TITLE:
Pyrolysis of Oil Palm Residues in a Fixed Bed Tubular Reactor
AUTHORS:
Mohammed Isah Yakub, Abakr Yousif Abdalla, Kabir Kazi Feroz, Yusuf Suzana, Alshareef Ibraheem, Soh Aik Chin
KEYWORDS:
Oil Palm Residue, Pyrolysis, Bio-Oil, Bio-Char, Non-Condensable Gas
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Power and Energy Engineering,
Vol.3 No.4,
April
14,
2015
ABSTRACT: Searching for alternative energy sources
continues to grow in recent times due to the fear of energy insecurity in the
near future and environmental and sociopolitical issues associated with the use
of fossil fuel. Among the renewable energy sources, biomass is the only source
that has carbon in its building blocks which can be processed to liquid fuel.
In this study, pyrolysis of oil palm residues (trunk, frond and empty fruit
bunch) was carried out in a fixed bed tubular reactor under nitrogen atmosphere
at 30 mL/min, 30?C/min heating rate and 600?C reaction temperature. Pyrolysis
products (bio-oil, bio-char and non-condensable gas) were characterized. Water
content, acidity (pH), higher heating value (HHV) and oxygen content of the
bio-oil varied between 39.28 - 43 wt%, 2.92 - 3.20, 19.29 - 21.92 MJ/kg and
58.47 - 59.85 wt% respectively. Low pH, highwater and oxygen contents in the
oil make it unsuitable for being used as fuel and therefore require upgrading.
Scanning electron microscopy and ultimate analysis of the bio-char suggests
that it is a porous material and consists mainly carbon between 82.22 - 84.96 wt%
and has HHV in the range of 25.98 - 27.65 MJ/kg. This may be used as solid
biofuel, adsorbent and source of carbon. High percentage of hydrogen (H2) and
carbon monoxide (CO) were observed in the non-condensable gas which may be processed
to transportation fuel via Fisher-Tropsch process. Oil palm residues represent
good source of renewable energy when all the pyrolysis products are efficiently
utilized.