Validation of a hydraulic machine for making briquettes, from coffee husks and wood wastes

Abstract

In the framework of the UNI - UNDP Project for the development of the theme "Generation of technologies prototypes linked to Climate Change", a validation of a hydraulic machine for making briquettes from coffee husks and wood wastes. For this, the technical - mechanical requirements of the machine were determined, the briquettes elaborated with the hydraulic machine were characterized and finally the production costs of the briquettes were calculated. For the determination of the technical - mechanical requirements it was obtained that a pressure of 2 to 4 tons is required for each briquette; the equipment produces 6 briquettes and for that reason it was considered to use a hydraulic press of 12 tons. Likewise, the design, construction material of the hydraulic equipment and its level of productivity were determined to be compared with the manual iron press; Where it was obtained that the hydraulic equipment produces 6 briquettes in 6.33 minutes instead the manual iron press produces 6 briquettes in 23.90 minutes; And finally a manual of maintenance and use of the machine was proposed. For the characterization of the briquettes made with the hydraulic machine, different parameters were executed: granulometry, compaction, combustion, humidity, ash, calorific value, CO2 emission and Productivity calculations. According to the data obtained the resulting mixtures were EXPM1, EXPM2, EXPM4 and EXPM5, of these the most optimal "EXPM1 and EXPM2"; And finally the cost of production was calculated for these treatments, where it was obtained that the cost of production per unit (6 briquettes) for the EXPM1 it is C$ 4.51 and for the EXPM2 it is C$ 4.62, when comparing these prices with The price of the control mixture (C$ 4.50) was concluded that they are cheaper.