Assessing the effect of starch on density and caloric value in sawdust briquette for domestic energy utilization in North-Western Nigeria

The effect of starch on density, caloric value and specific fuel consumption were assessed in this research. Composite sawdust briquettes were produced from the mixture of sawdust and starch within four treatments in a percentage ratio of 80:20 for treatment A, 70:30 for treatment B, 60:40 for treatment C and 50:50 for treatment D. Densification of the mixtures was achieved using a manually operating briquetting machine and starch gel was used as a binding agent. The performance of briquette produced was examined under controlled cooking test. Energy content was determined using oxygen bomb calorimeter. The results obtained from density according to treatments A, B, C and D respectively were 0.0002067kg/cm3,0.0002433kg/cm3, 0.00025kg/cm3. Treatment D has the highest density of 0.00029kg /cm3. The caloric value was determined from the heat of combustion with treatment B having the highest energy content of 7.37cal/g, C=6.159cal/g, A=6.055calg, and D=4.573cal/g. Specific fuel consumption was determined during controlled cooking test and the values for the respective treatments were A=0.89g, B=0.47g, C=0.64g, D=0.86g, and fire wood=0.89g. Time taken to cook 200g of rice was obtained using wrist watch and the values were: A=50min, B=44min, C=48min, D=47min, and firewood had the highest value of 53min. Results showed that, increase in the quantity of starch led to increase in density of composites.