Equipment for production of sawdust briquettes

In addition to being essential for your comfort, properly heated and insulated homes also save energy costs and have a smaller environmental effect. The creation of sawdust briquettes is one creative remedy that has gained popularity recently. An environmentally friendly substitute for conventional fuels like coal or firewood are these compressed wood blocks. This post will examine the tools used to make sawdust briquettes and explain how they can help green-minded homeowners who are looking for heating options.

Compressed sawdust, a byproduct of the wood processing industry, or even recycled wood waste can be used to make sawdust briquettes. This makes them an environmentally friendly option since they make use of materials that might otherwise go to waste. They also burn more cleanly than a lot of conventional fuels, releasing fewer toxic chemicals and smoke into the atmosphere.

A briquetting machine is usually used in the manufacturing of sawdust briquettes, compressing the sawdust into small, dense blocks. To meet different production needs, these machines are available in a range of sizes and configurations, from small-scale operations for individual homeowners to large-scale industrial setups for commercial use.

The press is one of the main parts of a briquetting machine; it forms the briquettes by applying pressure to sawdust. In order to increase the briquettes’ quality and longevity, certain machines additionally have features like binders or heaters. Additional machinery like mixers, dryers, and crushers may also be used in the production process, depending on the particular needs and intended output.

Purchasing machinery to produce sawdust briquettes can benefit homeowners in a number of ways. Briquettes not only offer a practical and affordable heating option, but by using wood waste, they also help to slow down the destruction of forests. Additionally, because of their consistent size and shape, they are simple to handle and store, which reduces the need for large storage spaces and the cost of transportation.

Equipment	Features
Sawdust Briquette Machine	Converts sawdust into briquettes for efficient fuel use.
Drying Machine	Dries sawdust to the optimal moisture content for briquette production.

Methods of briquette production

The raw material that has been deposited must be compressed strongly by the sawdust briquetting machine. Lignin will then be released and combine the separate particles. A rise in the compressed material’s temperature coincides with the process. For this reason, binder and sawdust are sintered.

Raw material

Apart from sawdust, other materials that can be used to make eurorods include wood shavings, larger woodworking waste, and burnable agricultural waste. Following the preparation of the raw materials (grinding of large fractions, drying to a moisture content of 8–10%), the manufacture of fuel briquettes should begin.

Briquetting

Briquetting is the next step of production, which involves applying pressure to sawdust until a compact product with the desired shape is produced. The equipment utilized at this point—a screw device or a hydraulic press—depends on the briquetting technique.

The press has a 300–650 atmosphere compressive force, and its working principle is simple. The raw material is progressively forced into a conical channel that gets narrower by the operation of the screw equipment. In the channel’s working section, a pressure of up to 1000 atm is simultaneously created (with a minimum cross-section). The pressed monolith is sliced to size at the output.

Hydraulic press operated manually

Press for screws

Stages of making sawdust briquettes with your own hands

The following is how DIY sawdust pressing works:

1. Drying of raw materials if they have high moisture content;
2. Crushing of raw materials in a crusher or by hand;
3. mixing of the shredded sawdust with clay or cardboard;
4. loading under the press;
5. pressing into molds;
6. unloading and air drying;
7. wrapping in foil.

By breaking the briquette, one can assess the drying quality; it should be dense and dry where the cut is made.

A perforator may be utilized in the absence of an appropriate crusher.

Shrink-wrapping the film is necessary to prevent moisture from penetrating the final product and to maintain its shape.

Preparation of raw materials

The preparation of raw materials is what happens at the next step, but you have to make the right choice first. In order to press high-quality briquettes from cardboard and paper, you must first soak them in water for a few minutes, squeeze them thoroughly to remove any remaining moisture, and then insert them into the pressing mechanism.

When using plant waste as a raw material, such as sawdust and peat, it needs to be well combined in a different container right away. Then, add a tiny bit of water, glue, and clay to the entire mixture. You can add a little paper to improve the characteristics of combustibility. It will carry out binding functions as well. The ratio of the volume of combustible components to the volume of clay is consistently 1:10. In this instance, top-notch material for heating installations can be acquired.

