Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 18 No 3 (2014): 700 - 704

 

 

 

PRODUCTION OF BIOCHAR WITH HIGH MINERAL CONTENT FROM OIL PALM BIOMASS

 

(Pengeluaran Biochar dengan Kandungan Mineral yang Tinggi dari Biomas Kelapa Sawit)

 

Juferi Idris^1,2,3, Yoshihito Shirai¹  , Yoshito Ando¹ , Ahmad Amiruddin Mohd Ali¹ , Mohd Ridzuan Othman⁴ , Izzudin Ibrahim⁴, Mohd Ali Hassan^4,5*

 

¹Department of Biological Functions and Engineering, Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering,

Kyushu Institute of Technology, 2-4 Hibikino, Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 808-0196, Japan.

²Faculty of Chemical Engineering,

Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia

³Faculty of Chemical Engineering,

Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Malaysia, 40450, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.

⁴Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Bimolecular Sciences,

⁵Department of Process and Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,

Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: alihas@upm.edu.my

 

 

Abstract

Carbonization of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) biomass for the production of high mineral content biochar under an uncontrolled carbonization temperature and controlled air flow rate was studied using a pilot-scale brick carbonization reactor. The maximum temperature during the carbonization process was found to be in the range of 543 to 564 ^oC at exhaust gas flow rate of 36 m³/hr. All minerals (i.e  P, K ,Mg, Ca, Na, Mn, Fe, Cr, AI) showed an increased from the feedstock concentration up to 300 %. The concentration of heavy metal extracted from OPEFB biochar was lower than listed ceiling permitted levels. This proposed system without electrical control and heating source is preferable to the industry due to its simplicity, ease of operation and low energy requirement making it suitable for OPEFB biochar production for mulching purposes with more than double the mineral content compared to raw OPEFB biomass.

 

Keywords: biochar, elemental, carbonization; oil palm empty fruit bunch; oil palm biomass

 

Abstrak

Karbonisasi kelapa sawit tandan kosong biomas untuk pengeluaran kandungan mineral yang tinggi biochar di bawah suhu karbonisasi yang tidak terkawal dan dikawal kadar aliran keluar asap telah dikaji menggunakan skala-pilot reaktor bata karbonisasi. Suhu maksimum semasa proses karbonisasi  yang  didapati  dalam  julat 543-564^oC pada  kadar  aliran  asap  pada 36 m³/jam. Semua mineral (iaitu P, K, Mg, Ca, Na, Mn, Fe, Cr, AI) menunjukkan peningkatan dari kepekatan bahan mentah sehingga 300%. Kepekatan logam berat yang diekstrak daripada biochar adalah lebih rendah daripada paras siling dibenarkan disenaraikan. Sistem yang dicadangkan tanpa kawalan elektrik dan sumber pemanasan adalah lebih baik untuk industri karena kesederhanaan, kemudahan operasi dan keperluan tenaga yang rendah menjadikan ia sesuai untuk pengeluaran biochar kelapa sawit untuk tujuan mulsa dengan lebih daripada dua kali ganda kandungan mineral berbanding kelapa biomas mentah.

 

Kata kunci : biochar, unsur mineral, karbonisasi; kelapa sawit buah tandan kosong; biomas kelapa sawit

 

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