm2 is 435, 451, and 463 C, correspondingly (Fig. 7). As
shown, there is no outlier in the model. Because Fvalue
(1.18) \ Fcritical (5.143) and the p value is around 0.369,
which is much greater than 0.1, there is no significant
difference among the ignition temperatures under different
briquetting loadings. From the standard error and ANOVA
data, the banana peel briquettes produced under a bri-
quetting load of 2 tons/cm2 are not different from those
made under a briquetting load of 3 tons/cm2 and 5 tons/
cm2. The difference in average ignition temperatures
between briquetting loads of 2 and 3 tons/cm2 is about
16 C, but the difference between briquetting loads of 3
and 5 tons/cm2 is about 12 C. Therefore, a briquetting
load of 2 tons/cm2 manufacturing condition in this test for
carbonized banana peel briquettes can be considered due to
the high ignition temperature (Fig. 7).
3.5 Compression strength analysis of briquettes
Orange and banana peel briquettes and their carbonized
samples were found to be too brittle after the carbonization
tests; therefore, there was not much residual strength for
them to perform compression strength tests. Figure 8
123
B. Karimibavani et al.
Fig. 8 Compression test results of non-carbonized orange and banana
peel briquettes as an independence of applied load
reveals the compression test results of non-carbonized
orange and banana peel briquettes with respect to applied
loads. The average residual strength of orange peel bri-
quettes under briquetting loads of 2, 3, and 5 tons/cm2 is
2.15, 2.18, and 2.3 MPa, correspondingly. Test results
confirm that there is no outlier in the model. Since Fvalue
(7.197) [ Fcritical (5.143), there is a significant difference
between the residual strength under different briquetting
loads. In this case, the p value is less than 0.05, indicating
a significant difference. Based on standard error and
ANOVA results, orange peel briquettes produced at a
briquetting load of 2 tons/cm2 are not different from
those produced under a briquetting load of 3 tons/cm2,
but there are some differences between those produced
under briquetting loads of 3 and 5 tons/cm2. Also, there is
a significant difference between residual strength of those
briquettes produced under briquetting loads of 2 and
5 tons/cm2. Thus, a 5 tons/cm2 manufacturing condition
in this test for orange peel briquettes can be considered as
a good condition due to the high residual strength
(Fig. 8).
The average residual strength for drop-tested banana
peel briquettes under briquetting loads of 2, 3, and 5 tons/
cm2 loads is 1.74, 2.03, and 2.45 MPa, respectively
(Fig. 8). According to normal and residual plots, there is no
outlier in the model. The analysis of variance by rejecting
the null hypothesis since Fvalue (19.29) [ Fcritical (5.143)
and the p value is around 0.002, which is much less than
0.05, shows that there is a significant difference between
the residual strength under different briquetting loads.
These test studies showed that the banana peel briquettes
produced under a briquetting load of 2 tons/cm2 are not
different from those produced under a briquetting load of
3 tons/cm2; nevertheless, those briquettes manufactured
under a compression load of 3 tons/cm2 are different from
those made under a briquetting load of 5 tons/cm2. Based
on the test results, the 5 tons/cm2 manufacturing condition
for the banana peel briquettes is optimal (Fig. 8).
Converting briquettes of orange and banana peels into carbonaceous materials for activated…
4 Benefits of work
As the result of increasing global temperatures and energy
needs, scientists are investigating new sources for satisfy-
ing these demands by means of environmentally friendly
sources. Renewable energy is one solution, and biomass
materials play an important role in making biodiesel,
ethanol, and methane, for direct use as fuel and activated
carbon for water treatment. It is necessary to find a solution
to the problem of handling and transporting these products.
A variety of biomass from different sources can be used for
activated carbon and fuel production, and for applications
in various industrial fields (Asmatulu 2015; Nuraje et al.
2015). The present work will offer countless benefits,
including the following:
• Biomass from orange and banana peels as well as
activated carbon will be incorporated into fuel produc-
tion for use in various applications such as industrial,
sewer, and other wastewater treatments.
• Effectiveness of the biomass process will be maximized
for orange and banana peels as well as other biomass
and organic by-products.
• Briquetting and carbonization processes can be modi-
fied by changing the system as well as process
parameters (e.g., temperature, pressure, humidity, par-
ticle size, loading rate, biding agents, blending con-
centrations, and other additives).
• Briquetting and carbonization processes provide envi-
ronmental and economic benefits since they reduce the
use of fossil fuels and create local job opportunities.
• Carbonized briquettes can be used for household
purposes (e.g., cooking, barbecuing, and heating) as
well as industrial heating and steam generation.
• The briquetting process will significantly reduce land-
fills and methane generation caused by orange and
banana peels.
• The briquetting process developed here is inexpensive,
which in turn can significantly reduce the cost of water
treatment processes.
• The described technique can also be used for other
biomasses and organic by-products.
• This study may open up new possibilities for federal,
state, and industry opportunities worldwide.
5 Conclusions
In this study, orange and banana peels were briquetted
under loads of 2, 3, and 5 tons/cm2 and then carbonized at
600 C for 60 min. Drop, ignition, and compression tests
were conducted on the prepared samples before and after
the carbonization process. It is necessary to find solutions
for handling and transporting the produced briquettes. One
of the factors that can affect the strength and durability of
briquettes is the compacting/briquetting pressure. Test
results here indicate that increasing the briquetting pressure
increased the density, drop-test strength, and compression
strength of the produced briquettes. In addition, car-
bonization tests significantly reduced the drop and com-
pression strengths of the prepared briquettes, and increased
the ignition temperatures because of the thermal decom-
position process of the biomass. Carbonized orange peel
and banana peel briquettes can be used as raw material for
activated carbon for future research. The effect of com-
paction pressure on the amount of charcoal, which is made
in the slow pyrolization stage, can be investigated. This
research can be utilized to determine process parameters
for final products that would be used as raw materials to
make activated carbon effectively.
Acknowledgements The authors greatly acknowledge Wichita State
University for financial and technical support of the present study.
Compliance with ethical standards
Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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