Pressing process

The most crucial phase of production is the processing of the prepared material. The assembly and inspection of the raw materials signal the start of the work. Next, the area where the completed pressed blocks will be kept must be cleared. It should be immediately noted that the briquettes will be sticky and moist after pressing. They shouldn’t be stacked too closely together to avoid sticking and losing their proper shape. Placing sheets of plywood or flat slate in between the pressed material works best.

The piston is put into the press along with a detachable container. The device is filled with a small amount of pre-prepared raw materials, and the homemade press handle is pressed. In order to ensure that all of the available liquid drains out, the process should be watched concurrently. This procedure typically takes one minute. Once all of the liquid has been removed, you can remove the piston, remove the completed briquette, and send it to dry.

Other materials are processed and pressed in a manner akin to this. The most important thing to keep in mind is to stack them neatly on a completely level surface in the designated area. You can make roughly 60 handmade briquettes in an hour by doing this kind of labor.

Drying and application

The final products are sent for drying after the pressing process is finished. Spread the material out on a sunny lawn at home; however, watch out that it doesn’t accidentally fall into the rain, as this will cause the drying process to take longer. The briquettes can be moved to permanent storage once they have lost the most moisture. You can stack them however you choose without worrying that they will stick to one another.

It should be noted right away that because there was not as much pressure applied during production, these handmade blocks weigh a little bit. In fact, you can test the briquettes after that and use them to light a fireplace or flood a sauna. It will be more difficult to complete these tasks the conventional manner, so it is preferable to use a special ignition or place some paper in the firebox.

In addition, if one wishes, one can update the pressing machine to buy a factory press, for example. In that case, the output of the briquettes will increase dramatically and they will be of a higher caliber and denser.

Technology of briquette production

Producing heating material is a labor-intensive process that needs to be carried out in a series of steps.

If required, you must get the raw material ready for use:

1. Crushing of the material;
2. Drying of crushed raw materials;
3. Grinding (the better the components of briquettes are crushed, the higher the heat transfer rate).

The raw materials must be combined with a binder in order to manufacture with your hands. In accordance with 1 to 10, where 1 kg of clay and 10 kg of crushed material are taken, clay is quite suitable for this purpose.

To create a homogenous mass, the obtained mixture needs to be combined with water; it’s crucial that it’s neither liquid nor solid.

It is necessary to load the resultant mass into specialized machinery. The product takes on its final shape during the pressing process, which also extracts extra liquid. There’s a chance that the product will still contain a tiny bit of moisture if you use a homemade press.

After pressing, the heating material must be allowed to air dry. You can dry outside in the wind and sunshine. The number of briquettes and the press technologies being used determine how long this step takes.

The product needs to be packed or moved to a designated storage area once it has dried.

Personnel selection

We should treat this process with seriousness. Hiring labor staff is essential to the business’s regular operations. The number of employees is determined by taking into account the number of working shifts, production volumes, and equipment operation standards.

When determining how many full-time employees are needed to complete the task, three eight-hour shifts per year of work are taken into consideration. Thus, the general director, chief accountant, production operator, shift manager (equipment adjuster), primary laborers, auxiliary staff, and drivers are sought after.

Equipment for the production of fuel briquettes

Among the substantial apparatus that the "fuel" industry cannot function without:

• feedstock chopper;
• drying chamber;
• special press.

Keep in mind that there are four different kinds of presses used to make fuel briquettes:

1. Hydraulic.
2. Screw extruder.
3. Shock-mechanical.
4. Press granulator.

Distinguish between their operational principle and cost. Combine the needs for uniform grinding (fractions smaller than 25x25x2 mm) and raw materials with a humidity of 4–10%.

Every press has benefits and drawbacks specific to home businesses.

A hydraulic press is a device that consists of two parts that can be used to produce briquettes at home: a mold and a hydraulic cylinder.

