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Biomass and Bioenergy 22 (2002) 505 – 509
Received 6 August 2001; received in revised form 10 January 2002; accepted 10 January 2002
Abstract
Malaysia is the major producer of palm oil in the world. It produces 8.5 million tonnes per year (8:5 × 106 t y−1 ) of palm
oil from 38:6 × 106 t y−1 of fresh fruit bunches. Palm oil production generates large amounts of process residues such as bre
(5:4 × 106 t y−1 ), shell (2:3 × 106 t y−1 ), and empty fruit bunches (8:8 × 106 t y−1 ). A large fraction of the bre and much of
the shell are used as fuel to generate process steam and electricity in the palm processing mill itself. However, much is wasted
by pile burning in the open air with attendant air pollution, dumped in areas adjacent to the mill, or utilized as manure in
the palm oil plantation. In this paper, an attempt has been made to convert these residues into solid fuel. The palm shell and
bre is densied into briquettes of diameter 40, 50 and 60 mm under moderate pressure of 5 –13:5 MPa in a hydraulic press.
Experiments are carried out to determine density, durability, impact and compressive strength of the briquettes. The heating
value, burning characteristics, ash and moisture content are other objects of the study. A relationship between press pressure
and the briquette density has been established. The produced briquettes have densities between 1100 and 1200 kg m−3 . The
briquettes properties are quite good with good resistance to mechanical disintegration, and will withstand wetting. The gross
caloric value is about 16:4 MJ kg−1 (maf), and the ash content is about 6% and the equilibrium moisture content is about
12%. Further work is required to acquire complete understanding of the densication process before good quality and durable
briquettes could be made free from cracks. ? 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Briquettes; Palm oil residues; Palm shell; Palm bre; Densication; Mechanical properties
1. Introduction and shell are the main thermal energy sources from the
palm oil mills. In 1992 bre and shell generated about
Malaysia grows signicant quantities of rice, sugar 650 GW h to meet the electrical energy demand of
cane, palm, coconut and rubber. Palm oil mills produce 265 palm oil mills through combined heat and power
crude palm oil and palm kernels as their main prod- production. This amounted to 2–3% of the electrical
ucts. It also produces signicant quantities of residues production of the country. The biowaste readily avail-
such as bre (from the masocap), shell (from around able from the palm oil industry is renewable energy
the kernel) and empty fruit bunches (EFB). Fibre resource. In general, the fresh fruit bunch contains
(by weight) about 21% palm oil, 6 –7% palm kernel,
14 –15% bre, 6 –7% shell and 23% FFB. One
∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +60-04-593-7788; fax: +60-04- method of upgrading loose residue material to improve
594-1025. their handling and or combustion properties is by
0961-9534/02/$ - see front matter ? 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 9 6 1 - 9 5 3 4 ( 0 2 ) 0 0 0 2 2 - 3
506 Z. Husain et al. / Biomass and Bioenergy 22 (2002) 505 – 509
14
13
12
11
Pressure (MPa)
10
9 40mm mold diameter
8 50mm diameter
60mm diameter
7
Linear (40mm mold diameter)
6 Linear (60mm diameter)
5 Linear (50mm diameter)
4
1100 1120 1140 1160 1180 1200 1220 1240 1260 1280 1300
Density ( kg/m3)
Fig. 2. Pressure versus relaxed density for three diKerent sizes of the briquettes.
where a; b are empirical constants which vary for dif- chines. Wheeler [4] has obtained for barly straw values
ferent types of feed stocks viz saw dust, rice, husk, in the range of 5 –25 MJ t −1 . Taha [8] quotes a value
coconut bre, etc. Osobor [6] and Faborode [7] have of specic energy 7:2 MJ t−1 for compression of cot-
also proposed relationships between pressure and den- ton stalks in circular dies. In our study DBR in circu-
sity. In the present analysis, after the briquette is re- lar dies gives value of specic energy in the range of
moved from the die after 1 week drying at room tem- 5 –10 MJ t−1 depending on biomass residue density.
perature, the measured length was used to calculate
the relaxed density of the briquette. Fig. 2 shows the
graph between relax density and die pressure for the 3.3. Heating value of DBR
three sizes of the mould diameter. There is an expo-
nential increase in pressure with increase in relax den- The heating value of DPR was measured by Bomb
sity. The relationship is in the form Calorimeter. The higher caloric value of DBR ob-
tained by experiment is 16:38 MJ kg−1 (maf).
