Influence of Temperature and Blending Ratio on Product Yield for Co-gasification of Torrefied Palm Kernel Shell (TPKS) and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)

Abstract

This study investigated the product yields produced from the co-gasification of torrefied palm kernel shell (TPKS) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Prior co-gasification, PKS was undergo pre-treatment process at different temperature. The optimum parameter for torrefaction was found at 250 oC for 60 min reaction time with 4.89 wt.% moisture content and 10.48 wt.% fixed carbon. Thus, the result indicated that TPKS a suitable fuel feedstock for further thermal conversion. Then, TPKS and LDPE were gasified at different temperature and blending ratio for 60 min reaction time. The results showed that, Co-gasification is significantly influenced by temperature. A higher gasification temperature improves the gasification rate by increasing carbon conversion. By varying temperature from 600 to 1000 oC, the tar production dropped significantly from 49.61 to 35.03 wt.%, while the gas yield grew significantly from 25.88 to 45.94 wt.%. However, as temperature increased from 800 to 1000 oC, tar yield increased from 26.58 to 35.03 wt.%. Meanwhile, char yield decreased from 24.50 wt.% to 19.02 wt.% when the temperature from 600 to 1000 oC. For the effect of blending ratio, through blending of TPKS and LDPE, the gas and char yield increase, while tar decrease with increase torrefied TPKS ratioAdditionally, it was found that the highest gas yield with low tar and char yield was obtained from the co-gasification of TPKS and LDPE at 50:50 blending ratios produce the than another blending ratio. Therefore, based on the effect of temperature and blending ratio on product yield shows that the optimum parameter to produce maximum gas yield with minimum tar and char yield are at 50:50 (TPKS: LDPE) blending ratio at 800oC for 60 minutes reaction time. The gas analysis exhibited in increasing H2 composition when the reaction time increase for TPKS: LDPEcompared than UnPKS:LDPE.