The working principle is akin to that of a jack. Raw sawdust is poured into the mold, where it is compressed by a hydraulic cylinder using a piston. As a result, a dense briquette forms.

Benefits of hydraulic presses:

• most affordable price;
• simple and reliable device, which has practically no wear and tear components.

• low productivity.
• Requires preparation of raw materials with the addition of a binder .

For instance, you can add starch to fuel briquettes as a binder (2%–3% of the total mass). Naturally, you must wet the mixture to a 40% consistency in order for the binder to work.)

The working principle of a screw extruder for home production is comparable to that of a meat grinder. The article on fuel pellet production goes into great detail about this kind of press. The raw material is fed through a screw and compacted under high pressure at the outlet through a die. The entire procedure is carried out while the press is hot. The gadget will jam if the filter is not warmed up beforehand. Sawdust is treated with high temperature and pressure to extract hydrolyzed lignin. Even though it is combustible, it serves as a binder during the briquette-forming process.

Benefits of a screw extruder

• The highest productivity (the process is continuously extruded);
• in the process of pressing, lignin is released, which has a positive effect on the formation and quality of brackets.

• the press requires a long preparation for operation (the die must be heated and the first briquettes are rejected);
• quickly wear out the nodes of high friction – screw and die;
• due to high working temperatures (above 120Co) required for normal pressing of raw materials, irreversible processes occur, which reduce the quality of the product (caloric value of briquettes is lower).

The principle of operation of an impact mechanical press used in fuel briquette production is similar to that of a perforator. Thrusts are transmitted to the piston by the crank mechanism, which consists of the crankshaft, connecting rod, and piston, at a fixed frequency of roughly 20 times per second. Piston blows help to force the sawdust that was previously loaded into the chamber through the die.

• briquettes can be made not only from sawdust, but also from other materials: grinding and coal dust, peat, straw, MFD waste;
• allows the production of briquettes for various purposes – for the private market and for industrial needs;
• the simplicity of the mechanism and the ability to work for a long time without human intervention are the main advantages of the percussion-mechanical press;
• the unit has good productivity;
• the value of equipment utilization factor is 0.9.

• highest price;
• rapid wear of the crank friction units (2 forces act on them at once: impact force and friction).

The same feed pelletizer is used in a press pelletizer, but sawdust is poured in place of grain.

Advantages: favorable cost/benefit ratio.

• it is possible to produce only fine briquettes;
• requires finer crushing of raw materials;
• requires preparation of raw materials with the addition of a binder for dense briquetting (starch 2%-3%).

In order to enhance the finished product, the line is frequently furnished with an assortment of accessories in addition to the press:

• mixers for mixing impurities (e.g., lignin);
• nozzles for cutting certain shapes of briquettes;
• Humidifiers for over-dried raw materials.

It is possible to make certain tools and presses by hand.

Equipment for production

The following categories apply to homemade equipment used to produce fuel briquettes at home.

Screw press

Making a screw press is thought to be a great fortune and calls for specialized knowledge. Significant expenditures will also be needed for the necessary electric drive, complex and high-strength working screw parts, housing, and bed. The ability to obtain domestic production of a caliber matching that of factory production is the outcome of the labor put in.

Mechanism with manual screw drive

A screw drive is included in a basic homemade press. The manual press is composed of a screw-driven pusher that is fixed firmly on a sturdy bed and a molding tank that holds the initial mixture. The filled container is set on the bed’s base, and the mixture is compressed to the necessary size or force by tightening the screw (a mechanical jack can be used). Excess liquid is drained through the molding container’s holes during the process. The removed briquette dries on its own. The use of a hydraulic jack will greatly expedite and facilitate the user’s work.

Briquette ejection mechanism

It is also easy to construct a fuel briquette press by manually compressing the laid raw material using a long lever. The force compressing the future briquette increases with the length of the lever handle. Conveniently, the finished brick is pushed out of the mold by a mechanism that fits snugly inside it. One way to create productive equipment is by building a press out of multiple molding containers.

