A fuel briquette is an alternative material that allows you to quickly and efficiently melt a stove or fireplace and warm the room. However, it has many other advantages. Today, this type of fuel is becoming very popular. Let's look at why.
Advantages of the submitted material
So, the main advantages of these elements are the following.
1. Making fuel briquettes with your own hands is quite simple, so you can do it yourself, using simple devices - presses. In addition, you can even organize your own business.
2. Long burning time. The briquette can burn from 1 to 4 hours. At the same time, it constantly produces heat.
3. Minimum amount of smoke, sparks.
4. Ecological cleanliness, since fuel briquettes are made with their own hands from plant and other natural materials.
5. Profitability. The cost of one ton of such fuel is much less than the same amount of coal or firewood. At the same time, energy efficiency is much better.
6. Practicality. Ashes, which are formed after the combustion of briquettes, can be used as fertilizer.
7. Easy storage. The presented material does not take up much space, it can be in plastic bags. At the same time, it is able to be stored in high humidity for a long time.
8. Application in any type of fuel equipment: fireplaces, boilers, stoves.
9. Unpretentiousness in storage.
Material Areas
Before you make a fuel briquette with your own hands, you need to figure out where it can be used. Most often, the material is used for heating residential buildings, educational institutions, catering facilities.
In addition, fuel briquettes can be used in warehouses where wood materials are dried and stored. Industrial enterprises also often use the presented type of fuel in combination with other materials. In any case, the material presented is as efficient and economical as possible, especially compared to other fuels.
What raw materials are used in production?
Before you make a fuel briquette with your own hands, you need to select the necessary source material and equipment. First, let's figure out what the product can be made of. So, most often used in the production of wood and vegetable waste.
For example, you can make a briquette of vegetable husks, sawdust, and straw at home. In addition, it is also allowed to use materials such as fallen leaves, shavings, dry plant stems, wood chips, seed husks for production.
Naturally, for production you will also need water, clay and other substances that can glue the raw materials. In some cases, starch can be added. In general, you can use any combustible garbage that is useless in your territory to make briquettes.
Applied Equipment
In order to make a fuel briquette with your own hands, you need to choose the right press or chipper. When choosing a press, you need to decide what shape and area the elements will have. Most often, round and rectangular briquettes are made.
Among the professional equipment can be distinguished screw, shock-mechanical and hydraulic press. The first apparatus is capable of producing octagonal elements with a small hole in the center. They are characterized by maximum density, therefore, provide the highest burning duration. The hydraulic press produces rectangular elements with the smallest density, which ensures high material consumption. Making fuel briquettes at home using a shock-mechanical device gives you the opportunity to make any form of material. Moreover, the elements have an average density.
You can make a machine for making briquettes at home. To do this, you need a simple press and shape (sewer pipe with drilled holes). Please note that during the manufacture of the presented product, you will need to take into account the length of the furnace.
Material manufacturing technology
The production of fuel briquettes consists of several stages:
1. First, you should grind the waste that will be used for the production of elements.
2. Dry clay, which will serve as a connecting link, should be added to the same container.
3. Now you need to add water to this mixture. Moreover, the gruel should not be too thin or thick. In any case, the mass should mold well. In addition, the density of the briquette depends on the amount of water.
4. The resulting mixture must be poured into the mold and flattened with a press. Make sure that as much water as possible comes out of the slurry. After that, the resulting products must be thoroughly dried in the sun. In order for them to be durable, each element should be covered with paper or rags. After complete drying, all briquettes can be folded together.
When you press the raw materials with a press, you will have to make a lot of effort to squeeze out as much water as possible from the mixture.
Useful Tips
The manufacture of fuel briquettes with their own hands is quite simple, although time-consuming. Note that the humidity of each product should not exceed 13%. In order for the element to burn better, during manufacture, you can add paper, which must be torn into small pieces. And so that all the constituent parts stick together better, a little starch can be added to the mixture.
Please note that for different types of heating appliances you will need different briquettes. For example, peat and birch elements are well suited for fireplaces. For baths, saunas and barbecues, it is better to use euro-woods or wood briquettes. They can both burn and smolder slowly. In addition, they practically do not emit any carcinogenic or other harmful substances.
Now you know how to make a fuel briquette with your own hands. Good luck