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Procedia Computer Science 00 (2022) 000–000
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Procedia Computer Science 217 (2023) 1719–1733

4th International Conference on Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing

Development of a novel integrated hopper briquette machine for

sustainable production of pellet fuels
M.O. Okwu*a,b, O.D. Samuela, O.B. Otanochaa, E. Akporhonor a1, L.K. Tartibub
aDepartment
Department of Mechanical Engineering, a1Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria,
b
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Tech., University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract

Water hyacinth (WH) is a rapidly growing seaweed and a potential renewable energy source. WH biomass can be
processed and compressed to briquettes for use in cooking and heating coal power plants. Biomass is typically
processed and compressed using conventional briquette machines (CBM). The inability of the CBM to produce the
desired amount of briquette fuel within the time frame provided has necessitated the development of an innovative
and versatile hopper briquette machine (HBM). This machine is capable of producing billets from abundant biomass
in the tropics. HBM as an adaptable machine is employed for the sustainable production of solid fuel. For the first
time, this study targeted the development of HBM to address the problem associated with CBM. The HBM's central
components include a base frame, feed hopper, barrel, thrust bearing, dies, heating element, and others. The
efficiency of the novel machine and production capacity were computed to be 85% and 120 kg/h, respectively. At
the second run, the HBM produced 30 billets in 20 minutes. The basic properties of the briquette fuel and billet
comply with those in the literature. The billet generated can be utilized as solid fuels in local bakeries, restaurants,
domestic and industrial settings.
© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
© 2022
This is anThe
openAuthors. Published
access article underby
theELSEVIER
CC BY-NC-ND B.V. This is an
license open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 4th International Conference on Industry 4.0 and Smart
Peer-review
Manufacturingunder responsibility of the scientific committee of the 4th International Conference on Industry 4.0 and Smart
Manufacturing
Keywords: Water Hyacinth (WH), Briquette Machine (BM), Solid Fuel, Renewable Energy

*CorrespondingAuthors.
Email: okwu.okechukwu@fupre.edu.ng

1877-0509 © 2022 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 4th International Conference on Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing

1877-0509 © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 4th International Conference on Industry 4.0 and Smart
Manufacturing
10.1016/j.procs.2022.12.372
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2 Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2022) 000–000

1. Introduction

Water hyacinth is an ubiquitous lignocellulose plant that grows on the surface of water. Eichhornia crassipes is the
scientific name for this fascinating marine weed. It has the potential to spread and cover a vast surface area of water,
posing a threat to biodiversity [1]. The scientific name of this exciting sea weed is Eichhornia crassipes. It can
proliferate, covering large surface area of waters, thereby becoming a threat to biodiversity This appealing plant has
sparked worldwide interest due to its rapid spread and development, which impedes navigation, irrigation, and
power generation [2]. In a world where demand for energy is increasing and supply is limited, researchers are
digging to find solutions for clean, inexpensive, and renewable energy. One of the primary sources of energy is
fossil fuel. It accounts for about 86% of global total energy usage [3]. Agricultural residues are increasingly being
diverted for use as domestic fuel to displace fossils fuel, reduce environmental pollution and reduce the emission of
greenhouse gases. Cassava solid wastes amongst other plant wastes have been widely used [4]. To effectively
produce briquette fuels, a wide range of feedstocks are often required. Some of the feedstocks are sawdust [5], waste
in the form of groundnut shell [6,7], dry grass [8,] and dry water hyacinth [9-11] are the most common. In energy
literature, sawdust, corn cob and coconut shells, are considered suitable as feedstocks for the production of
briquettes [12]. It is equally important to consider the moisture content of feedstocks during material selection for
briquette production. Rice husk, de-oiled bran and jute dust are not so suitable for solid briquettes. Sawdust is good
enough for solid briquettes and are usually made from wood products. They are typically in granular form and are
obtainable at sawmills. Wetness content, bulk density and residue content are all common characteristics [5].

