Production of fuel friquettes from acorn shells and acorn cups

The increase of the energy needs accompanied with a predictable exhaustion of the fossil resources and the environmental problems engendered by their consumption, clearly reveal that the current energy model is not sustainable. We must therefore engage a transition towards a more sustainable model. The solution is not unique but the use of renewable energy seems to have many advantages, due to their availability and to their neutrality in terms of pollution. In this context, energy biomass appears as an attractive alternative to fossil fuels. In this study we are interested in the production of the briquettes of biochar from roasted shells and cups of acorns. Before roasting, we first studied the thermal behavior by DTA-TGA, and then we defined the way to be used for the energy valuation of hulls of acorn (cup and shells) and the parameters influencing the quality of briquettes. The characterization of hulls by the measure of the humidity allowed us to classify them in dry biomass (humidity <; 10 %) valuable by dry way. The study of the influence of the grading size and the binder on the mechanical characteristics and the behavior of combustion of briquettes, asserted us that the binder and the grading size are the determining factors of the quality of the briquettes. The briquettes formed using a big grading size (1.5mm) with low pressure and green clay as a binder are friable.