Technological research on coal briquetting development dates over 100 years. Although a lot of work remains to be done. Useful results have focused on factors including easy ignition, good strength, smokeless combustion and low ash content.

Success stories have documented the use of bituminous or sub–bituminous coal as raw materials in smokeless briquette production; but not satisfactorily succeeded. Technological advancement on carbonization seems to be the determining factor in making high quality smokeless briquettes.

The absence of such step in the production chain result into low quality product hence unacceptable in the market. Coal briquetting is a process of compacting raw coal fines with binder into uniform, usually hard, and impact- resistant agglomerations, making it more suitable for use, transport, and/or further processing.

The technology is capable of using coal of various grades and producing briquettes with different characteristics for different uses. Briquetting can be done with or without an additive (binder) to help in agglomerating and giving cohesive strength to the briquette.

Research has been conducted on suitable binders, as well as processes by which briquetting can be performed without a binder. The process flow of the production involves raw material preparation, mixing with binder, briquette production, drying, carbonizing, cooling and packaging.

Production The production of smokeless briquettes started by February 2022 after the installation of the pilot plant at TIRDO premises whereby the plant has a capacity of producing 2 tons per hour. At early production process, there were some challenges (poor alignment of the machine) on producing good briquette from the plant machines. These challenges were solved by the experts from TIRDO and STAMICO.

Activities. 1. Currently, the project has been producing smokeless briquettes at approximate four (4) to five (5) tonnes per day as per favouring condition such as electricity and weather condition.