ASSESSMENT OF THERMAL EFFICIENCY OF BRIQUETTES AS ALTERNATIVE TO FUELWOOD IN MINNA TOWN, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

This study is aimed at assessing the thermal efficiency of briquettes for enhancing adoption feasibility of biomass briquettes as alternative to fuelwood; Examination of socio-economic factors influencing domestic energy choice among the women in Minna, working out the performance evaluation and adoption feasibility of pellet stove as well as assessment of the thermal efficiency of briquettes and fuelwood in Minna were pursued as objectives. Systematic random sampling was adopted in picking sample points. Data were sourced directly from the field using: questionnaires, camera, measurements and experimental procedure. Obtained data on socio-economic factors influencing domestic energy choice and consumption were subjected to descriptive statistics: frequency count, percentage, cross tabulation and step wise regression. The factors influencing domestic energy choice (income, accessibility, literacy and household size) where cross tabulated and each of them indicated a strong positive relationship. The thermal efficiency was addressed using specific statistical model and method of Sharma, Sethi and Chopra, (1988). Briquette stove was ignited with 400 gm of Briquette. A fixed quantity of water (4kg) was taken in the weighed aluminum container (Wp). Initial temperature of water (Ti) was recorded with the help of a digital temperature gauge. Water container was then placed on the Briquette stove without covering it during the experiment. Water was stirred at every 10 minutes for even distribution of heat. The experiment was conducted for 30 minutes. Final temperature of water at 30th minute was also recorded (Tf). No charcoal was produced after complete burning of Briquette in the Briquette stove and ash left was weighed (Ap). Loss of water due to evaporation (We) was calculated (Wwi – Wwf). Same process was conducted using traditional fuelwood stove. Observations recorded during the experiment are presented. Observations of the thermal efficient ratio of fuelwood and biomass briquette shows that the average heat generated using the briquette stove is 3261.5 KJ and the average heat utilized was 3248.16 KJ. The thermal efficiency of the stove worked out to be 99.5 percent. The average, heat generated using the firewood is 4313.45 KJ and the average heat utilized was 3030.507 KJ. On the basis of above observations, thermal efficiency of the stove was worked out to be 70 percent. The observations imply that, briquette saves time and reduces excess expenditures as against fuelwood; it is highly compatible for cooking, portable, and easy to maintain. It is recommended that, hasty measures should be put in place to forestall the cutting down of woody trees by the inhabitants of Minna Town by the Niger State Ministry of Environment, empowering/training scheme for young entrepreneurs for the production of biomass briquette and biomass stoves in a large quantity should be instituted.