Toxicologia Ambiental e Analítica

Development of Composite Solid Fuel from Charcoal and Saw Dust for Maximum Emission Reduction

Abstract

Mamudu Abbas, Mamudu Yahaya and Olafuyi Olalekan

In consideration to the various impacts of charcoal and sawdust burning especially in the indoor fires in the developing countries. A charcoal-based and sawdust composite solid fuel has been developed to immensely reduce gaseous emissions, and as well minimize pollution from these sources. The formulations were made using clay (kaolinite) solution (1:2 of clay: water), sawdust and solid pulverized charcoal. Different mounts of the charcoal and sawdust were mixed with a fixed known amount of clay solution and a total of six formulations were made. 200 μm sieve, 500 ml beaker and pdt-crowcon gasman single-trace gas (CO) analyzers were all used in the solution formulation and emission analysis. The results show that the fuel-types which were produced from a mixture of the solid fuels and clay solution yield its minimum emission for a formulation of 1:1 of fuel (charcoal or sawdust): clay solution (1:2 of clay: water) by mass fraction. The results show a consistent pattern of emission reduction exhibited by the composite charcoal based fuels. The combustion of sawdust and its formulations follow a trend which is approximately equivalent to that of charcoal but with a higher release of emission. This higher release of emission from sawdust- based composite fuels show that sawdust is a better burner than charcoal. The addition of the clay content significantly contributes in channeling the routes of release of some of the compounds in the fuels to accompany the ash residue rather than as gaseous emissions. Therefore, the advantages include among others high gaseous emission reduction.