Biomass waste management:
from agro-industrial waste to briquettes
Compaction into biomass briquettes: agro-industrial waste transformed into renewable fuel
Mills, oil mills, rice mills, farms, food industries: every stage of processing produces organic waste: pomace, husks, chaff, shells, and fiber that impact the budget as disposal costs.
With COMAFER Dinamic Series and Special Series briquetting machines, these residues become biomass briquettes with high calorific value: renewable fuel for plant boilers, raw material for gasification plants, or products to be marketed in the renewable energy market.
Oil mills and presses
Exhausted pomace is one of the most common biomass wastes. Once briquetted, it becomes an excellent fuel with high calorific value thanks to the residual lipid content.
Rice mills and flour mills
Rice husks, spelt chaff, millet chaff: light and voluminous waste that the Special Series manages effectively thanks to the vertical pneumatic cylinder.
Coffee and tobacco industries
Roasting film, coffee grounds, tobacco waste: materials difficult to dispose of that can be energetically recovered through briquetting.
Farms and forage companies
Hay, straw, alfalfa, forage: briquetting compacts agricultural residues, reducing storage and transport costs.
Food industries
Seed shells, peels, exhausted posidonia, biscuit waste dust, coconut fiber: organic residues disposable at reduced cost or recoverable as biofuels.
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Which biomasses can be briquetted?
COMAFER has successfully tested all major categories of agro-industrial residues, provided they have a moisture content between 8% and 17%.
Oleaginous residues
Exhausted pomace, coconut fiber, exhausted oilseeds
Cereals and derivatives
Rice husks, spelt chaff, millet chaff, flour dust
Forage and agricultural residues
Hay, straw, alfalfa, forage, agricultural prunings, vine
Shell waste
Chestnut peels, walnut/hazelnut/almond shells, pine cones
Coffee and beverage residues
Coffee bean roasting film, coffee grounds, tobacco
Other organic residues
Exhausted posidonia, feed, biscuit waste dust, coffee pod filter waste
Biomasses with high moisture may require pre-drying or special configurations. Contact us for an evaluation of your specific material.
Biomasses have very variable characteristics in terms of moisture, particle size, and density. Our R&D department in Brescia performs free briquetting tests: send a sample of your material before purchasing.
Concrete advantages for the agro-food industry
Briquetting offers concrete and measurable advantages:
-90% Volume
Light and voluminous residues such as husks and chaff reduce in volume by up to 90% after briquetting: fewer containers, fewer trips, lower logistics costs.
+80% Combustion yield
Biomass briquettes have a higher energy density than loose material. Exhausted pomace, shells, and oleaginous residues reach very high calorific values.
-70% Recycling costs
Briquettes cost less to dispose of and can be sold as renewable fuel to biomass markets.
Sustainability
The energy recovery of agro-industrial residues reduces emissions compared to disposal and contributes to the agro-food circular economy.
COMAFER machines for biomass briquetting: Dinamic and Special Series
The Dinamic Series includes three progressive models to meet all production needs.
All models are UNI EN ISO 9001:2015 certified and compliant with Industry 4.0 requirements. Produced in Brescia, Italy.
Dinamic 70s
Target
Small businesses
Approximate hourly production
30-75 kg/h
Briquette dimensions
55 mm
Dinamic 110s
Target
SMEs
Approximate hourly production
50-110 kg/h
Briquette dimensions
60 mm
Dinamic PRO M5
Target
Large Enterprises
Approximate hourly production
70-270 kg/h
Briquette dimensions
60 mm
Complete plants: from collection to briquette management
COMAFER also offers integrated turnkey plants for the automated management of biomass waste.
For high production levels, it is possible to connect the briquetting machine directly to the processing or storage plant, achieving a fully automated production cycle.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about briquetting
Can exhausted pomace be briquetted directly?
Yes, exhausted pomace (after oil extraction) is one of the most suitable agro-industrial materials for briquetting. It has good cohesion and an oleaginous residue that favors compaction. The resulting briquette has a high calorific value. Non-exhausted pomace (with high oil content) requires prior verification: contact us for a specific test.
Can I briquette straw and hay?
Yes, but these materials are very voluminous and light: they require the Special Series with a vertical pneumatic cylinder, which forcibly conveys the material into the compaction chamber. It is essential that the material is reduced to pieces of dimensions compatible with the hopper. Optimal moisture: 8-17%.
Are biomass briquettes compliant for sale as fuel?
To market briquettes as biogenic fuel, it is necessary to comply with the EN ISO 17225-3 standard (wood briquettes) or specific regulations for the source biomass. COMAFER produces the machines; the compliance of the final product depends on the characteristics of the treated material. We recommend checking with a regulatory consultant.
Can rice husks be briquetted?
Yes, with the Special Series. Rice husk is extremely light and voluminous (bulk density ~100-120 kg/m³): the vertical pneumatic cylinder of the Special Series solves the problem of feeding the compaction chamber. The resulting briquette has good calorific value thanks to the silica and organic material content.
What moisture level should biomasses have to be briquetted?
The optimal range is 8-17%. Materials that are too wet do not compact correctly and produce fragile briquettes. Materials that are too dry may require a binding additive. Biomasses collected during rainy seasons often require a pre-drying phase before briquetting.
Start transforming your waste chips into resources
Speak with a COMAFER technician to find the machine best suited to your production. Free quote within 48 hours, free testing of your material.