Development of briquette from banana brew waste as a waste management strategy for rural communities

Abstract

In Uganda, many local banana farmers have increasingly focused on cultivating the 'Kayinja' and 'Kisubi' banana varieties, primarily for brewing traditional Waragi through fermentation. This practice generates substantial quantities of banana brew waste, which is often indiscriminately disposed of, posing environmental and public health concerns. Similarly, for every metric ton of dry cassava processed, approximately 0.93 to 1.12 metric tons of wet cassava bagasse and peels are produced, adding to the agro-waste burden. This study aimed to develop and characterize briquettes made from banana brew waste and banana peels using cassava peel waste as a binder, offering a sustainable waste management approach for rural communities. The objectives included characterization of the raw materials, briquette production, and performance evaluation in terms of physical, thermal, and mechanical properties. Physical and calorific properties of both feedstocks and briquettes were assessed using a thermogravimetric analyzer and a bomb calorimeter, respectively. Elemental composition was estimated using Parkish and Shen models. A Box-Behnken design was applied to guide the experimental process and evaluate the impact of variables such as blending ratio, binder content, and water amount on the quality of the briquettes. Combustion performance was evaluated through water boiling tests, ignition time, burning rate, and specific fuel consumption. The calorific value and drop strength of the produced briquettes ranged between 18.073 MJ/kg and 21.985 MJ/kg, and 92% to 99.6%, respectively.