Utilization of Durian Seed Flour as a Natural Binder in Cocoa Pod Biobriquettes to Enhance Fuel Quality through Agricultural Waste Valorization

The increasing need for sustainable energy has encouraged the agricultural waste for biofuel production. This study investigates the potential of durian seed flour, an underutilized agro-waste, as a natural adhesive in manufacturing biobriquettes made from cocoa pod shells. The research evaluated the effect of various concentrations of durian seed flour adhesive on the physical and combustion properties of the resulting biobriquettes. The adhesive was prepared by mixing durian seed flour (۱۰% of briquette weight) with different water dilution ratios: ۲.۵%, ۵%, ۷.۵%, ۱۰%, and ۱۲.۵%. The production process involved carbonization, grinding, adhesive preparation, mixing, and molding into cylindrical briquettes. Several parameters were assessed, including moisture content, ash content, volatile matter, calorific value, ignition time, combustion rate, and compressive strength. Results indicated that the adhesive concentration significantly influenced all quality metrics. The ۱۲.۵% adhesive treatment yielded the best results, producing biobriquettes with low moisture, high energy content, longer ignition time, slower burn rate, and good mechanical strength. This study highlights the potential of durian seed flour as an eco-friendly binder that enhances the fuel quality of cocoa pod biobriquettes, offering a valuable strategy for converting agricultural waste into efficient, sustainable solid biofuels.

کلیدواژه ها:

biobriquettes ، Biomass ، Cocoa pod ، durian seed ، Green Energy