Impact of Polyvinyl alcohol on thermo-physical properties of Rice-husk and Sawdust Briquette

Briquette production from farm wastes offers a sustainable and renewable form of energy source. However, optimizing some of the desired properties in these briquettes has been under study for as long as binders used can have impacts on these desired properties. This study investigates the impact of Polyvinyl alcohol on these desired properties. Farm wastes were prepared by sieving the particles to ensure even particle size and sun-dried to remove any moisture. Polyvinyl alcohol was prepared in varying masses of 20 g, 30 g, 40 g, 50 g, and 60 g with a constant volume of water (250 ml). A constant mass of 200 grams of rice husk and sawdust was added separately to the prepared PVA poured into a mold and compressed for 60 minutes. After that, the produced briquette was dried in an oven for further analysis. The results obtained, the calorific value of the sawdust with polyvinyl alcohol binder was found to range from 26.354 kJ/kg to 30.132 kJ/kg and rice husk to be 25.832 kJ/kg to 28.872 kJ/kg and the combustion rate to ranges from 0.0032 kg/min to 0.0040 kg/min and 0.022 kg/min to 0.062 kg/min for sawdust and rice husk respectively. The impact of PVA as a binder on the calorific and combustion properties of rice husk and sawdust briquette was increased with an increase in the polyvinyl alcohol value.