PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOCOAL FROM AGRICULTURAL BIOMASS USING MICROWAVE-INDUCED TORREFACTION

• Main Author: Norhidayah, Mohamad Shafee
• Format: Final Year Project Report
• Language: English; English
• Published: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, (UNIMAS) 2015
• Subjects: TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/36657/1/Norhidayah%20Binti%20Mohamad%20Shafee%2024pgs.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/36657/2/Norhidayah%20Binti%20Mohamad%20Shafee%20ft.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/36657/

The use of biomass energy can lower the effect of global warming from the existing fossil fuels-powered plants and reduce the release of toxic and carcinogenic emissions. In concern with the large quantity of agricultural waste being abundant and poorly disposed, the conversion of the waste into biocoal with a proper treatment may help to solve the waste disposal problem and at the same time providing a source of biomass energy. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of producing biocoal from lemongrass waste (Cympobogon sp.) by using microwave-induced torrefaction method. Torrefaction is a thermochemical process of upgrading the characteristics of biomass. In this study, the process was carried out within a narrow temperature range from 200°C to 300°C in an anoxic atmosphere. The torrefaction process was continued with pelletisation, where the torrefied Cympobogon sp. is converted into pellets. The physical, chemical and thermal characteristics of the raw Cympobogon sp. and the biocoal produced, such as proximate analysis, elemental analysis, surface morphology, surface chemistry, textural analysis, thermal stability, higher heating value (HHV), hydrophobicity, mass and energy yield with relate to the effects of microwave power and reaction time were determined. The highest microwave power level to achieve the torrefaction temperature range was 1000 W with reaction time of 30 minutes. The highest HHV and surface area achieved for torrefied Cympobogon sp. were 19.37 MJ/kg and 81.391 m2/g, respectively. This study proved that the enhancement of the physical, chemical and thermal characteristics of the lemongrass (Cympobogon sp.) waste made it feasible to be converted into biocoal through microwave-induced torrefaction method.