Conversion of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) Biomass to Bio-Oil and Jet Bio-Fuel by Catalytic Fast-Pyrolysis Process

Abstract

Oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) biomass is a potential source of renewable energy. Catalytic fast-pyrolysis batch process was initially performed to convert oil palm EFB into bio-oil, followed by its refinement to jet bio-fuel. Crystalline zeolites A and Y; synthesised from rice husk ash (RHA), were applied as heterogeneous catalysts. The catalytic conversion of oil palm EFB to bio-oil was conducted at a temperature range of 320-400°C with zeolite A catalyst loadings of 0.6 - 3.0 wt%. The zeolite catalysts were characterised by XRD, FTIR and FESEM. The bio-oil and jet bio-fuel products were analysed using GC-MS and FTIR. The batch fast-pyrolysis reaction was optimised at 400°C with a catalyst loading of 1.0 wt%, produced 42.7 wt% yields of liquid bio-oil, 35.4 wt% char and 21.9 wt% gaseous products. Analysis by GCMS indicates the compound distribution of the liquid bio-oil are as follows: hydrocarbons (23%), phenols (61%), carboxylic acids (0.7%), ketones (2.7%), FAME (7.7%) and alcohols (0.8%). Further refinement of the liquid bio-oil by catalytic hydrocracking over zeolite Y produced jet bio-fuel, which contains 63% hydrocarbon compounds (C8-C18) and 16% of phenolic compounds.