2. Briquetting Technologies
Different kinds of briquetting machines have been developed in time past for compacting biochars into briquette
form. The shapes, sizes, and operation mode of the developed systems vary from one form to another [13]. [14]
designed a briquetting machine for compressing water hyacinth and rice husk, characterization of sample briquettes Produced
from WH was performed; the developed machine can produce 7 kg briquettes per hour. Ejiroghene [15] developed a low-
cost biomass billet machine for compressing waste into briquette form. The developed briquette was intended to
work on the mechanical compression principle. The machine is operated manually by a hydraulic system to generate
pressure required for the compression. A simple test was carried out to create briquettes utilizing the designed
device, with elephant grass as the feedstock, and the machine performance was satisfactory after preliminary testing.
Likewise, Agidi et al. [16] developed a hydraulically powered briquette machine and tested its efficacy with
agricultural waste. The designed machine was found to be capable of converting feedstocks or biomass resources
such as saw dust, rice husk, and sugar cane waste into useable briquettes for local and commercial use. Teerapot et
al. [17] designed and constructed a lightweight briquetting machine (compact screw-press). The designed machine
can conduct multiple operations, such as crushing waste, mixing a formulation of compressed waste, water, and
binder, and binding the combination into briquettes.

The developed machine's unique feature is its capacity to minimize space for in-process operation, remove material
handling, and require less monitoring by employees, while also improving machine efficiency. With the technology
in place, cost and production time are optimized with improved productivity. Joushua [18] investigated a biomass
briquetting machine (hydraulic piston press) suitable for residential and small-scale business operations. The
briquettes generated by the machine are in billet form with holes in the center to allow for quick combustion. The
machine was tested using feedstock in form of sorghum and millet stalk. Yambot et al. [19] conducted research on
the development of an autonomous screw briquetting system suitable for small-scale company operations in a small
hamlet in the Philippines. According to their findings, improving the existing local briquette machine, which was
integrated using an automated system, enables continuous manufacturing of briquettes from feedstocks. The
induction motor was used to regulate the rotational speed of the motor. The Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)
is also included to simplify the overall operation of the briquetting machine, which was accomplished by
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harmonizing the system's sensors and drivers.

Andrew et al. [20] proceeded on to consider the design of an automated machine that could produce multiple
briquettes from biomass. Using a pressure switch, the automated system used a band kind of heater to enable speedy
and efficient processing of briquettes. The system was easily automated with the help of a PLC. According to
Khurmi and Gupta [21], the major functional machines usually used for briquette manufacture are the screw press
type, the piston press briquette machine, the hydraulic press type, the roller press type, manual press, and automated
type.

3. Materials and Method

3.1 Material Sourcing

The water hyacinth was obtained from the "Ogbijo river," a prominent river in Delta State. Material selection is
critical for the construction and automation of WH briquetting machines. It is critical to consider the cost of
materials, the availability of component parts in the local market, the type of force acting on the machine members,
and the environmental conditions under which the machine will operate, the electric motor's power which is used for
driving the motor shaft to improve dry WH grinding, and the power required to compress WH. The major material
used for the briquetting machine construction is mild steel plate with thickness of 2 mm, minimum yield stress of
250 Mpa, and ultimate tensile strength of 440 Mpa. The galvanized steel alloy was used to fabricate the machine
screw extruder and hopper. Other commercially available components included an electric gear motor, a belt
transmission setup, bearing units, a grinder shaft and blade, a pillow bearing, and a switch box. To help regulate the
system temperature and increase the output of the billets, a heating system consisting of a band heater,
thermocouple, and temperature controller was installed. The gear motor was also installed on the frame, and the
chain drive member connected it to the briquetting screw shaft.

3.2 Briquetting Machine Design Theory

The design of a screw press extruder machine necessitates working calculations and precision in order to produce
high-quality briquettes with high density and clean combustion. This design is required for continuous briquette
production from available waste fed into the hopper system in order to produce efficient burning fuel. Continuous
feeding force is necessary to apply pressure to the material, resulting in improved compaction for high-quality
briquettes. The significant component part of the briquetting machine includes the frame, hopper, barrel housing,
grinding chamber, screw shaft, die, belt and pulley. The component parts that make up the system is shown in
Figures 1 and 2. The system's component parts are depicted in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 3 depicts a detailed view of
the full system setup.
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Figure 1 (a) Pulley Shield Plate, (b) Barrel support plate (c) machine Pulley, (d)protective cover (e) main Frame.
 M.O. Okwu et al. / Procedia Computer Science 217 (2023) 1719–1733 1723
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Figure 2. (a) Heating Element, (b) Feed control plate (c) Briquette plate (d) Feed hopper (e)Electric motor (f) Control panel, (g) Base plate.
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Figure 3. Detailed View of the WH Briquette System

3.3 Components of briquetting machine

Table 1 shows the major components and functions of the WH briquetting machine. As previously said, the key
components are six and each performs a particular job in fulfilling the goal and functioning of the unique hopper
briquette machine.

