Measurement of pyrolysis gases on palm oil shell and empty fruit bunch

Abstract

Flammable gases, char and liquid smoke can be obtained by pyrolysis process from palm oil shell and empty fruit bunch (EFB). Palm oil waste contains lignocellulose (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin). Applied temperature on the pyrolysis process influences liquid, char and gases composition also pyrolysis product characteristic. The objective of this study is to measure produced gases on pyrolysis process of palm oil shell and EFB influenced by temperature. The experiment was conducted by using a pyrolysis reactor with temperature at 300°C, 400 °C, 500 °C and 600 °C. The result showed that shell pyrolysis produced char, liquid and gases mass fraction at the range of 34.99–63.78%, 22.76–43.28% and 13.47–21.73%. EFB pyrolysis produced char, liquid and gases mass fraction at the range of 30.66–64.76%, 16.25–29.16% and 18.98–44.49% Increasing temperature resulted in increasing char calorific value of both shell and EFB at the range of 25.64–29.60 kJ/g and 24.50–27.86 kJ/g. However, pyrolysis gas calorific value was decreasing with the increasing of temperature at the range of 12.18–20.05 kJ/g and 11.98–15.94 kJ/g. Increasing of shell temperature increased CO gas concentration at the range of 2.86–18.42% Increasing of EFB temperature increased CO and CH 4 gases concentration at the range of 3.81–15.74% and 0.29–0.76%.