Abstract:
The pyrolysis of palm oil wastes was carried out using thermogravimetry (TG). The results show that these wastes are easily to be decomposed. The weight loss rang is from 220℃ to 400 ℃ at slow heating rates. Shell and fiber display similar pyrolysis characteristics with two peaks in weight loss rate curves, whereas EFB just shows one sharp peak. Their kinetics parameters were calculated using non-isothermal integrated method. The activation energies are quite low (≈60kJ/mol), and first order reaction is suitable for biomass pyrolysis. The gas product evolved from palm oil wastes pyrolysis was detected on-line with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The main gas products are H2O, CO2, CO, CH4, and some organics carbohydrate mixtures. They show the similar evolution trend of weight loss at 200℃~400℃. With temperature increasing further, except trace amount of CO2 and CO, almost no other volatile is released. CO2 and organic mixtures play a great role in biomass pyrolysis. This fundamental study provides a basic insight of the palm oil waste pyrolysis, which can benefit the work in developing an advanced thermal process for high-yield biofuel production from palm oil wastes.