Slow Pyrolysis of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches

Abstract

Biomass in the form of empty fruit bunches from oil palm trees (Elaeis guineensis) were pyrolysed in a laboratory-scale pyrolyser which was externally heated by a muffle furnace. The effects of pyrolysis temperature and heating rate on the yields and quality of the products were investigated. Pyrolysis runs were performed at terminal temperatures of 450 - 800 o C with heating rates of 5 and 10 o C min -1 . Product yields were found to be significantly influenced by the pyrolysing conditions. The products were mainly solid char and the condensates separated into a tarry fraction (EFB oil) and an aqueous fraction. Char with 74.8 % fixed carbon and a calorific value of 28.61 MJ kg -1 was obtained at 550 o C when the heating rate was 5 o C min -1 . The empirical formula of the EFB oil with a calorific value of 28.92 MJ kg -1 was established as CH 1.49 O 0.42 N 0.02.