Analisis Karakteristik Briket Campuran Arang Cangkang Kelapa Sawit dan Tempurung Kelapa sebagai Bahan Bakar Alternatif

Abstract

The utilization of biomass as an alternative fuel is becoming increasingly important amid growing dependence on fossil energy and the abundance of plantation waste in Indonesia. Although briquettes made from palm kernel shells and coconut shells have been widely studied, research that specifically examines the effects of variations in material composition and carbonization temperature using tapioca as a binder remains limited. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of mixed briquettes made from palm kernel shell charcoal and coconut shell charcoal and to determine the optimum composition as an alternative fuel. A quantitative approach was employed with a laboratory experimental design involving variations in material composition (85%:15% and 80%:20%) and carbonization temperature (550 °C and 600 °C). Data were obtained from tests of moisture content, ash content, and calorific value using a bomb calorimeter and were analyzed descriptively and quantitatively. The results show that briquettes with a composition of 80%:20% yielded the best characteristics, with the lowest moisture content of 25%, ash content of 10.01%, and the highest calorific value of 29.994 kJ/kg. These findings confirm that optimizing material composition and carbonization conditions plays a crucial role in producing biomass briquettes that are suitable for use as alternative fuel, thereby contributing to the development of biomass waste utilization as renewable energy with potential applications at the household and small-scale industrial levels.