Design and development of a biochar pelletizer
2023
Aldrias, J.V. | Fajardo, A.L. | Suministrado, D.C. | Peralta, E.K.
Biochar's potential value as a soil amendment is in continuous demand. However, as-produced biochar comes in different forms and sizes making its application and distribution challenging. Because there is a limited commercialized biochar pelletizer machine in the Philippines, a biochar pelletizer was developed to meet the requirements of the end-user and to produce a relatively efficient and comparatively inexpensive machine. The developed pelletizer was fabricated in local shops. The pelleting mechanism was composed of a horizontal die and two rollers. Pellet rollers were designed to press the biochar against the die. As the mixture passed the holes, pellets were formed and then fell to the catchment. The developed pelletizer was tested using three different feedstocks, namely: carbonized rice hull (CRH), carbonized coconut shell (CCS), and carbonized wood chips (CWC). Cassava paste was utilized as the binder in levels of 10%, 15%, and 20%, respectively. The pellets produced in the study were 13 mm long with a range of 6.60 to 7.79% moisture content. Particle and bulk densities were highest with CRH at 764.22 and 343.67 kg-cu m, respectively. The hardness and durability were highest with CWC with 1272.75 Pa and 87.48%, respectively. The highest actual capacity was observed with the CRH at 678.22 kg/day. An analysis of variance showed that the mean machine efficiency ranged from 67.86% to 71.02%, irrespective of the binder level. On the other hand, the binder level had a significant effect on the pelleting recovery with the highest recovery of 98.50% was achieved with a binder level of 20%. CCS and CWC could hold water up to 101 to 104% of their weight and could resist up to 806.66 to 1559.6 Pa of pressure. The study recommends the testing of pellets with other feedstock materials and other binder types and formulations.
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