Characterization and Evaluation of Charcoal Briquettes Using Banana Peel and Banana Bunch Waste for Household Heating

The charcoal briquettes from banana peel and banana bunch wastes from dried banana industry for household heating were characterized and evaluated. A 200 L pyrolyzer was used for charcoal and wood vinegar production at 350°C pyrolysis temperature. The percent yield of charcoal and wood vinegar were determined. The effects of clay binder (0-15% w/w) on the properties of charcoal briquettes such as ash content, hardness, combustion calorific value, emissions data, burn time and combustion efficiency were evaluated. It was found that the percent yields of charcoal and wood vinegar from pyrolysis of banana peel and banana bunch are 57%, 7.53% and 58.6%, 6.76%, respectively. The banana bunch charcoal retained some functional groups to a higher degree than the banana peel charcoal. These include -OH, C = O, C = C, C-H and C-C groups. The porous shapes of banana peel charcoal and banana bunch charcoal are honeycomb and tube structure, respectively. The calorific value of both charcoal briquettes decreased with increasing ratios of clay and ash content. The values range from 5,115.51 to 6,396.66 cal g^-1. The hardness obtained with 5% clay binder is 23.31 kg and 25.90 kg for banana peel charcoal briquette and banana bunch charcoal briquette, respectively. Both charcoal briquettes containing 5% clay are smokeless during combustion and result in red-brown ash after combustion. The dust and total CO emissions of banana peel charcoal briquette and banana bunch charcoal briquette during combustion are 15.38 µg m^-3 and 3463 ppm and 11.97 µg m^-3 and 1568 ppm, respectively. The maximum temperatures of water are 88 and 84°C and times needed to reach the maximum temperatures were 36 and 48 min for banana peel charcoal briquette and banana bunch charcoal briquette combustion, respectively. The maximum burning times and combustion efficiencies are 114 min and 9.10% and 92 min and 8.38% for banana peel charcoal briquette and banana bunch charcoal briquette, respectively.