Co-processing of oil palm waste and waste oil via microwave co-torrefaction

What is it about?

tMicrowave co-torrefaction (MCT) was performed on empty fruit bunch (the most abundant waste fromoil palm industry) mixed with waste oil (used engine oil, used cooking oil) to simultaneously utilizethese waste materials to produce better quality solid fuel product. The effect of temperature and typesof waste oil on the product yield and fuel properties (high heating value (HHV), energy yield, and fuelratio) were investigated.

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Why is it important?

MCT provided a rapid heating (50–65◦C/min) and a shorter process time of5–8 min than that shown by conventional torrefaction performed using furnace (> 30 min). The rapid heating could be attributed to the use of a cubical microwave cavity with helical lift for 2-dimensional movement (rotational and translational motion) that allows uniform distribution of microwave radiationfor heating and torrefaction. The empty fruit bunch torrefied with used engine oil at 250◦C showed maximum energy yield of 100 wt% and produced solid fuel product with high mass yield (85.5 wt%), fuel ratio (1.8), carbon content (68.3 wt%) and fixed carbon content (62 wt%). Solid fuel product of highhigher heating value (28.0 MJ/kg) was produced from microwave co-torrefaction of empty fruit bunchwith used engine oil at 300◦C.