Combustion Characteristics of Traditional Energy Sources and Water Hyacinth Briquettes

The study was undertaken to assess the combustion characteristic of briquettes produced from mixed water hyacinth and plantain peels as binder, mangrove wood, charcoal and Anthronotha macrophylla (firewood). Combustion characteristics investigated were calorific values, ignition time, burning rate, specific fuel consumption, fuel efficiency and water boiling time. Thermal fuel efficiency of the briquettes produced from this densification variables competed favorably with charcoal, firewood and red mangrove wood. Furthermore, the fuel efficiency of charcoal (31.29±0.19%) was the highest, followed closely by fuel briquettes (28.17±0.88%). The calorific values of the energy sources ranged from 4166.67±4.33 kcal/kg (firewood) to 6552.00±4.73 kcal/kg (charcoal). The variation of the caloric values of the fuel types was significantly different (P < 0.05). The recorded boiling time values were 11.43±0.43 min (briquettes), 14.94±0.22min (charcoal), 9.25±0.42 min (firewood) and 8.99±0.22 min (mangrove). The values of the water boiling time of the energy sources were significantly different (P < 0.05). There was significant difference in variation of the ignition time of the energy sources The variation of the burning rate values of fuel types was significantly different (P < 0.05). The results confirm the possibility of utilizing water hyacinth as fuel briquettes of good source that support combustion. The water hyacinth briquettes possess the high material strength as well as high value combustible fuel, which qualify them as alternative to firewood for domestic and industrial energy.