Turning Coconut Residue into Hydrochar using Hydrothermal Carbonization

Abstract

The use of renewable and sustainable energy resources is critical, especially considering the scarcity of fossil fuels and the need to combat air pollution. Various types of biomass feedstock, including coconut husk, have been studied in the past to convert into useful forms of hydrochar. However, no one had attempted to use coconut residue to produce hydrochar through hydrothermal carbonization. The goal of this study is to investigate the properties of synthesised hydrochar from coconut residue under various operating conditions in order to determine the highest yield of hydrochar produced prior to methylene blue degradation. Hydrochar was created from coconut residue using hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). The hydrochar was synthesised over a range of residence times of 6 hours, 12 hours, 18 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours at a constant temperature of 200°C. Prior to the degradation of methylene blue, the properties of hydrochar were investigated using elemental analysis. The oxygen-to-carbon (O/C) and hydrogen-to-carbon (H/C) ratios for all hydrochars were 0.36-0.16 and 1.78-1.17, respectively. For all concentrations, the highest rate of methylene blue removal was approximately 70-80 percent. Overall, residence time had a minor impact on the chemical properties of hydrochars.