How to read a briquette test report: cube versus hexagonal rod
Most briquette suppliers print a clean list of numbers and stop there. A laboratory report is different: it is one measurement, on one sample, by one method, and it can disagree with the list. Kora publishes one such report, dated July 2026 (number 092/LHU/P2HB/07/2026), on grade B production samples. It is a good case for learning how to read a briquette test report, because it contains a result that is not flattering. We show it whole, and here is how to use it.
What the briquette test report says
Two shapes from the same grade were tested. The results are as Kora publishes them:
| Property | Cube | Hexagonal rod |
|---|---|---|
| Calorific value | 7,320 kcal/kg | 5,609 kcal/kg |
| Fixed carbon | 67.3 % | 58.2 % |
| Ash | 3.6 % | 14.9 % |
| Density | 1.07 g/cm³ | 0.73 g/cm³ |
Read across, not down. The cube and the rod are the same grade name, yet the rod burns with a much lower calorific value, carries far more ash and is much less dense. If you had only seen the cube column, you would have a different picture of the product than if you had seen only the rod column.
Lesson one: a grade name is not a specification
“Grade B” does not tell you the figures. The shape, the mould, the press and the recipe all feed into the result. Kora’s report does not explain why the rod differs from the cube, and we will not guess here. What matters for a buyer is the consequence: always ask for figures for the exact shape you plan to buy, and ask for the report that covers that shape.
Lesson two: put the report next to the claim
Kora also prints figures for grade A: ash up to 2.5 %, fixed carbon at least 75 %, and a calorific value of 7,300+ kcal/kg. The July 2026 report does not cover grade A, so those figures do not yet have a published laboratory result behind them. Compare the three rows:
- the cube calorific value (7,320) sits close to the 7,300+ printed for grade A, but it comes from grade B production cubes;
- the cube fixed carbon (67.3 %) is below the 75 % printed for grade A;
- the cube ash (3.6 %) is above the 2.5 % printed for grade A.
This is not an accusation. Different grades are expected to differ. It is a reminder that a number on a product page and a number in a report are two different kinds of evidence, and a careful buyer asks for the second one.
Lesson three: ask about the basis and the method
The published summary does not state whether ash and fixed carbon are given as received or on a dry basis, nor which standard method was followed. These two details can move a result by a visible amount, especially for moisture-sensitive properties. Before comparing Kora’s table with another supplier’s table, ask both for the method and the basis. Without them, the comparison is not valid.
Lesson four: look at what is missing
A short checklist of things a full report would normally let you see:
- The sampling: how many pieces, from which lot, drawn by whom.
- The standard method for each property.
- The basis (as received or dry).
- The laboratory and the date.
- The burn-time protocol, if a burn time is claimed.
The summary Kora shows gives the report number, the date and the institution. Ask for the full document to see the rest.
How to use a briquette test report in a purchase
- Request the full report for the shape you want, and the grade you want.
- Send your own sample to a laboratory you trust and compare.
- Write the figures, the method and the basis into the contract, together with what happens when a delivery falls outside them.
- If low ash is critical for your use, treat the rod result as a reason to check shape and lot with us before you commit.
Ask for the report behind the numbers
If you are comparing briquettes and want the figures for a particular shape, tell us which one. You can read the grade B results on the grade B briquette page and send a request from the contact page. We reply within two business days.
Questions buyers ask
What does Kora's July 2026 briquette laboratory report show?
Report 092/LHU/P2HB/07/2026 tested grade B production samples. A cube gave 7,320 kcal/kg, 67.3 per cent fixed carbon, 3.6 per cent ash and 1.07 g/cm³. A hexagonal rod gave 5,609 kcal/kg, 58.2 per cent, 14.9 per cent and 0.73 g/cm³.
Does the laboratory report back up Kora's grade A briquette figures?
No. The report covers grade B only, so the grade A figures of ash up to 2.5 per cent, fixed carbon at least 75 per cent and 7,300+ kcal/kg have no published laboratory result yet. Ask sales whether a report for grade A exists.
Is the Kora briquette report stated as received or dry?
The summary Kora shows does not say, and it does not name the standard method either. Those two details can visibly move ash and fixed carbon. Ask for the full report, and ask any other supplier for method and basis before comparing tables.
What should I check in a briquette test report before buying?
Check how many pieces were sampled and from which lot, the standard method for each property, the basis, the laboratory and date, and the burn-time protocol if burn time is claimed. Then test your own sample at a laboratory you trust.