Abstract
This study investigated the quantitative and qualitative attributes of liquid product and biochar obtained from pyrolysis of woody biomass (rubberwood sawdust (RWS)) and non-woody biomasses (oil palm trunk (OPT) and oil palm fronds (OPF)). The prepared biomass was pyrolyzed at temperatures of 500 °C, 550 °C, and 600 °C by using an agitated bed pyrolysis reactor, and then the yields and characteristics of liquid product and biochar were determined. The results showed that liquid product and biochar yields were in the respective ranges of 35.94–54.40% and 23.46–25.98% (wt.). Pyrolysis of RWS at 550 °C provided the highest liquid yield. The energy content of the water free liquid product was in the range 12.19–22.32 MJ/kg. The liquid product had a low pH and it mainly contained phenol groups as indicated by GC-MS. The biochars had high carbon contents (75.07–82.02%), while their oxygen contents were low (14.22–22%). The higher heating value (HHV) of biochar was in the range 26.42–29.33 MJ/kg. XRF analysis revealed that inorganic elements had higher contents in biochar than in the original biomass. The slagging and fouling indexes of biochar were also different from those of the biomass. High carbon content of the biochar confirms potential for its use in carbon sequestration. The specific surface of biochar was lower than that of biomass, while the average pore diameter of biochar was larger than for raw biomass as revealed by BET and SEM. These results on liquid product and biochar obtained from RWS, OPT, and OPF demonstrate that they are promising feedstocks for biofuels and other value-added products.
Highlights
Biomass is a promising resource for reducing the reliance on fossil fuel resources such as coal, crude oil, and natural gas
It was noted that the rubberwood sawdust (RWS) had a greater fixed carbon content than oil palm trunk (OPT) or oil palm frond (OPF)
This study investigated yields and characteristics of liquid product and biochar obtained from pyrolysis of rubberwood sawdust (RWS), oil palm trunk (OPT), and oil palm frond (OPF) under various run conditions using an agitated bed pyrolysis reactor
Summary
Biomass is a promising resource for reducing the reliance on fossil fuel resources such as coal, crude oil, and natural gas. This is because biomass can be converted into various products such as biofuels, bioenergy, bio-products, and biochemical products [1]. Increased utilization of alternative and renewable energy resources is a most appropriate way to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and the associated impacts [5]. Biomass is well known as a valuable renewable resource of biofuel, bioenergy, and biorefinery products This is because biomass can be harvested, stored, managed, and processed. The applications of biomass for biofuels, bioenergy, and bio-products need to be pursued from local perspectives
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