From Waste to Energy: Optimizing Briquette Properties From Sago Palm Residue With Glycerin Binder

This research investigated the effects of carbonization temperature (from 300°C to 500°C) and glycerin content (from 0.00% to 60.00% by weight) on the physical and thermal properties of briquette produced from sago palm residue. The results revealed that increasing both the carbonization temperature and glycerin content enhanced the physical properties of the briquettes—particularly the shatter index (%shatter index) and durability (%D_r)—mainly due to greater densification. This enhancement led to superior briquette because glycerin helped to increase bulk density and reduce void spaces between particles. Both glycerin content and carbonization temperature had positive effects on thermal properties. Briquette produced by carbonizing sago palm residue at 400°C with 60.00% glycerin exhibited the best thermal characteristics, with the highest heating value and energy density of 22.15 MJ/kg and 12,847 MJ/m³, respectively. This was because the proportions of combustible components—fixed carbon (FC) and volatile matter (VM)—were 1.04 times higher than those of briquettes produced by carbonizing the sago palm residue at 300°C and 500°C with 60.00% glycerin. Higher combustible components resulted in greater energy output, which was reflected in the lower fuel consumption needed when boiling 20.00 mL of water. The consumption of briquettes produced by carbonizing sago palm residue at 400°C was 33.90% and 19.95% less than briquettes produced by carbonizing sago palm residue at 300°C and 500°C, respectively (12.83 g for 300°C). In accordance with the maximum energy-mass co-benefit index (EMCI) of 15.52, the optimum carbonization temperature for producing effective briquettes from sago palm residue was 400°C.