Utilization of Rice Husk

Rice husks or hulls are the hard protecting coverings of rice (padi) as coatings of padi seeds, or grains of the padi plant. The husks or hulls are removed from the padi grain containing very high content of amorphous silica (~ 20 wt.%). Rice hulls are an inexpensive byproduct of human food processing, serving as a source of fiber that is considered a filler ingredient in cheap pet foods. Rice hulls are a class A insulating material because they are difficult to burn and less likely to allow moisture to propagate mold or fungi. Rice husk or hull when burned produced amounts of silica (~96%) which provides excellent thermal insulation.

Open Burning

Rice Husk Ash (RHA) can be collected from rice husk open burning. Temperatures in open burning can soar up to 1000 degrees C depending on wind conditions. Some photo gallery of the pictures of rice husk ash collection can be seen here in one of the local rice mill. The rice husk ash is crystalline and need extreme chemical conditions to extract the silica

Our Innovation

The rice husk ash produced by our pyrolyzer is amorphous and need mild chemical conditions to extract the silica as starting materials.