Table 1: Component part of the WH briquette machine and functions

S/N Component Function

1 Base frame Designed to support briquetting barrel and screw assembly of the system.
2 Feed Hopper This is a channel for easy passage of feedstock into the screw of the system.
3 Barrel The barrel was developed in sections and clamped
4 Thrust Bearing The bearing absorbs a momentous back thrust which compensate for the imparted
force directed to the briquette material as it is pulled forward along the length of the
screw. The system is designed such that the screw is supported by bearing at the
driven end.
5 Die The extruder has series of shaped holes which allow the briquetting materials to
emerge from the machine for easy formation of briquettes. The die holes enable easy
formation of shapes of briquettes.
6 Speed reduction gear With the reduction gear, input speed can be reduced to meet the requirement of slower
output speed, while maintaining or increasing the output torque. The pulley drive
helps to drive the gear motor of the machine. The pulley is mounted on the motor and
the connecting rod shaft so that the power transmission can obtain the desired speed.

3.4. Assembly Drawing and Part Computation of the Briquette Machine (BM)
To develop the dual briquette fuel and billet improved version of briquetting machine (DBFBIVBM) standard
principles were adopted elsewhere [21-23]. Detailed information on component parts and calculations are presented.

3.4.1. Briquetting Machine Frame

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The DBFBIVBM frame was built to house the grinder shaft, bearings, grinder blade, barrel, and other machine
components. Mild steel was used in the frame's construction (MS). This is due to the strength of MS, but the
tolerance and increased straightness of MS are also advantages. The frame is rectangular in shape, and the design is
specified by the width (W) and length (L) of the frame.
Computation of the area (A) of the frame, require a typical equation as presented in Eq. (1).
(1)

3.4.2. Hopper design

The briquette machine's hopper was made of 3 mm thick mild steel. The truncated shape of a frustum was used to
create the design. For ease of computation, the volume of the truncated frustum can be expressed as V, where V 1 is
the volume of the large frustum and V2 is the volume of the smaller frustum. The volumes of the truncated frustum,
large frustum, and smaller frustum were calculated using Eq. 2 (a), (b), and (c).
(2a)
(2b)
(2c)
From the above equations, the notations x, a, b, H are 0.1 m, 0.3 m, 0.75 m and 0.4 m correspondingly.
3.2.3. Grinding chamber
The grinding section, which is an attachment for crushing the carbonized feedstock into smaller forms, is also an
important feature of the briquette machine. The grinding chamber for the briquette produced is made of mild steel.
The mathematical expression for computing the chamber is as expressed in Eq. (3)
(3)
From the presented equation 3, d1, Vc, and l2 represent internal diameter of the grinding chamber, which is 0.1 m, the
volume of chamber in m3, and the length of the grinding chamber, which is 0.125 m, respectively.
3.4.4. Housing of Barrel
The barrel housing is made up of the screw shaft (SS), die, and screw shaft housing. The screw shaft housing (SSH)
functions as the screw's box as well as an enclosure for the crushed stainless steel feedstock. The SS volume was
computed using the system of Eq. (4). The screw shaft (SS), die and the housing for the screw shaft, make up the
complete barrel housing. The case for the screw is the screw shaft housing (SSH), while the SSH serves as the box
for the screw and an enclosure to SS feedstock being crushed. The SS volume was calculated as expressed in system
of Eq. (4).
(4)
The presented equation shows d3 and l5 which represent the length of screw shaft housing of 0.8 m, the diameter of
screw shaft housing is 0.1 m, respectively.
3.4.5. Volume of die
The cylinder's architecture was regarded to precisely achieve the defined volume, and the die volume computation
for the DBFBIVBM, was performed using Eq. (5). The die volume computation for the DBFBIVBM, Vd was
performed using the presented Eq. (5). The architecture of the cylinder was considered to achieve the defined
volume perfectly.
(5)
From the presented equation, the length of cylinder, L is 0.30m, and the diameter of cylinder, d “d” is 0.050 m.
3.4.6. Volume of Screw Shaft (SS)
The SS is calculated using Eq. (6), taking the volume of the cylinder into consideration.
81726 M.O.name
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Science Science 217000–000
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(6)
As shown in Eq.6, denotes the screw shaft's length, which is 0.552 m, and represents the screw shaft's
diameter, which is 0.06 m. From the presented equation, l8 represent the length of screw shaft which is equivalent to
0.552 m and d5 represent the diameter of screw shaft, which is equivalent to 0.06 m.

