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Thermal Conversion Of Palm Kernel Shell And Mesocarp Fruit Fibre Into Fuel
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The conversion of biomass into useful energy can produce heat and
electricity. This includes: thermal conversion, biochemical method, and
mechanical methods of conversion.
The mechanical method of conversion
involves compressing the materials together which is known as
briquetting while biochemical method of conversion entails biological
activities such as fermentation, aerobic activities on the materials and
the introduction of micro organism on the material. This method of
conversion works better for non- lignocellulosic.
The thermal method
of conversion involves the use of heat, which include; direct
combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, torrefaction
(www.renewablesolarenergy.com, 2015). Direct combustion ways of
conversion is done in the presence of oxygen to produce heat, light and
particulate, which can pose hazardous substances to the health of the
user. Gasification process converts biomass completely to combustible
gases as stated by Mark, (2005). However this process is good for
on-site. Pyrolysis which occurs at temperature range of temperature
range of 400°C to 800°C in the absence of Oxygen (Jianghong, 2007). The
final products include the liquid, solid and gas, are about 70%
efficient. Torrefaction on the other hand is another thermal method of
biomass conversion which according to (Jianghong, 2007), has higher
conversion efficiency of about 90%. Therefore this work focused on
torrefaction. However, from literature available for review little has
been done on this method. As a result, there is a need of determining
optimum conversion parameters for torrefaction of Palm Kernel Shell(PKS)
and Mesocarp Fruit Fiber(MFF).
1.1 Problem Statement
The rate of
depletion of the ozone layer been increased due to the harmful or heavy
elements released after the burning of petroleum fuels to be precise the
invention of chlorofluoro carbon increased the rate of depletion. The
increasing population and development of the third world countries
caused an increase in the demand for traditional fuel. The fast rate of
forest destruction (deforestation) and low rate of replacement
(aforestation) has simultaneously rescued the availability of firewood
Due
to the over dependence of developing countries on firewood,
deforestation has set in, which makes a country like Nigeria cost
approximately 464 square miles of forest each year to these human
activities.
A quest for cleaner fuel in the developed country also
lead to a series of research into what and what can be used to generate
heat without having to burn fossil fuel. Hence the need for a less
industrial and food competing materials which is the palm kernel shell
and Mesocarp fruit fiber.
1.2 Objectives
The objectives of this work therefore include;
i.
Conversion of Palm Kernel Shell and Mesocarp Fruit Fiber samples to
fuel at reaction temperature of 200°C to 350°C at the step of 30°C.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]Palm Oil processing yields a considerable quantity of palm kernel shell (PKS) and mesocarp fruit fiber (MFF). This has been predominantly used as fuel through direct combustion which is inefficient and polluting. Better grade fuel could be derived through torrefaction. The objectives of the work therefore was to determine the optimum parameters for the conversion of palm kernel shell (PKS) and mesocarp fruit fiber (MFF) to high grade fuel via torrefaction. Samples of PKS and MFF were torrefied w ... Continue reading---
