USING HYDRAULIC BRIQUETTING MACHINE TO PRODUCE SOIL CONDITIONERS FROM PEANUT HUSK

USING HYDRAULIC BRIQUETTING MACHINE

TO PRODUCE SOIL CONDITIONERS FROM PEANUT HUSK

Khater, I.M.M.

Agric. Mechanization Unit, Soil Cons. Dept., Desert Research Center,

Mataria - Cairo - Egypt.

Key Words: Briquetting machine, productivity, peanut husk, shattered index and energy.

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to evaluate a hydraulic machine for briquetting peanut husks to overcome the separation of the residues after the addition in the soil and through the briquetting operation to increase the machine productivity. The effect of grinded peanut husk group size ranged from (2-5) to (7-10) mm size, raw materials moisture content 9.81, 13.25 and 16.22 % (w.b.), hydraulic pressing at four different levels of applied pressure (50, 100, 150 and 200 bar) and exposure times of (5, 10, 15 and 20 min) on machine productivity, energy consumed and briquetting cost. Also, tested parameters on briquetting qualities such as durability, stiffness, briquettes bulk density and briquettes water holding capacity. The results showed that, the optimum operating conditions of the briquetting machine was at raw materials moisture content of 9.81% (w.b.), hydraulic pressing pressure of 200 bar and exposure time of 20 min. It gave machine productivity of 3.32 and 3.39 Mg/h, energy consumed of 13.00 and 13.10 kW.h/Mg and operating cost of 123.00 and 120.00 LE/Mg for grinded briquetting sizes from (2- 5) to (7-10) mm, respectively. Moreover, the optimum operating conditions gave the best briquettes quality as well as, compression ratio of about 6.54 and 10.12, water holding capacity of 5.55 and 3.89 and shattered index of 93.3 and 91.6 for grinded briquetting sizes from (2- 5) to (7-10) mm, respectively. The results of the study revealed that the use of briquetting machine with peanut husk residues leads to improvement of the product properties and raise its benefit as soil conditioner.

INTRODUCTION

Peanut was considered one of the most important crops grown in Egypt. Peanut area, yield and production in Egypt during season 2014 were 301281 feddan, 12.33 ton/fed and 3320887 ton, respectively (Fao stat, 2019). In addition during peanut production, only around half of the fresh yield weight is generating great amounts of residue (husks, rotten seeds, leaves and whole seeds that do not reach the quality requirements), which accounts for the other 50% of the weight of the fruit. This huge amount of waste is, in most cases, can be spread into the soil in areas adjacent to the production locations (Martin et al., 2017). Peanut shells remained as wastes of cultivating peanut has a considerable volume. Its compost can be used as available and cheap accessible resource with favorable properties and high porosity can be mixed with low-porosity substrates. (Mohammadi, et al., 2015). Utilization of agricultural residues is often difficult due to their uneven and troublesome characteristics. The process of compaction of residues into a product of higher density than the original raw material is known as densification, which has aroused a great deal of interest in developing countries all over the world lately as a technique for upgrading residues as an energy source (Bhattacharya et al., 2017). High-density, compressed biomass simplifies the logistics of handling and storage, improves biomass stability and facilitates the feeding of solid biomass, which defined as different materials of biological origin mainly plant material and animal wastes (Sampson et al., 2013) used primarily as soil conditioner source which is naturally abundant and present an opportunity that could serves as an alternative to chemical fertilizers. Briquetting is the most widely-used waste compaction technology (Biath & Ondruska, 2012). High-density, compressed biomass simplifies the logistics of handling and storage, improves biomass stability, facilitates the feeding of solid biomass fuels into energy utilization devices and offers higher energy density. Tumbler index is an indicator of briquettes resistance against the forces they face during loading, discharging, transporting procedures. Thus it is an indicator of solidness (Niedziolka et al., 2015). The quantities of briquetting materials are used to the maximum possible if humidity is less and water scarcity is found as in arid conditions (Dalzell et al., 2019). The application of soil conditioners in horticulture crops resulting a positive effect on restores the ecological and economic functions of the soil. (Shalipour et al., 2019) reported the beneficial effects on crop production and soil properties directly related to the physical, chemical and biological properties of the organic materials used to improve sandy soil to hold water and nutrients help.

