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Torrefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunch pellets: product yield, distribution and fuel characterisation for enhanced energy recovery

In this study, the non-oxidative torrefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) pellets was investigated from 250 to 300 °C for 30 min in a horizontal fixed bed tubular reactor. The effects of the selected conditions on the yields, distributions and fuel characteristics of the torrefaction produ...

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Main Authors: Nyakuma, Bemgba B., Oladokun, Olagoke, Wong, Syie L., T. Abdullah, Tuan Amran
Format: Article
Published: Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH 2023
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TP Chemical technology
Online Access:http://eprints.utm.my/105501/
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13399-020-01185-z
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spelling my.utm.1055012024-06-30T00:39:42Z http://eprints.utm.my/105501/ Torrefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunch pellets: product yield, distribution and fuel characterisation for enhanced energy recovery Nyakuma, Bemgba B. Oladokun, Olagoke Wong, Syie L. T. Abdullah, Tuan Amran TP Chemical technology In this study, the non-oxidative torrefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) pellets was investigated from 250 to 300 °C for 30 min in a horizontal fixed bed tubular reactor. The effects of the selected conditions on the yields, distributions and fuel characteristics of the torrefaction products were examined. The mass or solid yield (MY) decreased from 68.1 to 36.2%, whereas the liquid yield (LY) and gas yield (GY) increased from 19.4–40.1% and 12.5–23.7%, respectively, due to drying, devolatilization and depolymerisation during torrefaction. Physicochemical and calorific analyses showed that the torrefied OPEFB pellets have high carbon but low oxygen contents, which accounts for the high heating values (HHV = 22.83–25.81 MJ/kg). The torrefied OPEFB pellets also exhibit lower moisture (2–4%) and volatile matter (34.38–65.31 wt.%) but high ash (4–20 wt.%) and fixed carbon (28.69–41.62 wt.%) compared to the raw pellets. The OPEFB pellet fuel properties, namely pH that ranged from 6.65 to 7.74, hydrophobicity from 100 to 23.04% and grindability from 53.66 to 108, were markedly enhanced after torrefaction at 300 °C. The LY consisted of organics (67.64–62.62%) and water (32.36–37.38%) fractions characterised by high acidity (pH = 2.89–3.22) and dark hues formed by holocellulose and lignin thermal degradation at higher torrefaction temperatures. Based on the findings, the torrefied OPEFB pellets is a highly grindable, hydrophobic, thermally stable and promising solid biofuel for firing, co-firing or substituting coal in power plants provided the existing challenges that affect global biomass supply chains are addressed in detail. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH 2023 Article PeerReviewed Nyakuma, Bemgba B. and Oladokun, Olagoke and Wong, Syie L. and T. Abdullah, Tuan Amran (2023) Torrefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunch pellets: product yield, distribution and fuel characterisation for enhanced energy recovery. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 13 (2). pp. 755-775. ISSN 2190-6815 http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13399-020-01185-z DOI : 10.1007/s13399-020-01185-z
institution Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
building UTM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
content_source UTM Institutional Repository
url_provider http://eprints.utm.my/
topic TP Chemical technology
spellingShingle TP Chemical technology
Nyakuma, Bemgba B.
Oladokun, Olagoke
Wong, Syie L.
T. Abdullah, Tuan Amran
Torrefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunch pellets: product yield, distribution and fuel characterisation for enhanced energy recovery
description In this study, the non-oxidative torrefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) pellets was investigated from 250 to 300 °C for 30 min in a horizontal fixed bed tubular reactor. The effects of the selected conditions on the yields, distributions and fuel characteristics of the torrefaction products were examined. The mass or solid yield (MY) decreased from 68.1 to 36.2%, whereas the liquid yield (LY) and gas yield (GY) increased from 19.4–40.1% and 12.5–23.7%, respectively, due to drying, devolatilization and depolymerisation during torrefaction. Physicochemical and calorific analyses showed that the torrefied OPEFB pellets have high carbon but low oxygen contents, which accounts for the high heating values (HHV = 22.83–25.81 MJ/kg). The torrefied OPEFB pellets also exhibit lower moisture (2–4%) and volatile matter (34.38–65.31 wt.%) but high ash (4–20 wt.%) and fixed carbon (28.69–41.62 wt.%) compared to the raw pellets. The OPEFB pellet fuel properties, namely pH that ranged from 6.65 to 7.74, hydrophobicity from 100 to 23.04% and grindability from 53.66 to 108, were markedly enhanced after torrefaction at 300 °C. The LY consisted of organics (67.64–62.62%) and water (32.36–37.38%) fractions characterised by high acidity (pH = 2.89–3.22) and dark hues formed by holocellulose and lignin thermal degradation at higher torrefaction temperatures. Based on the findings, the torrefied OPEFB pellets is a highly grindable, hydrophobic, thermally stable and promising solid biofuel for firing, co-firing or substituting coal in power plants provided the existing challenges that affect global biomass supply chains are addressed in detail.
format Article
author Nyakuma, Bemgba B.
Oladokun, Olagoke
Wong, Syie L.
T. Abdullah, Tuan Amran
author_facet Nyakuma, Bemgba B.
Oladokun, Olagoke
Wong, Syie L.
T. Abdullah, Tuan Amran
author_sort Nyakuma, Bemgba B.
title Torrefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunch pellets: product yield, distribution and fuel characterisation for enhanced energy recovery
title_short Torrefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunch pellets: product yield, distribution and fuel characterisation for enhanced energy recovery
title_full Torrefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunch pellets: product yield, distribution and fuel characterisation for enhanced energy recovery
title_fullStr Torrefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunch pellets: product yield, distribution and fuel characterisation for enhanced energy recovery
title_full_unstemmed Torrefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunch pellets: product yield, distribution and fuel characterisation for enhanced energy recovery
title_sort torrefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunch pellets: product yield, distribution and fuel characterisation for enhanced energy recovery
publisher Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
publishDate 2023
url http://eprints.utm.my/105501/
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13399-020-01185-z
_version_ 1803334981803573248
score 13.211869

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