Hydrogen Gas Production Simulation Utilizing Empty Fruit Bunch of Oil Palm Pyrolysis Unit by Steam Methane Reforming Process

Abstract

We present a simulation of the hydrogen gas production by steam methane reformer unit utilizing empty fruit bunch (EFB) of the oil palm tree by using Aspen Plus. The oil palm empty fruit bunches, as biomass, is one that can be used as an alternative energy source to generate power. This paper aims to determine the amount of hydrogen gas (H2) can be obtained from five different EFBs samples, which are available as waste in the local area of Sumatera Utara Province. In the pyrolysis unit, the proximate and ultimate analysis of the EFB was introduced while developing the model in Aspen Plus simulation environment to get the syngas as a product from the pyrolysis process. The syngas out from the pyrolysis unit then going to a steam methane reformer unit to get hydrogen-rich gas. The results showed that, from five samples of EFBs, the H2 obtained in the range of 0.90 kg/hr to 1.70 kg/hr.