About coal briquetting technology

Melting the boiler with wood and then adding the dusty fuel fraction on top of the burning logs is one method of burning coal fines. However, since the coal dust needs to be applied frequently in tiny amounts, this is too problematic.

A significant amount of fuel will undoubtedly spill into the ash pan and waste if it is loaded heavily; the remaining fuel will then fill the spaces between the wood. The furnace will begin to drown out when the air supply to the combustion zone stops.

The best method is to press the fine fraction into briquettes, which burn extremely well and release a significant amount of heat. Coal briquetting is a solution that was successfully employed in homes and industries for many years, having been first proposed by Russian inventor A. A. K. Kovalov.П. Veshnyakov at the turn of the 20th century. Its main idea is that fuel with a calorific value equal to or higher than premium coal can be produced by compacting coal fines using high pressure and specialized equipment.

We note that such briquettes are produced in two types, without delving deeply into the intricacies of the technological process and the classification of different grades of fuel:

• with binders for industrial purposes;
• Without binders, intended for combustion in domestic boiler installations.

It is worthwhile to take this particular technology into consideration because we are interested in the process of producing coal briquettes for domestic use without the need for any additives. Thus, the following is the process’s order:

• first, the coal undergoes a pulverization operation, with a maximum size fraction of 6 mm;
• the next operation is drying in order to achieve an optimum moisture content of 15%. For this purpose special equipment for coal briquette production is used – steam or gas dryers;
• After drying, the composition is cooled and then pressed. The operation takes place at a pressure of 100-150 MPa in the so-called stamping press;
• Final cooling and shipment to the warehouse.

Note: Although this is a traditional process, the equipment used may affect the required moisture content and coarse fraction. For instance, a contemporary mini-mill owned by the Russian business UNITEC needs particles with a moisture content of between 6 and 16% and particle sizes up to 0 0.25 mm. In other words, even though the coal briquetting technology in this instance should allow for better grinding, much less pressing pressure is used.

The result is a coal briquette with an ash content of no more than 15-20%, a maximum mechanical load of 3 kg/cm2, and a maximum mass loss of 15% upon impact when the product falls from a height of up to 2 m. The type of coal used to compress the briquette affects the combustion heat.

Homemade press

Not only can you purchase a briquetting press, but you can also build one yourself. Two categories are conditionally assigned to homemade equipment:

1. Manually operated,
2. Operating from a jack.

You will also need to create a metal square or round mold and poisson in order to assemble a press for fuel briquettes by hand. Typically, a metal sheet is used to weld the mold. Using a thin drill bit, it is advised to drill multiple holes in the mold’s walls and bottom. This is required to allow the mold to release the moisture that was released during the pressing process. It would be more convenient to make the mold with a removable bottom so that removing the briquette would be simpler. Additionally, a tiny container is typically installed beneath the mold to collect dripping water.

Another component of the poisson is a flat, 4.5 mm-thick sheet of metal. The sheet needs to be hinged or welded to the pressure lever. The poisson should be sized so that it fits inside the mold easily, just a few millimeters smaller.

For multiple forms of high-quality briquetting, one pressure lever is insufficient.

Easy to use, good briquette compression, and increased productivity are the hallmarks of the sawdust press that uses a jack as a lever. Another option is to use a hydraulic unit, which is frequently utilized in auto repair services, to create a press.

The room in which the press is installed is just as important to the briquette-making process as the press itself. It should have adequate room, decent ventilation, sturdy electrical wiring, and a number of fire extinguishers.

Wall-mounted hand press

For added convenience, the homemade press can be fixed to the wall. Any sturdy material can be used to weld a frame for this purpose. A metal angle is typically utilized. Using dowels, the completed frame is secured to the wall. The upper crossbar of the frame has a pivot for the lever installed on it.

Any length of metal pipe, a sturdy metal stud, or a threaded steel circle can all be used as levers. The poisson is then fastened to the lever after a mold is welded to the bottom of the frame. The pipe’s length should allow the poisson to enter the mold freely.