3.4.7 Diameter of the grinder shaft pulley (GSP) and screw shaft (SS)
The GSP and SS are essential system components. and represent the SS and GSP diameters, which are
calculated using Eqs. (7) and (8). The GSP and SS are essential components of the system. The diameter of the SS
is represented D2, and the diameter of the GSP is represented as D 3. These are computed and presented as systems
of Equations (7) and (8), respectively.
(7)
(8)
Considering the equation presented, N1 is 2830 rpm, the value of D1 in Eq. 7 is 0.066 m, N2 is the anticipated speed
of SS, equivalent to 566 rpm. N2 is 566 rpm, the value of D2 is 0.033 m, and the grinding shaft predicted speed, N 3
0.074 m

3.4.8. Length of Belt for Electric Screw Shaft (LBESS)

The LBESS is computed using Eq. (9).
(9)
The notation L signifies the length of belt, and C represents the centre distance of pulleys which is equivalent to
0.435 m and D represents the large pulley diameter which is equivalent to 0.33 m, while d represents the small
pulley diameter which is also equivalent to 0.066 m.
3.4.9 The Length of belt for SS
The length of belt for the SS is computed with Eq. (10).
(10)
The notation C equals 0.435 m; D is 0.33 m, while d is 0.074 m.
3.4.10. Speed of Belt Computation
The speed of the belt is estimated using Eq. (11).
(11)
Considering the motor pulley diameter, the notation d 1 equals 0.066 m and the speed of the motor N1 is 2830 rpm.
3.4.11 Tight tension of belt Computation
The tight belt tension is computed with the aid of Eq. (12).
(12)
As shown in Eq. (12), , b, and t are the assumed maximum stress (4 MPa), belt (0.009 m), and belt thickness
(0.008 m), respectively.
From the presented equation, the notation , represents the assumed maximum stress, which is 4MPa, The belt with
b, is given as 0.009 m, while the belt thickness, t is presented as 0.008 m.

3.4.12. Tension of Slack for SS-electric motor belt

The tension of the SS-electric motor belt was computed as per Eq. (13).
(13)
As presented in Eq. (13), μ, θ and T1 are 0.27, 2.53 rads and 288 N, respectively.
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3.4.13 Tension of Slack for SS-grinder Shaft Belt

The tension of slack of the SS-electric shaft belt was computed with Eq. (14).
(14)
As presented in Eq. (14), μ, θ and T1 are 0.27, 2.38 rads and 288 N, respectively

3.4.14. Computation of Motor and Pulley Transmitted Torque

The torque transmitted by the motor and pulley was computed with Eq. (15)
(15)

As presented in Eq. (15), , , and are the tension of tight side of the system (288 N), tension at the slack side
of the system (145.34 N), and radius of the system (0.033 m).

3.4.15. Computation of Torque as a result of Screw Shaft Pulley (SSP) transmission

Torque transmission by the SSP was used to determine motor pulley torque, as given in Eq. (16). As presented in
Eq. (16), the transmission of torque by the SSP can be implemented to evaluate the motor pulley torque.
(16)

As presented in Eq. (16), , and are the tension of tight side (288 N), slack side tension (148.35 N), and
radius (0.161 m), respectively.

3.4.16. Computation of Torque by Considering the grinder and Pulley (G&P)

Eq. (17) was applied to calculate the torque transmitted by G&P. To calculate the torque transmitted by G&P, such
computation can be adopted using system of Eq. (17)
(17)

As presented in Eq. (17), , and are Tension of tight side (288 N), slack side tension (151.35 N), and radius
( ) From the presented equation, the notation T 1 is equal to 288 N, which is the Tension of tight side; T 2 is 151.35
N, which is the slack side Tension; r2, is the radius which is

3.4.17 Computation of Power Generated by Screw shaft (PGSS)

Eqs. (18a), (18b), and (18c) were used to determine the powers expended by the combined grinder and shaft
(PGSS).

