Pyrolysis of oil palm mesocarp fiber and palm frond in a slow-heating fixed-bed reactor: A comparative study

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2017-10, Vol.241, p.563-572
• Main Authors: Kabir, G., Mohd Din, A.T., Hameed, B.H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bio-oil; Biofuels; Biomass; Bioreactors; Fixed-bed reactor; Heating; Hot Temperature; Oil palm mesocarp fiber; Palm fond; Pyrolysis; Temperature
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.05.180

•Pyrolysis devolatilized OPMF and PF to 48 and 47wt% maximum yield of bio-oil respectively.•Maximum yield of bio-oils occurred at 550°C for OPMF and 600°C for PF.•Compounds of phenols and benzene derivatives pervaded the OPMF-oil and PF-oil.•OPMF-oil and PF-oil contained maximum aromatics yield of 43% and 50% peak area respectively. Oil palm mesocarp fiber (OPMF) and palm frond (PF) were respectively devolatilized by pyrolysis to OPMF-oil and PF-oil bio-oils and biochars, OPMF-char and PF-char in a slow-heating fixed-bed reactor. In particular, the OPMF-oil and PF-oil were produced to a maximum yield of 48wt% and 47wt% bio-oils at 550°C and 600°C, respectively. The high heating values (HHVs) of OPMF-oil and PF-oil were respectively found to be 23MJ/kg and 21MJ/kg, whereas 24.84MJ/kg and 24.15MJ/kg were for the corresponding biochar. The HHVs of the bio-oils and biochars are associated with low O/C ratios to be higher than those of the corresponding biomass. The Fourier transform infrared spectra and peak area ratios highlighted the effect of pyrolysis temperatures on the bio-oil compositions. The bio-oils are pervaded with numerous oxygenated carbonyl and aromatic compounds as suitable feedstocks for renewable fuels and chemicals.