Making Wood Briquettes for Organic Biofuel

Companies all over the world are producing wood briquettes for organic biofuel.  These briquettes do not have all the problems associated with some of the older forms of charcoal briquettes.  They are clean and clear sources of energy. 

Makers of wood briquettes for organic biofuel generally use sawdust as a base.  Those who are concerned with the environmental issues often use only pure sawdust.  They do not use sawdust that has been treated with chemicals, finishing compounds, or been exposed to spills. 

Typical charcoal briquettes are made with binders such as starch.  Ecologically friendly wood briquettes may not have these substances mixed into them.  Instead of using a material like starch to bind the mixture, manufacturers form the wood briquettes for organic biofuel under extremely high pressure. 

Raw materials for the wood briquettes (Holzbriketts) are hardwoods such as hickory, maple, oak, and birch trees, or soft woods like pine.  Sawdust from these types of wood is often used.  This is the same whether the manufacturer is producing regular charcoal or environmentally-friendly wood briquettes as an organic biofuel. 

What is different is that the old kind of charcoal usually used coal as a primary ingredient along with the wood products.  Lignite or anthracite coal may be used.  Coal is less desirable, since it burns dirty and pollutes the air.  Coal is also a resource that is not renewable, and it will not be around forever. 

The accelerant used may be different for wood briquettes that are used for organic biofuel.  This is the ingredient that helps the briquettes ignite faster and stay lit.  In regular charcoal, the accelerant used may be nitrate. 

Another ingredient used in regular charcoal briquettes is a substance that will turn the ashes white.  This way, cooks will know when they are ready to use for cooking.  Lime is one ingredient that can be used.  Although wood briquettes may be used for other uses besides cooking, they may still have an ingredient to whiten the ash. 

Some wood briquettes are made using raw sawdust.  It has not been charred, only pressed and formed into briquettes.  In other cases, the wood is charred.  There are two different ways to go about doing this. 

One way is to char the wood in batches.  50 cords of wood are loaded into a kiln and the fire is started.  Enough air is allowed to be pulled through the burning wood to produce a temperature between 850 and 950 degrees F.  The vents are then closed, and the charred wood cools for two weeks.  The other way to char wood is in a continuous process. 

The charred wood or raw sawdust is made into briquettes.  It may be blended with natural organic additives.  Then, it is put into a press.  The press is made up of two rollers that are indented into briquette shapes.  The pressure from the rollers forms the wood briquettes for organic biofuel. 

The whole process of making wood briquettes for organic biofuel can be done in a few different ways.  The briquettes may be made of fresh sawdust, or charred wood.  Yet, the end result is a fuel that is made from organic sources with energy efficiency in mind.