TITLE:
Comparative Assessment of Proximate and Thermal Properties of Selected Biomass, Composite, and Fossil Fuels for Sustainable Cement Production
AUTHORS:
Edwin Ameh Idoko, Adams U. Itodo, Rufus Sha’Ato, Raymond Wuana, Ene Ann Abu
KEYWORDS:
Biomass Fuels, Cement Production, Proximate Analysis, Thermo Gravimetric Analysis, Sustainable Energy, Alternative Fuels
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.12 No.12,
December
26,
2025
ABSTRACT: Waste is usually produced from man’s activities and Nigeria is ranked among the top producers of waste globally, which is mostly from food and agriculture. This study evaluates the suitability of several agricultural wastes (sugarcane bagasse, coconut husk, groundnut shell, sawdust, palm kernel shell and corncobs) a composite blend (equal weight fraction of sugarcane bagasse, coconut husk, groundnut shell, sawdust, palm kernel shell and corncobs agricultural waste biomass were blended), and conventional fossil fuels (coal, LPFO) as alternative fuels for cement production. Using proximate and thermogravimetric analysis, the research determines properties like gross calorific value (GCV), ash content and volatile matter. The findings indicate that certain biomass fuels, particularly coconut husk and palm kernel shell, possess high energy content, high volatile matter, and low ash, positioning them as viable, sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels in cement manufacturing. Gross calorific value (GCV), ash content, volatile, and moisture content were determined using a bomb calorimeter, laboratory muffle furnace and laboratory oven, while thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) was determined using a thermo gravimetric analyzer. GCV obtained was between (3732.67 ± 8.51 - 10992.34 ± 6.43 Kcal/Kg), LPFO showed the highest GCV while coal showed significantly high ash content (28.85% ± 0.1%) compared to biomass fuels, which exhibited lower ash contents (1.77% - 6.24%). Coconut shell and palm kernel shell exhibited the highest calorific values of the biomass samples (4585 and 4188 Kcal/Kg), an indication of their good renewable energy potential. Biomass fuels displayed higher volatile matter, with corncobs (82.58% ± 0.09%) and sawdust (82.01% ± 0.08%) outperforming coal fossil fuels. Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) corroborated this, showing that fuels like coconut husk underwent 80.9% of their mass loss in the volatile release phase (110˚C - 400˚C), confirming their rapid volatilization and combustion readiness.