Floor press

The mold on the floor model of the sawdust press is different because it is fixed to a sturdy metal stand using a lever. Usually, it is welded from an angle, or any available metal frame, old tables, or metal tripods are used. Such a press is exactly like a wall-mounted press in terms of design.

Briquette manufacturing process

Briquette production relies on applying a lot of pressure to the material. Briquette formation and the release of lignin are caused by high pressure (above 30 MPa). You will need to add water, clay, and wallpaper glue or scattered paper to the initial raw materials in order to make fuel briquettes from sawdust at home by hand. Without each of these ingredients, sawdust briquettes cannot be made.

Making briquettes involves combining dry clay and sawdust ten to one. When a mushy consistency forms, water is added to the mixture gradually while stirring continuously. A mixture that is easy to shape with your hands will be used to make a high-quality briquette. A mixture that is too thick will burn poorly, and one that is too liquid will take a long time to dry. You can mix some paper or dry leaves with the sawdust to improve combustion.

The final mixture is poured into a mold, compressed, removed from the press, and allowed to air dry.

How to make briquettes

It is not possible to perform the production’s technological process at home. The absence of presses or extrusion tools that can generate pressures of at least 30 MPa is the cause. Without it, homemade briquettes cannot be compressed and lignin cannot be removed from the wood. The solution is easy: all you have to do is add a binder, which is just regular clay. It is combined with sawdust at a weight ratio of 1:10 (1 kg of clay for every 10 kg of waste), diluted with water, and well mixed.

The mechanism is activated by filling the resulting composition with a mold. When making fuel briquettes by hand, you must exert all of your force and hold the lever down until the water comes out. After that, the product is carefully taken out and set out to dry in the open sun. You could fill the mold once more and extrude the following "brick."

Advantages and disadvantages of homemade fuel briquettes

If you produce your own wood or have access to waste at a reasonable price, the most sensible course of action would be to build a screw press for sawdust. But keep in mind that even though this kind of fuel is inexpensive, it still has a lot of drawbacks:

1. After drying, homemade briquettes are quite light due to their low density.
2. Specific heat of combustion of such materials is three times lower than when using wood.
3. The process of independent production of fuel briquettes takes a fairly large amount of time and requires considerable effort.
4. Due to the need to create large fuel reserves, it is difficult to store them, because it is necessary to prevent the briquettes from getting wet.

It makes sense to process wood waste yourself using a screw press that you make if you have spare time and reasonably priced raw materials. Therefore, before starting the equipment creation process, carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of this choice.

Cottage growers have been wondering for a long time how to turn sawdust into fuel briquettes. To date, home artisans have developed a method for producing fuel from a range of superfluous materials, enabling the heating of greenhouses, garages, and bath houses.

Coal and firewood are common forms of fuel that are replaced by fuel briquettes. Fuel briquettes are also known as eurorodrovami since they don’t contain any chemicals, like glue, and are therefore regarded as environmentally safe. Eurofirewood is created by hand using specialized tools, such as a press.

Home-made method

Of course, it makes no sense to buy powerful professional equipment to use at home. Only in the event that pressed firewood is produced for sale will the expense of such a unit prove profitable. Regretfully, the standard technology that releases lignin will not be achievable.

After winter pruning, woodworking waste can be substituted with tree branches.

Briquettes can be made at home without the need for a natural binder. Lignin is frequently substituted for lignin:

1. Clay.
2. Wallpaper glue.
3. Paper and cardboard.

Skilled artisans have devised ways to circumvent the absence of a press for briquetting sawdust. After soaking in water, raw materials are combined with clay.

It’s critical to follow the 1:10 ratio. In the absence of clay, glue or soaked paper is added.

The prepared material is fed into a hand-operated briquetting machine. Briquettes are produced, which are then taken out of the press and allowed to air-dry.