(18a)

(18c)
From the presented equation, the notation, Ns and Ts are approximately equal to 566 rpm and 23.04 Nm; also, the
notation Ng and Tg are 566 rpm and 23.04 Nm, then the notation Nm and Tm are 2479 rpm and 5.06 Nm,
correspondingly.
10 Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2022) 000–000
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3.4.18. Twisting Moment (TM) of Shaft as a Result of Belt Tension

It is crucial to correctly specify the shaft's twisting moment. This is defined as the force that causes the shaft to
revolve about its axis. It is essential to remember that the twisting moment of the shaft is the same as the torque
transferred by the shaft pulley for practical computation. As a result, the twisting moment caused by the screw,
grinder, and motor shafts may be calculated using the system of Eqs. (19a-19c). It is crucial to properly define the
twisting moment of the shaft. This is defined as the force which tends to rotate the shaft about its axis. For practical
computation of the twisting moment of the shaft, it is essential to note that it’s the same with the transmitted torque
by the shaft pulley.
TM of screw S shaft,
TM of grinder S shaft,
TM of M motor S shaft,

3.4.19. Bending moment (BM) of grinder shaft (GS)

The forces that tend to bend the shaft during machine operation are represented by the BM of the GS. When
calculating the BM of the shaft, it is critical to define the parameters using the notation T1, which is the tension on
the fixed area of the belt and is equivalent to 288 N, T2, which is the tension on the loose part of the belt and is
equivalent to 151.35Nm, and L, which is the distance between the center line of the bearings and the pulley and is
equivalent to 0.12m. In addition, the bending moment of the grinder shaft was calculated using Eq. (20). The BM of
the GS are the forces that tend to bend the shaft during operation of the machine. In calculating the BM of the shaft,
it is crucial to define the parameters using the notation T1, which is the Tension on the fixed area of the belt and
equivalent to 288 N, then T2, represent the Tension on the loose part of the belt, equivalent to 151.35Nm, L
represent the distance which is between the center line of bearings and pulley, which represent 0.12m.
(20)

3.4.20. Bending moment of screw shaft (BMSS)

The BMSS is computed using Eq. (21). To calculate the BMSS, the system of equation proposed in Eq. (21) is
implemented. From the given equation, the notation T1 is equal to 288 N, T2 is equal to 148.35 Nm and L is equal to
0.15 m.
(21)

3.4.21. Bending moment of motor and shaft (BMMS)

To calculate the BMMS, the system of equation proposed in Eq. (22) is implemented. From the given equation, the
notation T1 is equal to 288 N, while T2 is 145.34 Nm and finally L is 0.1 m.

(22)

3.4.22 Grinder shaft Diameter (GSD)

To calculate the GSD, it is essential to note that the shaft is usually subjected to combined bending and twisting
moments during operation. Eq. (23) was adopted to compute the diameter of the shaft by applying the corresponding
bending and twisting moment to the shaft. The diameter of the shaft can be obtained by using the equivalent bending
and twisting moment to calculate the diameter of shaft. As presented in system of Eq. (23).

(23)
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From Eq. (23), Kb, Kt , Mb , Mt , and τ are the joint shock and fatigue factor which are applied to bending moment (
1.5), collective shock and fatigue factor which are applied to torsional moment (1.0), bending moment (5060 Nmm),
twisting moment (52720 Nmm), and shear stress (103.95 N/mm 2).
From the presented equation, Kb is the joint shock and fatigue factor which are applied to bending moment and is
equal to 1.5. Equally, Kt, represent the collective shock and fatigue factor which are applied to torsional moment and
is equivalent to 1.0, also, Mb, represent the bending moment which equals 5060Nmm, Mt, represent the twisting
moment, with value of 52720Nmm, τ, is the Shear stress of 103.95 N/mm 2.

3.4.23 Screw Shaft Diameter (SSD) and Motor Shaft Diameter (MSD)
The SSD and MSD are determined using the system of Eq. 23. For SSD, Kb, Kt, Mb, Mt and τ are 1.5, 10, 6540 Nmm,
2340 Nmm, and 103.95 N/mm2 correspondingly. For MSD, Kb, Kt, Mb, Mt and τ are 1.5, 10, 43330 Nmm, 4710
Nmm, and 103.95 N/mm2 correspondingly.

