Characterization of oil palm biomass as feed for torrefaction process

Characterization of oil palm biomass namely empty fruit bunch (EFB), palm mesocarp fiber (PMF) and palm kernel shell (PKS) had been studied to determine its potential utilization for torrefaction. Torrefaction is a thermal pretreatment process to pretreat biomass at temperature range of 200-300°C under an inert atmosphere at low heating rate less than 50°Cmin^-1. The characterization included ultimate, proximate and SEM analyses. The ultimate analysis showed that oil palm biomass approximately composed of carbon (45-50%), hydrogen (5%), nitrogen (0.5%), sulfur (0.4%) and oxygen (43-48%). The proximate analysis revealed that oil palm biomass consisted of moisture (6-8%), volatile matter (72-75%), fixed carbon (14-16%) and ash (2-5%). Besides, SEM analysis showed significance at the existence of sharp edges at EFB surface, pores at PMF surface and the presence of agglomeration at PKS surface. From these experimental analyses, EFB, PMF and PKS had been found to be suitable feed for torrefaction.