The Effect of Solvent for Extraction for Removing Nicotine on the Development of Charcoal Briquette from Waste of Tobacco Stem

Abstract

Waste from stems can be utilized as alternative energy source by turning into a charcoal briquette. The nicotine content in the tobacco stem can be removed by several extraction processes using many types of solvent such as n-hexane, ethanol, kerosene and steam. The goal of this research was to develop charcoal briquette from waste of tobacco stem. The variables studied were type of solvent for extraction; temperature, time and pressure of pyrolysis, and pressure of briquetting. The indicators of the briquette quality were calorific value and gas emission resulting from the burning of the charcoal briquette. Our results showed charcoal briquette had a maximum calorific value at a pyrolysis temperature of 300°C and 90 min while the load for pressuring the briquette was 4 ton. The calorific maximum value was 5438.9 cal/g or 22.8 MJ/kg. The gas emissions consisted of 0.03% carbon monoxide, 2.7% carbon dioxide, 18% oxygen the rest of the gas were nitrogen.