Biomass Briquettes

[the_whingnut]

OK here we go biomass briquettes is a fuel type used in many countries and is favored for people helping third world development as a cheap fuel. Used for heat and cooking they are comprised of "brown" vegetation, newspaper, animal dung and spent grain. By brown vegetation I mean grasses that are dry and wood ( sawdust, chips, shavings). There are many many ways to use the ingredients, and just as many recipes for briquettes. Commonly what I have been experimenting with is newspaper, sawdust, and spent brewing grains. You soak all ingredients in separate containers filled with water. Soak until newspaper is pulp. Add all ingredients into one container then blend with a bulb bit or paint mixing head for a drill. You then load the pulp into a briquette press and press the liquid out. The wet pulp once pressed will adhere and pack down. This will give you a briquette then you must allow the briquette to dry this will take 2 weeks to a month all depending on pressure used , local climate and how its stored.


The press can be simple or complex. Here is a ton of info
http://home.fuse.net/engineering/ewb_project.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOFbQ-_u0qA

You can decide for yourself the viability of it.

Personally I'm wanting to use up the old paper and grains from brewing giving me a ready fuel for camping or emergency. You can also mix in cotton balls shredded and magnesium to help the ignition like a big fire starter. My setup is for using a hydraulic press or bottle jack and car frame. I'll post pictures and more once I test the rig. Also you can use these in rocket stoves but it depends on the size of the rocket stove / mass heater.

 

[moolie]

Super cool, I can totally do this with my Girl Guides, thanks!

 

[the_whingnut]

Pictures !

Parts

Assembly

Press

The outer tube & inner tube are drilled for venting water, the aluminum disks are spacers for multiple briquettes with a thick disk for pressing, the compression tube is sch40 steel with a 3/8" plate. Everything is loosely machined for easy removal after pressing.

 

[Emerald]

A family on the "doomsday prepper" show was making these. leaves and shredded newspaper.
but I do have one question.. spent brewing grains may still be attractive to rodents are you worried about that? or do you have a good spot to store them?

 

[the_whingnut]

Its a possibity i place my grains in the soak as soon as im done brewing. As for after drying it should be ok i could store them in a sealed container. We will see.

 

[the_whingnut]

The mush

The pressed briquettes

Now to let them dry.

 

[Emerald]

I can't wait to see how they work for you! Something like that may work well in my wood fired pizza oven in the corner to keep the heat up while baking pizza.. Wood sometimes gets too.. Ashy? and you end up with a bit of ash in the pizza.

 

[Mattemma]

I was going to mention DDP too. Like I told my kids there are uses for the things people put to the curb for city recycle.Why not use them instead of giving it away free!

 

[Wannabefree]

That's interesting, never thought of doing this, but we do cook outdoors alot, so this would be a nice project at some point. Thanks!

 

[k15n1]

Wow. Elaborate. Most setups I've seen are a pipe or square tube with a hammer.

I doubt that compressing low-value fuel will help...

Why aren't you making charcoal first?

What about faggots instead? Use the leaves and sawdust for soil amendments and harvest trees sustainably for fuel.

http://www.thecbj.com/coppicing-and-faggot-making/