It is no surprise that every single part of coconut can be utilized to its maximum use. From its roots, stem, to the leaves, and especially its fruit. The fruit has always been used by people around the world for culinary and health benefits. And now, a lot of us are also starting to use its shell waste as a biomass fuel.
The Advantages of Using Coconut Charcoal
Previously, coconut shells were often treated as waste instead of a valuable raw material. But now people are starting to see its capability. A lot of companies are beginning to use this waste as a material to produce charcoal made from coconut shells.
Surprisingly, this type of charcoal is easy to produce, though it does need some heavy equipment in order to make a larger quantity. It goes through several kinds of processes, which includes carbonizing, crushing, mixing, drying, and briquetting.
Mature coconut shells that have been sun dried previously are loaded into a carbonization furnace, before then being heated to 590°C. Here, these coconut shells are being carbonized under anhydrous, high-temperature, high-pressure and oxygen-free environment. Once finished, the burned shells will be crushed into powders and sieved.
Obviously, the coconut shell powders do not have enough consistency to be molded into briquettes. This is why there is a mixing process, to bind the powder with other material in order for it to have viscosity. After all of the materials are fully mixed, the half-finished coconut shell charcoal will be dried inside an oven machine to reduce the water content. The lower the moisture level of the powder, the better these charcoals will burn.
But then how is it better to use coconut shell briquettes? Well, there are various reasons why charcoal made from coconut shells are considered to be a better fuel. Here are some of the advantages of coconut shell charcoal:
Sustainable and Eco-Friendly
What’s amazing about coconut shell charcoal is the production process that requires no toxic and harmful substances. As the main ingredient is mature coconut shells, the binding agent which gives viscosity to the powder consists of tapioca flour and water. It is why the production process is considered to be natural, as it will not release toxic waste.
And thanks to its natural process of making, the coconut shell briquettes do not emit any strange chemical scent once it is burned. Its natural scent is perfect for cooking, grilling, and for those who love to smoke shisha.
Amazingly, coconut shell charcoal can be used as an alternative option for fuel. As it is a biomass material, the briquettes can be processed again-and again. Coal and petroleum are types of fuel that might run out as it comes from biological sources million years ago. However, coconut shells are a renewable material, which is a perfect substitute and can be the start of sustainable energy.
This is what regular charcoal does not have. Briquettes made of regular charcoal are not natural, as to produce it they must be compressed portions with harmful substances, making them unsafe for use. Regular charcoal also generates more ash and releases a weird chemical smell because of the harmful additive being added into it.
Regular charcoal briquettes are also a by-product of wood, which means the production will require cutting down trees for materials. What’s even worse, it also releases carbon dioxide into the air when burned, which means it is polluting the air and contributes to climate change.
Long-Lasting and Efficient
When it comes to burning and retaining heat, coconut shell briquettes can do it over two times longer compared to regular charcoal briquettes. Coconut shell briquettes are compacted blocks, making it denser, more concentrated with less moisture, and because of that it is able to be hotter, burns slowly, and lasts longer compared to coal or firewood.
Its endurance also results in efficiency. With typical ordinary charcoal which burns faster, people have to stock more briquettes and change it from time to time in order to keep it burning. Meanwhile, because coconut shell briquettes burn longer, people do not have to deal with changing new blocks of briquettes.
Coconut shell briquettes also have a high calorific value, which is the amount of energy produced as heat when a material undergoes complete combustion. This type of briquettes are able to burn consistently at 7,000 kilocalories. It has a burning time of up to 3 hours non-stop, which is very ideal for cooking and grilling.
Non-Smoky and Little to No Ash
The regular charcoal emits quite a lot of smoke when burning, and it also generates ash which can end up in our food. However, the coconut briquettes generally only produce very little smoke, so the burning process will not pollute the air. It also only generates around 5 – 10 % of ash content, which makes cleaning easier to do. Hence why coconut charcoal BBQ exists, as it will not contaminate food with ash particles.
It is also why a lot of hookah smokers around the world prefer to use coconut shell briquettes. Its unique characteristic of odorless, non-smoky, and barely generated ash makes it a great companion. Using a coconut shell briquettes can give a smoother and cleaner smoke experience.
Cheaper and Safer for Cooking
Coconut shell charcoal main material is dried mature coconuts that are easy to find. Since it is a biomass material that comes from waste, these coconut shell briquettes are cheaper to make, therefore they can be sold at lower prices compared to other combustible materials such as gas and kerosene.
It is also considered to be a safer choice for cooking as it has no risk of exploding, unlike stoves that require kerosene or gas. Burning risks are also at minimum, because it is sparkless and flameless while cooking. The non-smoky aspect also enables us to use it inside the kitchen without having to worry about health hazards.
Conclusion
Coconut shell charcoal is a better option when cooking, grilling, or anything that requires heat in general. It causes no harm to the environment thanks to its natural way of making, and it is sustainable since it comes from a biomass material. This type of charcoal also lasts longer and can generate better heat, which makes it cost-efficient compared to other types of combustible materials.
