Leveraging organic waste for briquette production: a pathway to a sustainable and environmentally conscious future

In this research study, we investigated the composition and characterization of organic refuse-derived fuel (ORDF) briquettes as domestic heating fuel, the composition of which is based on underutilized urban biomass. The novelty of this research lies in the integrated optimization of mixed urban organic wastes, specifically tea waste, sugarcane rinds, peanut shells, and cotton trimmings, into high-performance briquettes using a statistical D-optimal mixture-process design combined with multi-criteria decision analysis, an approach rarely applied to heterogeneous municipal biomass streams. This design will allow the simultaneous maximization of energy production, combustion stability, and the properties of emissions by using the waste materials. We have developed twelve briquette formulations through a D-optimal mixture-process design and evaluated them across key performance metrics: gross calorific value (GCV), combustion rate, ignition time, durability, and emission profile. The findings show that the compositions of raw materials and compaction parameters have a significant effect on fuel performance. The most effective formulation (Run 10) had the eminent GCV of 7277 kcal/kg, the lowermost burning rate (1.10 g/min), and the maximum durability (93.34%), and thus had superior thermal performance and mechanical integrity. Analysis of emissions indicated that SO 2 and CO levels were different based on feedstock, with Run 5 being the best in terms of combustion profile. The multi-criteria desirability functions and Principal Component Analysis were used to determine the best formulations that combine the energy content, structural stability, and environmental performance.