The objectives of this research work were as follows: optimizing a briquetting machine to overcome the separation of the peanut husk during the briquetting process, durability of briquettes in the soil and to increase the machine productivity. Also to improve the waste management recovery of peanut husk residues .

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study was accomplished at private workshop in El Tina plain area, to study the pressing levels of pressures and exposure times for briquetting machine to reuse of peanut husk residues under different moisture content and residues chopped sizes.

Peanut husk component:Samples were taken from the residues obtained immediately after separating peanut seeds from harvested peanut yield, then chopped into two sizes from (2-5) to (7-10) mm before briquetting process. Feeding of material was done as batch wise during the briquetting process in order to avoid occlusion. The material prepared for briquetting was inserted into the cylindrical mold and they were squeezed by a piston in the mold and the briquettes were obtained. Full cylindrical shape briquettes having 50 mm diameter and 80 to 110 mm varying lengths were produced by this process.

Briquetting Machine: The machine dimensions are 1280 x1155 x740 mm and controlled by a start-stop button attached on it.The machine hydraulically worked by pump functioned by a 15 kW powered 3-phase electrical engine. The machine consists of the following components as shown in Figure ( 1).

Hydraulic jack: The machine is hydraulically operated. The hydraulic jack provides the mechanical force, thereby compressing the briquetting material in the compression chamber. The hydraulic jack is connected to a base frame at the bottom and a plate carrying the piston at the top.

Frame: The frame is made from mild steel plates and used in the fabrication of briquetting machine components such as, the cylinder head cover, the pressure plate and the base plates.

Pistons: The pistons are used to transfer energy from the hydraulic jack to the compression chamber. The pistons tops were of lesser diameter when compared to the internal diameter of the cylinders; this is to allow free movement of the piston and also to create room for fluid to escape during compression.

Compression cylinders: This is where briquettes compression takes place. It consists of 36 cylinders held together. Each cylinder has its own piston which transfers the compressive pressure at the bottom through the pistons to the briquette materials inside the cylinders. It also serves as a mould when the briquettes are forced to take its shape of the cylinders.

The hydraulic press unit: Briquetting pressure range of this machine is adjustable from 0 to 320 MPa by a manometer. Machine pump has a tank of 25 L capacity of hydraulic oil with a 1.2 m³.s^-1 flow rate. Stroke of the piston is 310 mm and the piston speed is adjusted to 10 mm.s^-1.

Fig. 1 Main parts of the briquetting machine

Peanut husk component:

Samples were taken from the residues obtained immediately after separating peanut seeds from harvested peanut yield, then chopped into two sizes from (2-5) to (7-10) mm before briquetting process. Feeding of material was done as batch wise during the briquetting process in order to avoid occlusion. The material prepared for briquetting was inserted into the cylindrical mold and they were squeezed by a piston in the mold and the briquettes were obtained. Full cylindrical shape briquettes having 50 mm diameter and 80 to 110 mm varying lengths were produced by this process.

Studied Factors:

Performance description of the machine used by studying the influence of operating treatments as follows:

-Two chopped sizes classified as: (2-5) and (7-10) mm

-Three moisture contents of peanut husk of about (9.81, 13.25 and 16.22 % w.b).

-Four hydraulic pressing levels of pressures (50, 100, 150 and 200 bar).

-Four exposure times of (5, 10, 15 and 20 min).

The desired moisture content of briquettes components were adjusted by drying or rewetting. However the moisture content was determined using the oven method (at 70^oC) according to (AOAC, 2015).

Measurements:

compression ratio of the briquette:

The weights and volume of produced briquettes were determined (AOAC, 2015). Density was determined for each briquette as ratio of briquette weight to volume. Compression ratio was calculated as the following equation.

