CHAPTER 5

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Biomass fuels have been the primary source of fuel for the majority of human
history, spanning from home to industrial uses. In the modern context, interest in
renewable energy sources has resurfaced, due to current energy generation methods
are non-renewable at the same time being environmentally and practical. The goal of
this study is to produce an eco-friendly, commercially viable, and abundant fuel
source that can exist as an alternative fuel source that can meet rising energy demands
of modern Philippine society through the production of calamansi waste charcoal
briquettes. Briquettes require two materials to be produced, namely binder and a
source of carbon. Binders can be made from both organic and inorganic substances if
they provide the capability to create a uniform and homogeneous matrix that can hold
carbon rich material. Plant starches are the most common binder material used as these
are cheap, abundant, and efficient in their binding capacity. Carbon sources in
briquettes can be either raw, or more commonly heat treated to induce carbonization.

Various briquettes made from different waste plant material have been
produced, ranging from local crop waste to seasonal crops. Crop wastes that are used
commonly in briquetting but not limited to are rice husk, corn, coconut, banana, and
coffee. Citrus waste on the other hand is a novel material; scarce literature can be
found detailing the use of citrus waste as a briquette precursor. Briquettes are tested
for their physical, chemical, and thermal properties. Common physical parameters
include compressive strength, bulk density, and friability testing. These are
implemented to determine the overall durability of the briquette which can affect its
thermal performance and as well as its transportation when produced at a larger scale.
Proximate analysis reveals key components of the solid fuel, namely moisture, volatile
matter, ash, fixed carbon. These factors affect combustion efficiency, ignition
characteristics and storage and handling.12 Thermal property analysis with parameters
such as calorific value, kindling, burning, and boiling time provide a general insight
into the behavior of solid fuels at various thermal conditions. Cost analysis determines
economic viability, while comparative analysis, using statistical tools such as
ANOVA help determine significant differences in physical, chemical, and thermal
properties between reference fuels.

In this study, calamansi waste charcoal briquettes (CWCB) were produced.

The fresh samples were sun-dried then carbonized. The carbonized samples were
pulverized using a sample mill and uniformly mixed into a cassava starch binder
prepared at a determined optimal concentration and preparation temperature. The
charcoal-binder mixture was pressed into briquettes using a manual briquetting
machine. Produced calamansi briquettes were sun-dried, and laboratory tested for
physical (bulk density, Impact Resistance Index, compressive strength), proximate
(moisture, volatile matter, fixed carbon, ash), thermal (calorific value, kindling time,
boiling time, burning time) properties. Comparative analysis was made with a
reference coconut charcoal briquette (RCCB), prepared with commercial coconut
carbon bound in the same binder matrix through One-Way ANOVA at α=0.05. Cost
analysis was done with RCCB considering factors such as labor, sundry and raw
materials cost for the total number of briquettes produced.

Proximate analysis data of CWCB showed that CWCB had 10.3% moisture
content, 49.4% volatile matter, 10.7% ash, 29.6% fixed carbon content and 0.22%
sulfur in mass fraction. Values determined for CWCB are within limits and typical for
solid fuels.

Physical parameter analysis resulted in the CWCB having a bulk density of

0.7078 ± 0.0183 g/cm3, compressive strength of 155.6813 ± 7.5711 N/cm2 and an
Impact Resistance Index of 100%. These results suggest CWCB to be durable and
resistant to fine formation. In comparison with RCCB, compressive strength had a
significant difference while bulk density did not. Since both CWCB and RCCB share
the same value for Impact Resistance Index, no significant difference can be
determined through One-Way ANOVA.
 Thermal analysis of CWCB demonstrated that CWCB exhibited thermal
properties superior to RCCB. CWCB calorific value is equal to 4,522 cal/g. The
calamansi waste charcoal briquette kindling time (24.6887 seconds), burning time
(3099.7600 seconds), and boiling time (971.1433 seconds) has a significant with
RCCB values. Cost analysis revealed that CWCB capital costs are equal with RCCB.
This implies that the CWCB briquettes are an economically viable product that can be
produced at mass production for consumption without much economic difficulty.

In conclusion, produced CWCB briquettes are a viable alternative to traditional

fuel sources such as coconut husk carbon due to its superior thermal performance and
durability, and cost efficiency. CWCB briquettes are also an effective waste
management and revenue generating method of eliminating plant waste through the
development of a value-added product that would otherwise be treated as refuse.

As a recommendation, the researcher would like to suggest ana alternative and

superior method of carbonization to increase carbon yield and efficiency, leading to
more briquettes produced. An alternative to the manual briquetting machine is also
suggested, to be able to create briquettes with greater efficiency and dimensional
uniformity, further increasing production yield and market viability. Also, a superior
briquetting method leads to briquettes that exhibit higher durability, mitigating
maintenance and transportation costs.