Alternative Eco-Friendly Energy Recovery From Solid Waste: Charcoal Production From Khat Waste Using Banana Peels As A Binder To Briquette

Abstract

All human beings are use materials for their continuous life. However, they threw away after use rather than using as re-use, re-cycle or changing to energy without thinking of about environment or sustainability of the eco-system. By considering such problem this study done on alternative Eco-friendly energy production from khat waste using sample of khat waste to minimize environmental pollution caused by solid waste and charcoal production from forest trees. Therefore, the study conducted to recover energy potential from khat waste by producing briquette from its char using banana peel as a binder. In the study sample of khat waste, banana peels and water have used by using purposive sampling technique. The study achieved using primary and secondary data source that combination of experimental, quantitative and qualitative. To determine carbonization efficiency, temperature and time 9, 18 and 27 kg of sample was dried and carbonized in 200 L kiln that found in Jimma Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization Research Center. Then produced carbonized material mixed with binder of the ratios 0.33:0.67:3, 0.67:0.33:3, 0.33:0.67:4, 0.67:0.33:4, 0.33:0.67:5 and 0.67:0.33:5 (water to banana peel to carbonized khat waste material) and briquetted to determine proximate characteristics and calorific values with each ratio. For molding the mixed materials extruder machine, that found in Jimma Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization Research Center used. Then briquetted samples have taken to Geological Survey of Ethiopia for determination of proximate characteristics and energy potential. Therefore, from the results 51.89 ± 1.02, 56.55 ± 1.57 and 52.28 ± 0.46 % carbonize efficiency was gained at temperature of 200, 325 and 450 within 35, 50 and 70 minutes from 9, 18 and 27 kg khat waste samples respectively. From all mixing ratios used to bind the carbonized material from khat waste, 0.33:0.67:4 was best ratio due to the gained energy potential was 23.8 ± 0.03 KJ/g which greater than the other rest ratios of energy potential. The proximate characteristics gained from this mixing ratio were 16.24 ± 0.34, 57.33 ± 0.38, 18.32 ± 0.27 and 8.05 ± 0.22 % for AC, FC, VM and MC respectively and 0.61 ± 0.01 cc/g of BD and 0.06 ± 0.00 % of SC. Generally, the results gained from the laboratory in this research were in line with the standard of (FAO 1987 and 1999) with all mixing ratios. Therefore, the study result showed that charcoal briquetting from khat waste using banana peels as a binder is good option of minimizing solid waste rather than threw it to the street and fill to the land fill. In addition, it is the best alternative of energy source rather than producing charcoal from forest tree that cause increase of global warming.