Recycling disposable bamboo chopstick waste as a renewable energy resource: Case study in Khon Kaen University, Thailand

Abstract

Abstract This study focused on elucidating disposable bamboo chopstick (DBC) waste generation rate and identifying the appropriate carbonization temperature for recycling DBC waste as a renewable energy resource. A survey was conducted within the study area of Khon Kaen University (KKU). Of the student population of approximately 40,000, the questionnaire was completed by 470 students. The survey revealed a bamboo chopstick utilization rate equivalent to 0.46 pairs person− 1 d− 1. A carbonization process wit 1-h was carried out at 650 and at 900 °C to compare the quality of charcoal recycled from DBC (DBC charcoal). The DBC charcoal prepared at 650 °C was of a higher quality for use as fuel compared to 900 °C prepared DBC charcoal; with 5.3 times higher BET surface area (62 × 103 m2 kg− 1), 5% higher thermal efficiency (31%), 15 times higher hydrogen (H) content (1.9% of total mass content), and 1.0 MJ kg− 1 higher heating values by bombs calorimeter (32.8 MJ kg− 1). The utilization of DBC charcoal as the biomass fuel in gasification for electricity generation could produce 0.0395% of KKU consumption energy which was estimated to reduce CO2 emission by 12.9 t CO2 yr− 1 as well as waste generation at 43.7 t yr− 1 or 0.399% around KKU area.

Keywords

• Recycling
• Alternative fuel
• Disposable bamboo chopsticks
• Charcoal