ANNOUNCEMENTS
As per INDCs, India is committed to reduce its GHG emissions where, bioenergy holds key role in reducing GHG emissions. India has abundant bioenergy in the form of surplus agro residues. Availability of surplus rice residues are 43.5 MT/year which have a total energy potential of 95.09 – 152.59 GWh out of which 39 MT/year is burnt leading to degradation of air quality, increases health risks and huge loss of resources. In this project, rice husk and rice straw biomass are studied for making biochar briquettes of higher energy content and bulk density. Proximate analysis is carried out using wet % by basis to find out moisture, volatile matter, fixed carbon and ash content. Rice husk have lesser moisture (i.e. 6.32 for rice husk and 12.67 for rice straw) and higher fixed carbon (i.e. 17.38 for rice husk and 4.29 for rice straw) than rice straw biomass samples. Higher fixed carbon leads to have positive impact on calorific value of the material; this holds in line with the experimental values obtained for rice husk biomass (i.e. 16.21-17.30 MJ/kg) which has higher calorific value than rice straw biomass (i.e. 11.57-13.84 MJ/kg). Similar is the case for their respective biochar (i.e. 25.57-26.19 MJ/kg for rice husk and 22.27-22.66 MJ/kg for rice straw) To make biochar thermogravimetric analysis is carried out using STA-6000®, for finding optimum heating rate and pyrolysis temperature for both the biomass. Highest quantity and quality of char is produced at 10°C/min for both the biomass. As it will be used for energy production H/C ratio should be as low as possible to avoid emission of vapors and gases. H/C ratio for rice straw char (i.e. 0.027) is slightly lesser than rice husk char (i.e. 0.037). Briquetting technologies and binders are reviewed for making char briquettes for combustion.
Keywords: GHG emissions, Surplus agro residues, biochar briquettes, rice husk, rice straw
