Thermochemical analysis of Palm Oil Wastes as fuel for Biomass Gasification

The production of palm oil in Malaysia generates large quantities of solid waste annually. A small fraction is currently utilized for steam and electricity production in palm oil mills. However, a large fraction is openly combusted or incinerated resulting in increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Gasification is considered to be a promising technology for converting bio waste into clean energy. It involves the partial oxidation of carbonaceous materials into gaseous products at high temperatures. This study is aimed at evaluating the thermal and physical properties of EFB, Shell and Fibre palm oil waste as gasification fuel. This is vital for the design, optimization and operation of biomass gasifiers. Consequently, the heating value (HHV), specific heat (c), combustion rate (C_R), combustion heat (Q) of the wastes were determined. The results showed that the c, CR, Q displayed an increasing trend in the order EFB, Shell and Fibre. Furthermore, c, C_R, Q were significantly influenced by the organic and mineral content of the fuels. The results for heating value were EFB 17.97 MJ/kg, Fibre 18.71 MJ/kg and Shell 19.07 MJ/kg.