Effect of blending ratio to the liquid product on co-pyrolysis of low rank coal and oil palm empty fruit bunch

Chemical Engineering Department, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Kampus ITS, Keputih, Sukolilo, Surabaya 60111 Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: szulle@chem-eng.its.ac.id, szullehakim@gmail.com

Abstract

The utilization of Indonesia low rank coal should be maximized, since the source of Indonesia law rank coals were abundant. Pyrolysis of this coal can produce liquid product which can be utilized as fuel and chemical feedstocks. The yield of liquid product is still low due to lower of comparison H/C. Since coal is non-renewable source, an effort of coal saving and to mitigate the production of greenhouse gases, biomass such as oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) would added as co-feeding. EFB could act as hydrogen donor in co-pyrolysis to increase liquid product. Co-pyrolysis of Indonesia low rank coal and EFB were studied in a drop tube reactor under the certain temperature (t= 500 °C) and time (t= 1 h) used N₂ as purge gas. The effect of blending ratios of coal/EFB (100/0, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 and 0/100%, w/w %) on the yield and composition of liquid product were studied systematically. The results showed that the higher blending ratio, the yield of liquid product and gas obtained increased, while the char decreased. The highest yield of liquid product (28,62 %) was obtained used blending ratio of coal/EFB = 25/75, w/w%. Tar composition obtained in this ratio is phenol, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkanes, acids, esters.