Water holding capacity of the briquette:

A wet sample of known initial moisture content was weighed (Wi) and placed in a beaker. After soaking in water for 1–2 days and draining excess water through Whatman #2 filter paper, the saturated sample was weighed again (Ws). The amount of water retained by dry sample was calculated. The water holding capacity (g water/g dry material) is calculated as

Where:
 W_i is the initial weight of sample (g); W_s  is the final weight of sample (g) , MC is the initial moisture content of sample (decimal)

Shattered index:

 The durability of the briquettes was determined in accordance with the Shattered index described by (Suparin et al. 2008).This involved dropping the briquette samples repeatedly from a specific height of 1.5 m onto a solid base. The fraction of the briquette retained was used as an index of briquette breakability. The percentage weight loss of briquettes
was expressed as a percentage of the initial mass of the material remaining on the solid base, while the shatter resistance was obtained by subtracting the percentage weight loss from 100 (Sengar, et al. 2012),

Shatter resistance = 100 - Percentage weight loss

Productivity, Mg/h:

The productivity of the briquetting machine was measured. compressed briquette were collected for ten minutes and the productivity was calculated.

Power and energy consumption:

Readings of Amperes and Volts were taken before and during each treatment. The power consumption was calculated by using the following formula (Lockwood and Dunstan, 1971):

Where:
I: current strength, Amperes; V: potential difference, Volts; cos q: power factor, decimal (being equal to 0.71) and η: The energy requirement was calculated by using the following equation:

Operating cost, LE/Mg:

The operating costs can be calculated according to (Hunt, 1983) by the following equation:

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Compression ratio of the briquette:

Fig. (3-1 and 2) shows the influence of hydraulic pressing pressure, exposure times and briquettes moisture content for both grinded sizes from (2- 5) to (7- 10) mm on the briquettes compression ratio. Generally, the trend was, briquettes compression ratio increased by increasing the exposure time at constant moisture content and pressing pressure. Briquettes with lowest moisture content (9.81% w.b) recorded the highest compression ratio ranged from 4.41 to 6.54. The lowest compression ratio ranged from 3.91 to 5.95 obtained with highest moisture content of 16.22%. High values of compressed husk briquettes could be linked to moisture content, which increased the mass per unit volume of the briquettes. The compression ratio values showed a decline of exposure time from 5 to 20 min for both sizes of (2-5) and (7- 10)mm respectively. A slight increase of applied pressure from 50 to 200 bar can be found under all treatments, which increases the mass per unit volume of the briquettes.

Fig. (3-1 and 2): Effect of pressing pressure, exposure time and moisture content on briquettes compression ratio for grinded sizes from (2- 5) to (7-10) mm.

Water holding capacity of the briquette:

        Fig. (4 – 1 and 2) shows the influence of shows the influence of hydraulic pressing pressure, exposure times and briquettes moisture content for both grinded sizes from (2- 5) to (7- 10) mm on the briquettes water holding capacity. Generally, the trend was, the briquette water holding capacity increased by increasing the exposure time at constant moisture content and pressing pressure. Briquettes with lowest moisture content (9.81% w.b) recorded the highest water holding capacity from 3.65 to 5.48. The lowest water holding capacity ranged from 2.80 to 4.39 obtained with highest moisture content of 16.22%. High values of water holding capacity for husk briquettes could be linked to moisture content, which increased the void ratio per unit volume of the briquettes. The water holding capacity values showed an increase of exposure time from 5 to 20 min for both sizes of (2-5) and (7-10)mm respectively.

Fig. (4-1 and 2): Effect of pressing pressure, exposure time and moisture content on briquettes water holding capacity for grinded sizes from (2- 5) to (7-10) mm.

Shattered index of the briquette:

                 Fig. (5-1 and 2) shows the effect of pressing pressure, exposure time  and briquettes moisture content ratios for both grinded briquetting sizes from (2- 5) to (7- 10) mm on the Shattered index of briquettes. It can be generalized that trend of the Shattered index values of briquettes decreased by increasing the exposure time. Briquettes with lowest moisture content (9.81% w.b) recorded the highest Shattered index from 62.50 to 93.30. The lowest Shattered index ranged from 58.00 to 85.10 obtained with highest moisture content of 16.22%. High values of Shattered index for husk briquettes could be linked to applied pressure. An obvious increase of applied pressure from 50 to 200 bar can be found under all treatments, which increases the mass per unit volume of the briquettes The Shattered index values showed a decrease exposure time from 5 to 20 min for both sizes of (2-5) and (7-10)mm respectively.

