Biopelet: Energi Terbarukan dari Batang Kelapa Sawit

Abstract

Oil palm trunk (OPT) is a potentional source of biomass for the production of biopellet. In the present research, biopellets were prepared from 25 years old OPT. It was prepared by mixing the meristem part with various percentages of its bark (0, 10, dan 30% bark content). The properties of the resulting biopellet were statistical examined. The durability of biopellet was measured according to ASABE standard procedures and its combustion behavior was examined by thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA). The highest biopellet durability was found for biopellet produced at 130 oC pressing temperature with 30% bark content. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of pellet of OPT showed the weak of particle bonding due to low of pelletizing pressure. The moisture content, unit density, ash content, and caloric value of pellets were 3.55–5.35%, 525.56–855.23 kg/m3, 2.76–3.44%, dan 17.89–19.14 MJ/kg, respectively. The combustion profiles of biopellet seemed to be unaffected by the bark content on TGA curve. Thermogravimetric analysis on DTA curve indicated that hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin retained a different pyrolysis characteristic