OPTIMIZATION OF RICE HUSK, COCONUT SHELL, AND SUGARCANE BAGASSE COMPOSITION USING SIMPLEX LATTICE DESIGN TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY BRIQUETTES

Biomass fuels such as coconut shell charcoal, sugarcane bagasse charcoal, and rice husk charcoal offer significant potential as alternatives to coal in the era of climate-friendly technology; this study aims to optimize biobriquette formulations by reducing moisture content and enhancing calorific value using the Simplex Lattice Design (SLD) method via Design Expert Version 13. The raw materials are processed through pyrolysis, sieving, grinding, mixing with a tapioca based binder, pressing, and drying, followed by evaluations of physical properties including moisture content, ash content, calorific value, compressive strength, and CO emissions. Statistical analysis using a quadratic model reveals that component interactions significantly influence product responses, yielding an optimal formulation with 81.60% coconut shell charcoal, 8.40% sugarcane bagasse charcoal, and 0% rice husk charcoal, which predicts a moisture content of 7.50% and a calorific value of 5324.29 cal/g. Experimental verification closely approximates these predictions and meets SNI standards, although further improvement in compressive strength is needed.