Fig. (5-1 and 2): Effect of pressing pressure, exposure time and moisture content on briquettes shattered index for grinded sizes from (2- 5) to (7-10) mm.

Machine productivity:

Fig. (6– 1 and 2) illustrates the effect of pressing pressure, exposure time and briquettes moisture content ratios for both grinded briquetting sizes from (2- 5) to (7- 10) mm on machine productivity. It was found that, machine productivity increased by increasing pressing pressure, exposure time and briquettes moisture content.

Fig. (6-1 and 2): Effect of pressing pressure, exposure time and moisture content on machine productivity for grinded sizes from (2- 5) to (7-10) mm.

Energy consumption:

Fig. (7 -1 and 2) explains the energy consumption as affected by of pressing pressure, exposure time and briquettes moisture content ratios for both grinded briquetting sizes from (2- 5) to (7- 10) mm on. It was found that, the energy consumption decreased by increasing pressing pressure, exposure time and briquettes moisture content.

Fig. (7-1 and 2): Effect of pressing pressure, exposure time and moisture content on energy consumption for grinded sizes from (2- 5)to (7- 10) mm.

Operating cost:

 Values of the operating cost at different levels of briquette moisture content, pressing pressure and exposure time for grinded sizes from (2- 5) to (7- 10) mm are listed in Table (1). It can be noticed that the highest values of operating cost of grinded sizes (2- 5) and (7- 10) mm briquette were reached 249.00 and 265.00 LE/Mg respectively, at moisture content of 9.81 %, pressing pressure of 50 bar and exposure time of 5 min. On the other hand, the lowest values of operating cost of grinded sizes from (2- 5) to (7- 10) mm briquettes were found to be 86.50 and 81.00 LE/Mg respectively, at moisture content of 16.22 %, pressing pressure of 200 bar and exposure time of 20 min.

Table (1): Values of the operating cost at different levels of briquettes  moisture content, pressing pressure and exposure time for grinded sizes (2- 5) and (7- 10) mm.

SUMMERY and CONCLUSION

The collected data from the present study can be summarized as follows:

- The optimum operating conditions gave the best briquettes qualities in terms of compression ratio, of 6.54 and 10.12, water holding capacity of about 5.48 and 3.89 and shattered index of 93.3 and 91.6 for grinded sizes from (2- 5) to (7- 10) mm briquettes respectively, at moisture content of 9.81 %, pressing pressure of 200 bar and exposure time of 5 min.

- The machine productivity of 3.32 and 3.39 Mg/h, seems to be acceptable, for grinded sizes from (2- 5) to (7- 10) mm briquettes respectively, under the optimum operating conditions.

- The consumed energy were 69.10 and 69.00 kW.h/Mg for grinded sizes from (2- 5) to (7- 10) mm briquettes respectively, at moisture content of 9.81 %, pressing pressure of 50 bar and exposure time of 5 min. In addition, the briquettes cost for grinded sizes from (2- 5) to (7- 10) mm briquettes were 294.00 and 265.00 LE/Mg respectively, at the same operating conditions. The results of the study revealed that the use of briquetting machine with peanut husk residues leads to improvement of the product properties and raise its benefit as soil conditioner.

REFERENCES

AOAC, Association of Official Analytical Chemists (2015). Official methods of analysis. No. 2015.03. Arlington, VA.

Bhattacharya, S. ; M. Leon and M. Rahman (2017). A study on improved biomass briquetting.  J. Energy for Sustain. Dev, 16(2): 67–71.

Biath, P. and J. Ondruska (2012). Idealized compression ratio for a screw briquetting press. J. Acta Polytechnica, 52(3), 13-16.

Dalzell, H. ; J. Bidlestone and K. Thurairrajan (2019). Soil management, compost production and use in tropical and subtropical environments. FAO Soil Bulletin. No.89.

FAO STAT (2019). Production crops. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Hunt, D. (1983). Farm power and machinery management. 8th Ed. Iowa State Univ. Press, Ames., U.S.A., 59-71.

Lockwood, F. and R. Dunstan (1971). Electric engineering principles. Meinemann Educational Books, L-td, London.

