Overview
EN ISO 17831-2:2025 (ISO 17831-2:2025) specifies a laboratory testing method for the mechanical durability of briquettes used as solid biofuels. Mechanical durability quantifies a briquette’s resistance to shocks and abrasion generated during handling, transport and storage. The standard defines the test principle (tumbling and sieving), the required apparatus and how to calculate the durability result. EN ISO 17831-2:2025 supersedes the 2015 edition and was adopted by CEN in May 2025.
Key Topics and Technical Requirements
- Test principle: A representative test portion is tumbled in a rotating cylindrical drum so briquettes collide with each other and the drum wall; after tumbling, broken fragments (fines) are removed by sieving and the remaining mass is used to calculate mechanical durability.
- Durability drum (briquette tester):
- Nominal volume: (170 ± 10) L
- Internal length/depth and internal diameter: (600 ± 10) mm
- Drum material: steel plate ≥ 1 mm; smooth internal surface
- Built-in steel baffle with specified dimensions and shaped tip
- Open end with dustproof lid fastened by bolts
- Constant rotation speed: (21 ± 0.1) r/min, with rotation counter for controlled runs
- Sieving:
- Use a 400 mm circular sieve with 5.6 mm diameter round holes (per ISO 3310-2) to separate broken particles
- Sieving procedures reference ISO 5370 for fines determination
- Procedure elements: sample preparation, tumbling duration (specified in the standard), sieving and calculation of the proportion remaining (mechanical durability).
- Performance and reporting: the standard includes performance characteristics and required test-report content.
Applications
- Quality control for briquette manufacturers to monitor product robustness and reduce fines generation.
- Acceptance testing by suppliers, buyers and fuel purchasers to verify compliance with fuel specifications.
- Research and development to compare formulations, binders or production settings that influence durability.
- Regulatory and procurement specifications where mechanical stability during transport and handling affects logistics and emissions performance.
Who Should Use This Standard
- Briquette producers and process engineers
- Independent testing laboratories and certification bodies
- Fuel quality managers, procurement teams and transport/logistics planners
- R&D teams in bioenergy and biomass fuel development
Related Standards
Keywords: EN ISO 17831-2:2025, ISO 17831-2, mechanical durability, briquettes, solid biofuels, durability drum, testing method.