3.5 The efficiency of Machine

The efficiency of the developed machine is computed using the system of Eq. (24)

(24)
As presented in Eq. (24), ∈, PTSǡ PTN  ƒ”‡ –Š‡‡ˆˆ‹ ‹‡ ›ǡ ’‘™‡”–”ƒ•‹––‡† „›–Š‡•Šƒˆ–ǡƒ†’‘™‡”–”ƒ•‹––‡†
„›–Š‡‘–‘”ǡ”‡•’‡ –‹˜‡Ž›Ǥ

4. Briquetting Machine Construction

4.1. Mechanical Framework of the System
After assembling all of the component parts, the machining of parts was completed in the workshop using the
required machine equipment and hand tools. All of the machine's constituent parts were subjected to stress
simulations as well as additional machine design simulations such as variable loading, factor of safety, and strain
simulations.
The next stage was to put the machine's various parts together.

4.2 Heating System (HS)

The heating system is a vital instrument that aids in the manufacturing of compact briquettes. To achieve the proper
temperature during briquette production, it is imperative to select the appropriate HS device. Directories, catalogs,
and the internet were scoured for the best HS design to match the machine's goals. A band heater was chosen for this
investigation. This is because it can easily be attached to the extruder casing in cylindrical hollow shape at reduced
heat loss. A thermocouple is equally attached to the band heater to ensure that what is given off by the heater is
within the threshold of the preferred parameter. With the desired maximum temperature of 300 °C, the wattage and
voltage of the heating system were determined.

4.3. Control System and Operation of the Machine

4.3.1. Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)

The system is controlled by a Programmable logic controller (PLC), which automates the machine function from
start to end. The deployed PLC is adaptable and can produce the required amount of briquettes. This PLC's inputs all
serve as triggers for the movement of various briquette machine components. Three proximity sensors regulate the
location of the mold, a pressure switch controls the pressure applied by the hydraulic cylinder to the biomass-binder
mixture during pressing, and switches control various steps in the briquette production process. The PLC is
programmed with a pecking order software that manages the interaction between the input and output PLCs. The
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12 Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2022) 000–000

PLC outputs control the solenoid valves, which in turn regulate the gear motor operation.

4.3.2 Briquetting Operation Process

After properly preparing the feedstock, the process begins by adding the dry raw materials - water hyacinth - into the
machine's hopper; once loaded, the machine is turned on to begin the briquette operation. The dry briquette was
transferred to the cylindrical mold or die, and the residue was further compressed by the tangential movement of the
screw extruder; the heating element was already red hot to allow for easy material compression. The dry briquette
was transferred to the cylindrical mold or die, the residue is further compressed by the tangential movement of the
screw extruder, already the heating element is red hot to allow easy compression of the material. The operating
temperature ranges from 30°C to 300°C. Subsequent to the heating of the feedstock, the heated carbonized WH is
further conveyed to the position where it will be collected as WH briquette. The test running process was conducted
by varying pressure and temperature. At a runtime of the press, the installed control panel was used to monitor and
regulate some of the briquetting parameters such as pressure and temperature.

Table 2. Machine Part Dimension Values based on Derived Equations

S/N Machine Part Dimension for Integrated Hopper Briquetting Values Units
Machine
1 Area of the machine frame 0.36 m2
2 Volume of Designed Hopper
(i)volume of truncated frustum 0.012 m2
(ii)volume of large frustum 0.00001075 m2
(iii) volume of small frustum 0.0118 m2
3 Grinding Chamber Volume 0.000982 m2
4 Barrel Housing Volume 0.00507 m2
5 Die volume 0.000549 m2
6 Screw shaft volume 0.00156 m2
7 Screw shaft diameter 0.33 M
8 Grinder shaft pulley diameter 0.074 M
9 Length of belt for electric screw shaft 1.33 M
10 Length of belt for screw shaft grinder shaft pulley 1.38 M
11 Belt speed 9.78 m/s
12 Belt tight tension 288
13 Screw shaft-electric motor belt slack tension 145.34 N

14 Screw shaft-grinder Shaft belt slack tension 151.35 N

15 Torque transmitted by the motor and pulley 4.7 Nm

16 Torque transmitted by Screw shaft Pulley 23.04 Nm

Torque transmitted by the grinder and pulley 5.06 Nm

17 Calculation for Power Generated by Screw shaft 1.3 KW
1.3 KW
1.4 KW
19 Twisting moment of shaft due to tension of the belt
Twisting moment of screw S shaft
Twisting moment of grinder S shaft 23.04 Nm
Twisting moment of M 5.06 Nm
motor S shaft 4.71 Nm
20 Bending moment of grinder shaft 52.72 Nm
 M.O. Okwu et al. / Procedia Computer Science 217 (2023) 1719–1733 1731
Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2022) 000–000 13