Martin, M. ; J. Siles ; A. Chica and A. Martin (2017). Biomethanization of orange peel waste. J. Bioresour. Technol. 108: 8993–8999.

Mohammadi, A. ;  M. Alidoust  and A. Khomami (2015). The reuse of peanut organic wastes as a growth medium for ornamental plants. Int. J. Recycl. Org. Waste Agricult., 4: 85–94

Niedziołka, I. ; P. Sobczak and R. Nadulski (2015). Assessment of the energetic and mechanical properties of pellets produced from agricultural biomass. Renewable Energy, 76: 312-317.

Sampson, R.N. ; L.L. Wright ; J. Benneman ; E. Kursten and J. Scurlock (2013). Biomass management and energy. Water, air, and soil pollution, 90 (1–4): 139–59.

Sengar, S. ; A Mohod ; Y. Khandetod ; S. Patil and A. Chendake (2012). Performance of briquetting machine for briquette fuel. Int. J. of energy engineering.

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استخدام الة التکتل الهیدرولکیة لانتاج محسنات التربه من قشر الفول السودانى

اسلام محمد منیر خاطر

وحدة المیکنة الزراعیة - قسم صیانة الأراضی - مرکز بحوث الصحراء - المطریة القاهرة

تم استخدام الة لتکتیل ((Brequetting قشر الفول السودانى فى عملیة لتجمیع التکتیلات المضغوطة من مخلفات مفرومة عند اطوال (2-5) و (7-10) مم للاستفاده منها فى انتاج محسنات تربة. لهذا استهدف هذا البحث استخدام الة هیدرولیکیة فى عمل تکتیلات مضغوطة) للتغلب على مشکلة انفصال مکونات محسنات التربة من بعضها البعض داخل غرفة الکبس وزیادة انتاجیة الالة ودراسة بعض العوامل المؤثرة فى اداء الالة لاختیار انسب الظروف التشغیلیة وکانت العوامل تحت الدراسة کالتالى:

-      نوعین من اطوال المخلفات المفرومة مسبقا (2-5) و (7-10) مم

-      المحتوى الرطوبى للمخلفات المفرومة عند مستویات ( 9.81 – 13.25- 16.22 % على اساس رطب)

-      ضغوط تشغیل ( 50- 100 – 150 – 200 بار)

-      زمن تشغیل ( 5- 10 – 15 -20 دقیقة)

وکانت مؤشرات القیاس الخاصة بصفات الجودة المثلى لمکتلات المخلفات هى (نسبة الانضغاطیة - قدرة التشرب بالماء - ومؤشر shattered للمنتج المصنع) وتم قیاس انتاجیة الالة والطاقة المطلوبة.

وقد تم التوصل للنتائج الاتیة:

بلغت انتاجیة الالة 3.32 و 3.39 میجاجرام /ساعة لاطوال المخلفات المفرومة مسبقا (2-5) و (7-10) مم على الترتیب عند ظروف تشغیل200 بار و 20 دقیقة و 16.22% محتوى رطوبى للمنتج على اساس رطب وکانت صفات الجودة المثلى لمکتلات اطوال المخلفات المفرومة مسبقا (2-5) و (7-10) مم هى 6.54 و 10.12 نسبة الانضغاطیة وقدرة التشرب بالماء 5.48 و 3.89 و ومؤشر shattered للمنتج المصنع 93.3 و 91.6 على الترتیب عند نفس ظروف التشغیل ومحتوى رطوبى 9.81  وبینت النتائج ان الطاقة المستهلکة للالة 69.10 و 69.00 کیلووات . ساعة/ میجا جرام وتکالیف تشغیل الالة 294.00 و 265.00 جنیة /میجاجرام لمکتلات اطوال المخلفات المفرومة مسبقا (2-5) و (7-10) مم على الترتیب . عند ظروف التشغیل 50 بار و 5 دقائق و 9.81% محتوى رطوبى للمنتج على اساس رطب.

واتضح من نتائج الدراسة ان استخدام الة التکتیل مع مخلفات قشر الفول السودانى یؤدى الى تحسین مواصفات المنتج والحصول على أعلى استفادة منه کمحسن جید للتربة.