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1. What is Rice Husk?

Rice husk, or simply husk, is the hard outer shell of the rice grain, protecting the grain during growth and development. During harvest season, people use specialized husking machines to collect and process the discarded husks.

2. Structure and Characteristics of Rice Husk

Rice husk is brown in color, small in size, and typically constitutes about 20-25% of the weight of the rice grain. The main components of rice husk include:

- Cellulose: accounting for approximately 50%

- Hemicellulose: ranging from 20 - 35%

- Lignin: ranging from 10 - 25%

- Protein: accounting for less than 10%

- Additionally, there are small percentages of sugars, minerals, and other organic compounds.

These proportions may vary depending on the origin and type of husk. Among them, Cellulose and Lignin are the two most important components, while the moisture content of husk can vary depending on the surrounding environment.

3. Applications of Rice Husk in Life and Production

With many outstanding properties, the uses of rice husk have been explored and diversified in various fields of life and production.

Here are some typical applications of rice husk:

3.1. Use as fuel for boilers

Previously, rice husk was commonly used as a fuel for small-scale domestic activities, providing relatively low efficiency. However, with technological advancements and increasing demand for renewable energy, rice husk is now processed and treated properly to improve quality and achieve higher combustion efficiency. This energy source has helped rice husk become one of the effective fuels in industrial boilers.

Fuel from rice husk can be used directly after drying and removing impurities, or it can be crushed and ground or pelletized depending on the intended use and reception conditions of each boiler.

3.2. Use as organic fertilizer

Rice husk contains a rich source of nutrients including organic compounds and essential minerals needed for the growth and development of crops. Using rice husk as organic fertilizer can help crops create a protective cover on the surface, increase water absorption, retain moisture, and simultaneously prevent rapid water evaporation from the soil.

3.3. Use as animal feed

Rice husk contains high fiber content, making it a natural and nutrient-rich food source. The feed made from husk also improves digestion, enhances the health and growth performance of livestock. This helps people optimize food sources and maximize agricultural resources.

3.4. Use in wastewater treatment

Rice husk has a porous structure and cellulose fibers, creating a large surface area capable of absorbing and removing organic compounds, chemicals, or heavy metals such as lead, zinc, cadmium, etc., pollutants in water. In addition, rice husk provides an ideal environment for decomposing microorganisms, making them easier to handle. Thus, it helps make the water environment cleaner and greener.

3.5. Use as construction material

Rice husk has high moisture absorption and high strength, making it suitable for use in producing cement, bricks, or concrete. Additionally, rice husk has good insulation and load-bearing capacity, helping to retain heat and regulate cool air in the spaces of buildings.

In addition to the mentioned applications, rice husk is also used in medical and cosmetic fields, providing many important applications. They can clean teeth, support hair loss, lose weight, treat acne, control oil, or be used as part of the diet for people with blood sugar and cardiovascular diseases.

4. Biomass Potential from Rice Husk

With its structure containing a lot of Cellulose and Lignin, which are easily combustible compounds, rice husk has the ability to burn and generate high heat, up to 4,000 kcal/kg. Therefore, it is considered a potential biomass fuel source.

Nn the other hand, the issue of reducing CO2 emissions to cope with climate change has never been more concerned than it is today. With that trend, the demand for biomass fuels is increasing. Rice husk and products made from husk have become an attractive fuel option for businesses.

This renewable fuel not only meets the rapidly increasing energy demand but also is considered an effective substitute for other fossil fuels. This is reflected in the three important benefits of rice husk:

• Economic benefits: The selling price of rice husk or products made from rice husk such as husk pellets, crushed husk, and husk charcoal are much lower than coal, oil, gas, etc. This helps reduce input costs and enhance the competitiveness of businesses in the market.
• Environmental benefits: Rice husk is a renewable resource that is always available, ensuring an unlimited supply, becoming a major advantage to meet sustainable development. In addition, the carbon-neutral nature of husk helps reduce CO2 and other pollutant emissions, limiting the impacts of climate change, and protecting biodiversity.
• Social benefits: The use of fuel from rice husk has opened up many job opportunities for local people, improving their lives and incomes. In addition, utilizing this resource helps minimize agricultural waste, improve the quality of the environmental landscape, and promote sustainable development in the region.

5. Economic Value of Rice Husk

While rice husk was previously sold cheaply or even regarded as something given away for free, its use as a fuel in industrial boilers has made this byproduct an important "money-making" resource.

Specifically, rice husk was once sold for 500 VND/kg, but this figure has increased to 1,300 - 2,100 VND/kg of raw husk. Additionally, if processed into husk pellets or husk charcoal for sale or export to international markets, the value increases significantly.

Accordingly, leading technology experts in this field also predict that the biomass fuel production industry from rice husk could be worth billions of USD, presenting a huge opportunity for businesses in Vietnam.

 

Contact Thuan Hai if you need further information or assistance regarding husk and other biomass types.