The potential of industrial sludge and textile solid wastes for biomass briquettes with avocado peels as a binder

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2023-08, Vol.30 (36), p.86155-86164
• Main Authors: Demeke, Eyasu Derbew, Desta, Mekonnen Abebayehu, Mekonnen, Yedilfana Setarge
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Agricultural wastes; Alternative energy sources; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; avocados; Biomass; Biomass burning; Briquets; Burning rate; Calorific value; Cotton; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; employment; energy; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Ethiopia; fabrics; fruits; Household wastes; Humans; Industrial areas; Industrial parks; Industrial plants; Industrial Waste; Industrial wastes; Mixtures; Moisture content; Moisture effects; Persea; renewable energy sources; Research Article; Residues; Sewage; Sludge; Solid Waste; Solid wastes; Textiles; Waste management; Waste Water Technology; Water content; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Young adults
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28493-x

Producing biomass briquettes from industrial solid wastes is a more environmentally friendly way to provide alternative energy and is essential for Ethiopia to satisfy its growing energy needs while also ensuring efficient waste management in the expansion of industrial parks. The main objective of this study is to produce biomass briquettes from a mixture of textile sludge and cotton residue using avocado peels as a binder. Textile solid waste, avocado peels, and sludge were dried, carbonized, and turned into powder to make briquettes. Briquettes made from the mixture of industrial sludge and cotton residue were combined in various ratios: 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, and 50:50 with the same amount of the binder. Briquettes were then made using a hand press mold followed by sun-drying for two weeks. The moisture content, calorific value, briquette density, and burning rate of biomass briquettes ranged from 5.03 to 8.04%, 11.19 to 17.2 MJ/kg, 0.21 to 0.41 g/cm3, and 2.92 to 8.75 g/min, respectively. The results revealed that the briquette produced from a 50:50 ratio of industrial sludge to cotton residue was the most efficient. The inclusion of avocado peels as a binder enhanced the briquette's binding and heating properties. Thus, the findings suggested that mixing various industrial solid wastes with fruit wastes could be an effective means of making sustainable biomass briquettes for domestic purposes. Additionally, it can also promote proper waste management and provide young people with employment prospects.