P = aebD ; (2)
where P is measured in MPa, D is the relax density 3.4. Compressive strength
expressed in kg m−3 and a; b are empirical constants.
The value of these constants for densied biomass The briquettes were subjected to vertical force in a
residue (DBR) are as follows: compressive testing machine as shown in Fig. 3. The
40 mm diameter; a = 0:0389; b = 0:0045; failure load is read directly on the dial in kilonew-
tons. The average compressive strength for DPR is
50 mm diameter; a = 0:0871; b = 0:0036; 2:56 kN m−2 .
60 mm diameter; a = 0:189; b = 0:0033:
The density ratio (relaxed density=initial density) for 3.5. Moisture content
DBR is 0.65.
The strength and durability of briquette is aKected
3.2. Speci1c energy by moisture content, density and humidity. The re-
laxed density is measured at atmospheric conditions
The specic energy required to form briquettes is with relative humidity 85% and the moisture content
of critical importance for the design of practical ma- measured as 12.5%.
508 Z. Husain et al. / Biomass and Bioenergy 22 (2002) 505 – 509
Table 1
Burning rate, air–fuel ratio and ash content of DBR and coal
Specimen Mass Burning Consumption Mass Mow rate Burning rate A=F ratio % ash
(g) time (min) (kg s−1 ) of air (kg s−1 ) in (W)
DPR 91.7 50 3:05 × 10−5 3:1 × 10−4 500 10.2 5.8
Coal 136 109 2:08 × 10−5 3:1 × 10−4 683 14.9 6.8
The combustion process of DBR was studied using The crack analysis is made after keeping the bri-
a locally made stove. Air for combustion is supplied quettes for 4 days at atmosphere conditions. The
under pressure from air compressor through three per- cracks fall into two categories: surface (S) and deep
forated pipes with four holes in each pipe. The DPR (D) cracks. The crack length is measured in the axial
briquettes were placed over the hearth of the stove. The direction (x) and the depth of the crack in the radial
arrangement is typical of a coal-red boiler. The mass direction (r). Table 2 shows the crack analysis for
•
Mow rate of air is calculated as: ma = velocity of air × diKerent specimen diameters.
cross-sectional area of holes × no: of holes. The crack length in the axial direction increases
The velocity of air is measured by an anemome- with diameter of briquettes. The briquettes withstood
ter. The Mow rate of air is controlled by a valve. With the impact when allowed to fall freely from a height
known quantity of DBR and time for complete com- of 1–2 m. Also the briquettes when immersed in
•
bustion of the biomass, its consumption (mb ) and burn- water for a period of 30 –360 s do not show signs
ing rate are calculated. From the experimental results of disintegration which indicate that they do not re-
the burning rate is 500 W, air–fuel ratio is 10.2 and quire shielding from driving rain during transport and
ash content is 5.8% (Table 1). storage.
Z. Husain et al. / Biomass and Bioenergy 22 (2002) 505 – 509 509
Table 2
Crack analysis for densied biomass residue (DBR)
d = 40 mm d = 50 mm d = 60 mm
Specimen x (mm) r (mm) Category x (mm) r (mm) Category x (mm) r (mm) Category
1 51.2 10.8 D 63.2 9.8 S 76.9 28.6 S
22.3 S 28.7 S
2 52.3 7.1 S 64.2 6.7 S 77.7 13.9 D
28.5 S 43.2 S 57.6 S
3 54.7 6.9 D 65.2 9.9 D 78.9 11.2 D
17.2 S 27.2 S 34.6 S
4 56.9 11.2 D 65.5 11.2 D 80.9 11.4 S
39.6 S 11.8 S 46.7 S
5 59.6 7.2 D 67 9.8 S 80.9 11.4 S
32.7 S 46.7 S
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of briquetted wastes. Renewable Energy 1998;16:1981–4.
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Final report ADE=958=83-BDF=1, center de Recherche American Society of Agricultural Engineers 1981;24:
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