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Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) into Biomass Briquettes
admin October 9, 2023 0 Comments

Convert Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) into Biofuel Briquettes

What Is Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)?

municipal waste

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), often referred to as trash or garbage, encompasses the daily items we utilize and later discard. This includes product wrappers, lawn trimmings, furnishings, apparel, containers, leftover food, newspapers, electronic devices, paints, batteries, fragments of paper and wood, shattered glass, plastics, various polymers, and both plant-based and meat residues. 

Such waste originates from our residences, educational institutions, medical facilities, and commercial establishments.

Classification of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)

Decomposable Waste: Leftovers from the kitchen, garden clippings, and paper

Recyclables: Sheets of paper, cardboard, clear and coloured glass, containers, metal tins, aluminium containers, foil wraps, various metals, specific plastic types, fabrics, worn-out clothes, rubber tires, spent batteries, various plastics and synthetic materials

Stable Waste: Remnants from building and tearing down, soil, stones, and rubble

Electronic Junk (WEEE): Gadgets and devices

Mixed Waste: Plastics and various synthetic compounds like hydrocarbons

Dangerous and Poisonous Trash: Chemicals for plant protection like insect, weed, and fungus killers

Medical Refuse: Out-of-date medicinal products.

Process to Convert Municipal Solid Waste into Briquettes

Process of municipal solid waste into briquettes includes first need to get rid of the excess water in the organic junk, which we then chop up. After that, we squish this biomass with a lot of heat and a binder to hold it together. The organic part in our everyday trash is a mix of stuff, each having its own energy when burned. 

Teaming up with a science lab or doing our own deep dive can help us figure out the best way to whip up briquettes that burn hotter. Once we’ve got it all charred, we press them into those familiar briquette shapes.

Process Include Three Stage Crushing, Drying & Briquette​

Solid Waste Briquetting

Crushing:

In the Crushing process, the crushing stage serves as a crucial preparatory step to ensure the consistent and efficient transformation of bulky raw materials into compact briquettes. The primary objective of crushing is to reduce the size of the biomass feedstock.

Breaking down larger chunks of material using specialized machines like crushers or shredders, the biomass becomes more homogeneous. This size reduction not only facilitates smoother processing in subsequent stages but also ensures that the resulting briquettes are of consistent quality.

Drying:

In the briquetting process, the drying phase is instrumental in preparing the biomass feedstock for effective compression into briquettes. After the initial crushing stage, the biomass typically contains a significant amount of moisture, which can impede the briquetting process and compromise the quality of the final product.

The drying stage aims to reduce this moisture content to a desired level, often around 10-15%, depending on the specific feedstock and end-use requirements. Achieving the correct moisture balance using biomass dryer system is  crucial. If the feedstock is too wet, it can result in poor briquette formation, and the excessive moisture can lead to combustion issues when the briquettes are used.

Briquette:

The briquetting process in a briquetting plant is the pivotal phase where the biomass feedstock is compacted and transformed into solid, dense briquettes. After the preliminary steps of crushing and drying, the feedstock, which is now in a granulated or powdered form with optimized moisture content, is fed into the briquetting machine. Within this briquetting machine, significant pressure is applied to the material, causing it to compact and form cohesive lumps or briquettes.

Depending on the briquetting machinery used—whether screw-type, piston-driven, or hydraulic presses—the briquettes can take on various shapes and sizes, from cylindrical to rectangular.

As the compressed briquettes exit the machine, they are still relatively warm and soft. Therefore, a cooling phase ensues, allowing the briquettes to harden and stabilize. It’s during this compression process that the loose, often dusty biomass particles bond together, forming a solid and energy-dense product ideal for combustion.

The success of this stage is pivotal, as the quality, durability, and energy content of the final briquettes depend on the efficacy of the briquetting process, making it a cornerstone of the entire biomass briquette production chain.

Advantage of Municipal Solid Waste Into Biomass Briquettes

  • We can make the most out of waste by turning it into energy.
  • It’s best to convert it right where it’s collected, which helps dodge health risks and cuts down on transport and other extra costs.
  • Our nation could pocket some savings by reducing the need for imported fossil fuels.
  • By using this method, we also reduce our reliance on imported coal, which means more savings on import costs.