EVALUATION OF BIOMASS RESIDUE 1 - BRIQUETTING WASTE PAPER AND WHEAT-STRAW MIXTURES

Studies have demonstrated that waste paper and wheat straw or their mi xtures can be compressed to a relative density greater than unity, and stabilized at that density without binder material. A reduction in th e volume of the material also provides a technological benefit, so the material could be transported and stored more economically than is po ssible at present. The effects of the briquetting pressure on the dens ity, moisture content, and bending and compressive strengths of the br iquettes were determined at six different pressures of 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 and 800 MPa. The optimum moisture contents and compressive st rengths were found to be respectively 18.0% and 38.2 MPa for waste pap er, 22.0% and 22.4 MPa for wheat straw, and 18.0% and 32.0 MPa for a 2 0.0% by weight of waste paper and straw mixture. The effect of the tem perature and time on the briquette density of wheat straw was examined . (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.