Investigating the role of oxygen and residence time in the torrefaction of empty fruit bunch

This research investigates the oxidative torrefaction of Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) as a renewable energy source. EFB samples from the LCSB palm oil mill were torrefied at 250°C with residence times (RT) of 10, 20, and 30 minutes and oxygen concentrations (OC) of 0, 5, 15, and 21%. Each experiment was...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mohamad Khairul Aiman, Mohd Fauzi, Hernaez, G. R., Ruwaida, Abdul Rasid
Format: Article
Language:English
English
Published: Universiti Malaysia Pahang 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/42446/
http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/42446/1/Investigating%20the%20Role%20of%20Oxygen%20and%20Residence%20Time%20in%20the%20Torrefaction%20of%20Empty.pdf
http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/42446/7/Investigating%20the%20role%20of%20oxygen%20and%20residence%20time.pdf
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Summary:This research investigates the oxidative torrefaction of Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) as a renewable energy source. EFB samples from the LCSB palm oil mill were torrefied at 250°C with residence times (RT) of 10, 20, and 30 minutes and oxygen concentrations (OC) of 0, 5, 15, and 21%. Each experiment was repeated three times. Visual observations indicated that the EFB colour darkens with increasing RT, particularly at 5% OC, where torrefaction was found to be optimal. Higher OCs of 15% and 21% led to combustion but were ineffective due to insufficient incineration. Mass yield decreased with increasing RT due to moisture and volatile loss. The torrefaction severity index (TSI) showed a linear increase in the enhancement factor with increasing TSI, while energy yield decreased as the enhancement factor exceeded mass yield. The optimal condition for torrefaction was identified as 5% OC and 30 minutes RT, balancing energy efficiency and mass retention.