Fuel with your own hands

To think that someone would purchase such a potent device for domestic use is absurd. It won’t be feasible to use the lignin acquisition method at home. However, some artisans are now proficient with different binders. To begin producing firewood on your own, independently, from sawdust, you should think about the following:

1. Briquette made in artisanal conditions, its quality is much inferior to the factory one.
2. Preparation and pressing of sawdust requires a lot of time and physical effort.
3. A large warm room is needed, which will require a lot of fuel.
4. Any improvement of equipment increases the cost of the product.

Thus, many people prefer regular firewood or coal after considering the amount of work, time, and money needed to produce briquette fuel at home. Purchasing pricey equipment is not required to begin creating sawdust briquettes by hand. The idea of making briquettes for heating out of various combustible materials, such as paper, straw, cardboard, leaves, etc., originated with home craftsmen.

Using your hands, you can make eurorodrova by dissolving sawdust in water, adding clay in a 1:10 ratio, stirring, and adding wallpaper glue or soaked cardboard. Pour this mixture into the mold and use your hands to squeeze it as firmly as you can. After that, remove the pieces from the mold and place them outside to dry in the sun.

For fast briquetting, you can cover each figure with paper or rags. In terms of DIY pressing machines, there are typically three types available:

• with manual drive;
• with jacks;
• hydraulically driven.

One of the machine’s most basic versions: a metal pipe frame that can be fastened to a home wall is welded together. A lever that enters inside the frame is attached at the top, and a rectangular shape is fastened to the bottom of the frame. The second and third options are to build a jack or hydraulic drive in place of the lever to serve as a stand-in press for briquettes.

Selecting the proper equipment can have a significant impact on the insulation and heating of your home. The production of sawdust briquettes requires a high degree of effectiveness and efficiency. Waste sawdust can be converted into a useful and environmentally beneficial fuel source with the correct tools, reducing its negative effects on the environment and supplying warmth. Investing in the correct equipment streamlines the production process, optimizing output and reducing waste. This includes everything from small briquette presses to sophisticated processing machines. Homeowners can embrace sustainable heating solutions and still feel comfortable in a well-insulated home if they have the right tools on hand.

Scheme

Although they don’t need to use products that must be purchased, homemade lever and screw presses are also unable to produce a sizable compression force. It is advised to build a press using the same press or a hydraulic jack as a foundation.

It may have a manual drive or an electric motor installed.

1. A punch will be attached to the hydraulic unit. Its dimensions should correspond to the dimensions of the matrix in which the raw material will be pressed into a briquette.
2. The matrix itself is made of a thick-walled pipe – this is the simplest option. Holes will be made in its walls to allow air and moisture to escape.
3. The matrix will be equipped with a removable bottom. Having removed it, the ready briquette can be pushed by the punch into the receiving tray.

Design-plan for briquette production using soaked paper pulp

For ease of transportation, the working mechanism will be housed in a housing with two handles.

Purchasing machinery to produce sawdust briquettes can be a huge advantage for homeowners trying to maximize their insulation and heating plans. With the help of this technology, homes can effectively turn waste sawdust into a useful energy source, lowering their heating expenses and their impact on the environment.

The adaptability of sawdust briquette production machinery is one of its main benefits. It provides the versatility to produce high-density briquettes from a variety of biomass waste materials, including sawdust, wood chips, and even agricultural residues. It is a desirable alternative for homeowners looking for sustainable energy solutions because of its adaptability.

Apart from its eco-friendliness, sawdust briquette manufacturing machinery also helps improve home insulation techniques. Briquettes are an effective heating option because they burn steadily and generate a lot of heat. Their consistent size and form also guarantee even combustion, making them a more dependable and stable heat source.

Furthermore, homeowners may save money in the long run by purchasing this equipment. Households can greatly lessen their dependency on conventional heating fuels like oil or gas by making their own briquettes from easily accessible biomass waste. This protects homeowners from changes in fuel prices while also reducing heating expenses.

In conclusion, improving heating and insulation in residential settings can be accomplished in a practical and sustainable way by utilizing sawdust briquette production equipment. Homeowners can simultaneously lessen their heating expenses and their environmental impact by using biomass waste to make energy-efficient briquettes. This is a wise investment for a more economical and environmentally friendly future.