http://eprints.usm.my/13216/1/oil_palm_biomass.pdf

Oil palm biomass as a sustainable energy source: a malaysian case study

Catalytic processes towards the production of biofuels in a palm oil and oil palm biomass-based biorefinery

Malaysia is among the top most important palm oil producers in the world. The country is experiencing a robust development in new oil palm plantations and palm oil mills. This commodity plays a significant role in the Malaysia economic growth. As this industry becomes bigger and wider, a substantial amount of oil palm wastes is generated and create the problem of biomass waste overload. This problem tends to burden the operators with disposal difficulties and escalates the operating cost. Oil palm waste has significant potential in many applications. Traditionally, through mechanical conversion, some of the wastes are converted into organic fertilizers, animal feedstock or soil conditioner in oil palm plantations. Apart from mechanical conversion, thermochemical processes such as direct combustion, gasification, pyrolysis and liquefaction are the methods that are useful to transform the waste into value-added products. Recently, liquefaction has gained good attention in order to utilize the waste because of its simplicity and ability to yield a product that combine both of the useful functional groups present in liquefying solvents and the biomass. Within the scope, the objective of this paper is to review the current situation related to the oil palm industry in Malaysia, availability of the oil palm waste and its utilization through thermochemical conversion, with specific regards to the liquefaction process.

An overview of the oil palm industry in Malaysia and its waste utilization through thermochemical conversion, specifically via liquefaction

Characterization of empty fruit bunch for microwave-assisted pyrolysis

Oil palm is the most important product from Malaysia that has helped to change the scenario of it’s agriculture and economy. Lignocellulosic biomass which is produced from the oil palm industries include oil palm trunks (OPT), oil palm fronds (OPF), empty fruit bunches (EFB) and palm pressed fibres (PPF), palm shells and palm oil mill effluent palm (POME). However, the presence of these oil palm wastes has created a major disposal problem. The fundamental principles of waste management are to minimise and recycle the waste, recover the energy and finally dispose the waste. These principals apply to agroindustrial wastes such as palm oil residues as they do to municipal waste. We can simply no longer afford to dispose the residues when there is an economically useful alternative. We must first consider the current uses and disposal of mill residues in order to address the potential for recovery of energy in the palm oil industry. One of the unique aspects of Malaysian renewable energy sources is that the palm oil mill is self-sufficient in energy, using PPF, EFB and shell as fuel to generate steam in waste-fuel boilers for processing, and power-generation with steam turbines as described in Section 2.2.

/pdf/the-oil-palm-wastes-in-malaysia-1srdtsikcp.pdf

The Oil Palm Wastes in Malaysia

Palm oil industry generates vast amount of palm biomass. Converting palm biomass into a uniform and solid fuel through briquetting process appears to be an attractive solution in upgrading its properties and add value. In this study, raw materials including empty fruit bunch (EFB), in powder and fibre forms, palm kernel expeller (PKE) and sawdust were densified into briquettes at high temperature and pressure using screw extrusion technology. The briquettes were analysed to determine its physical and chemical properties, mechanical strength and burning characteristics. It was found that briquettes made either from 100% pulverized EFB or mixed with sawdust exhibited good burning properties. EFB fibre and PKE, due to their physical properties, were recommended to be blended with sawdust in producing quality briquettes. In overall, converting palm biomass into briquettes has increased its energy content and reduced moisture content about minimum of 5% and 38% respectively compared to its raw materials. The properties of palm biomass briquettes obtained from the study were compared to the commercial sawdust briquettes properties and to the minimum requirements of DIN 51731. The details of the study were highlighted in this paper. Palm biomass briquettes can become an important renewable energy fuel source in the future.

A.N. Ma

Papers

Oil Palm Biomass As Potential Substitution Raw Materials For Commercial Biomass Briquettes Production