21 Bending moment of screw shaft 65.45 Nm

22 Bending moment of motor and shaft 43.33 Nm

23 Diameter of grinder shaft 15.72 Mm

24 Diameter of screw shaft 17.03 Mm
25 Diameter of motor and shaft 14.72 Mm
26 Overall length of machine 119 Mm
27 Overall width of machine 400 Mm
28 Overall height of machine 460 Mm
29 Capacity of machine 220 kg/hr
30 Heating Element 240, 800 V, Watts
31 Gear Motor 2, 1000 hp, Rpm
32 Efficiency 85 %

5. Result and Discussion

The design components resulting from the calculations are presented in Table 1, the exploded and isometric views of
the designed machine are clearly represented in Figures 1-3, respectively. The machine was painted to avoid rusting
and to improve its appearance. The sample of the developed machine is presented in Figure 4. In terms of cost
analysis and comparison of the developed briquette machine with other machines in the market, the cost of
manufacturing the briquette machine was relatively low. Approximately six hundred and eighty (680) USD was
spent.

5.1. Performance Evaluation of the Developed Briquetting Machine

A reasonable quantity of the WH was dried and carbonized, and the required quantity was weighed, followed by the
processing and weighing of the requisite starch binder using the weighing balance. The mixture was placed into the
hopper of the constructed machine with the appropriate amount of water. The created machine was tested at full
load. During operation, the machine was seen to process the briquettes efficiently, as many billets were generated at
flawless rotating speed for the electric motor and grinder shaft. With the right quantity of water, the mixture was
poured into the hopper of the developed machine. The developed machine was tested on full load condition. It was
observed during operation that the machine processed the briquettes effectively as multiple billets were produced at
faultless rotational speed for the electric motor and grinder shaft. The hopper solution briquette machine functions
by driving the electric motor. The power transmitted by the motor drive help in the speedy rotation of the screw
drive, this process helps to also rotate the grinder shaft, thereby prompting the shaft to crush the mixture of dried
carbonized feedstock in the form of WH and starch binder. The material is then channeled to the screw shaft for
rotation of the mixture which forces the mixture of WH into the die. The die helps to facilitate compaction of the
mixture of carbonized materials, this is a result of its small diameter since briquettes are gradually formed by
passing through the die in harder forms. These compacted briquettes are further pushed towards the hot heating
element, where they are dried into billets. At full load condition, 90 g of the mixture of WH was fed into the hopper.
The rotational speed of the electric motor was roughly 2500 rpm, due to the nature of the feedstock, the rotational
speed of the grinder shaft was reduced to 550 rpm. The briquette produced from the integrated machine was
measured and observed to be 50mm in diameter, 200mm in length, and had a center hole of 10mm in diameter. The
machine is capable of producing 30 billets in 20 minutes The estimated efficiency of the whole process was 85%.

6. Conclusion

This research is aimed at achieving optimal composition for WH briquettes from a developed integrated briquette
machine (IBM). The machine has the capacity to effectively produce briquettes from carbonized biomass materials.
The development of the machine was achieved by making use of component parts sourced from the local market.
1732 M.O. Okwu et al. / Procedia Computer Science 217 (2023) 1719–1733
14 Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2022) 000–000

The properties of the dry WH feedstock were examined and used in the effective design of the machine. The
machine functions in such a manner that multiple billets are produced from a heap of feedstocks channeled into the
hopper. The established briquettes are extremely solid, with quick ignition time, and have a low moisture content,
indicating that the billets produced are of high quality. Finally, the developed IBM is capable of mass-producing
low-cost briquettes to enable cooking in rural and urban areas. This is a good source of income that will significantly
increase job prospects for young people and enhance their standard of living. Since the feedstock is purely dried WH
harvested from the sea, the initial start-up cost is low. The solid briquettes generated can be used in factories, homes,
bakeries, and other industrial settings for heating purposes. To obtain a robust study in the near future, a clear
exposition of the factors, namely temperature owing to heating, (ii) influences of pressure on the properties of
briquette, and (iii) a comparative study of the cost of briquettes can be further investigated.

Acknowledgement: This study was supported financially by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund)
Institution Based Research (IBR), Nigeria.

Conflict of interest
The corresponding author states on behalf of all authors, that there is no conflict of interest.

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