A good binder for charcoal briquettes

MANILA, Philippines - The effluent or wastewater from the production of chic acorn (fried corn kernels) is a good binder for rice hull and bamboo shavings in making charcoal briquette.

This award-winning technology has been pieced together by researchers of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), a six-campus tertiary institution in Ilocos Norte whose seat of administration product (charcoal briquette) out of wastes (bamboo trimmings, rice hull or IPA, and chichacorn effluents).

Briquette is a mixture of charcoal made from various materials molded in various shapes and sizes with the use of starch. Chichacorn effluents, which are abundant in Ilocos Norte, is a suitable binder and good substitute for cassava starch in the production of charcoal briquette.

The new process is a variation of the kawayan charcoal briquette (KCB) technology developed by MMSU researchers Dr. Stanley Malab and Jose Zaparalla. Dr. Malab is MMSU vice president and concurrent director of the Ilocos Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (ILARRDEC), one of the 14 regional R&D consortia coordinated by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD).

Originally designed for bamboo wastes such as small branches, leaves, shavings, and trimmings, the charcoal briquette technology now includes rice hull as production, material, reported PCARRD’s Ricardo Argana.

KCB with chichacorn processing effluent has won the most outstanding technology (research category) of the National Symposium on Agriculture and Resources Research and Development (NSARRD). NSARRD is a yearly PCARRD-sponsored activity that showcases outstanding contributions of individuals and institutions in the improvement of agriculture, forestry, and natural resources R&D.

The KCB edification study, which also involved MMSU researchers Beatriz Malab and Angelina Tagay, likewise won second place in the Second Luzon Cluster 7th Regional S&T For a and Competitions in Industry and Energy R&D.

It was presented at the 28th International Convention of the Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE) held recently at Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA; and at the Technology to People Media Conference sponsored recently by PCARRD.    – Rudy A. Fernandez