Com stover and switchgrass are often harvested in low-density baled form, resulting in significant handling, storage and transportation costs. Densification characteristics of corn stover and switchgrass under single and multiple compression cycles were studied. Under single compression at 100 to 150 MPa pressures, com stover briquettes (about 19.2 mm diameter) with relaxed densities of 830 to 1000 kg m, and switchgrass briquettes (about 19.4 mm diameter) with relaxed densities of 420 to 690 kg m~(-3) were produced at 10 to 15 percent moisture contents. Multiple compression (two to four) improved the densification behavior of com stover and switchgrass grind. The durability of com stover briquettes ranged from 50 to 84 percent. Switchgrass briquettes made under single and multiple compression cycles had zero percent durability. More research work needs to be done to improve the durability of switchgrass briquettes.
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