PEA-AIT International Conference on Energy and Sustainable Development: Issues and Strategies (ESD 2010)

The Empress Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand. 2-4 June 2010.

Bio Oil from Palm Oil Industry Solid Waste

Syaiful Bahri*1, Muhdarina +, Edy Saputra*, Irene Detrina* and Yusnitawati*

Abstract – Fossil fuel is the most important energy resources for human life whilst its production tend to decrease in
recent year, hence it is needed an alternative renewable energy resources for replacement. Many researches were
developed to investigate an alternative energy resource. The conversion of biomass to bio oil is one of the prospective
alternative energy resources. This research used palm solid wastes from palm oil industry which consist of tree, stem and
empty bunch as a sample material. Pyrolysis is a method selected. The process was conducted in a stainless steel tube
reactor having diameter and length of 3.81 and 60 cm respectively, at temperature range of 450-600oC under flow of
nitrogen. The best result of 58.75 % bio oil is achieved at run 600oC for the sample of the tree having diameter of -2+6
mesh. Analysis of the product conducted using a gas chromatograph HP 5890 II. Many compounds such as ethanol,
benzene, toluene and xylen were identified among the product of bio oil produced.
Keywords – Alternative energy resources, bio oil, ethanol, pyrolysis, solid palm oil industry waste

1. INTRODUCTION around about 250 billion ton per year (TPY) from
agricultural, plantation and forest wastes. In more detail
Fossil fuel is very important resources in human life.
in general agricultural waste such as crude palm oil
Fuel is originally processed from crude oil which is a
industry from palm plantation, coconut, etc., produced
non renewable resource of world fuel supply that have a
approximately 40 billion TPY [1]. These potensial
tendency declined gradually. Even though Indonesia
wastes originated from palm plantation area of 4 million
one of Organization of Petroleum Export Country
hectare (Ha) have a total production of 8 million tons
(OPEC) member having crude oil production of 1.5
crude palm oil (CPO) and kernel [1]. Based on the data
billion barrel per day (BPD) [1], based on data August
in the year of 2004, that is from 4 million Ha of
2004 Indonesia has exported crude oil of 400.000 BPD
Indonesia’s palm plantation area around 1.2 million Ha
and in fact having imported of crude oil 500.000 BPD.
are located in Riau Province, even still continuing
Having production capacity of crude oil 0.5 billion BPD
expanding growth until the recent year. It could be
with the assumption it has no new resources hence
produced huge number of wastes in form of kernel,
Indonesia’s crude oil resources of 5 billion barrel will be
trees, empty bunch, stem, etc., which is left unprocessed
no more left in 10 years [2]. From this point of view as a
as wastes [5]. On the other hand, it has been reported by
consequences the alternative energy resources, a
Suwono (2003) [1], that crude palm oil waste just
renewable energy resources, to replace the crude oil as
burned in field and the ash produced is used as fertilizer.
resources is inevitable. In recent year some researches
It is also reported that kernel is used as fuel addition on
have been conducted related to alternative fuel resources
boiler for steam production as well as for production of
as a potential resource for replacing crude oil, such
active carbon. But this wastes handling is still in a small
research has done by Renewable Oil International,
scale compared to huge number of wastes are still left
(2001) [3] and Dynamotive Energy System Corporation,
unhandling [6]. So it is inivitable an alternative way to
(2005) [4]. The researches have been conducted were a
handling the huge abundance of solid wastes of crude
conversion of biomass to bio oil. Dynamotive Energy
palm oil industry. Due to this solid wastes having a
System Corporation reported that bio oil has an
potensial energy resources, hence it is used as a material
advantages as fuel compared to fossil fuel e.g. no SOx
on producing bio oil. It is reported by Anderson and
production and only released 50% of NOx compared to
Khalid, (2000) [7] that holocellulose content of solid
fuel from crude oil. Biomass subjected for production of
wastes is tree (86.03%), leaf (69.86%), and empty bunch
bio oil is originated from agricultural waste, forest,
(73.85%) respectively. The holocelulose content is
plantation, industry and domestic. As the tropical
beleaved played a significant effect on bio oil
country, Indonesia having abundance of biomass at sum
production process [8]. In this research bio oil is
produced by the pyrolysis method where organic
biomass particles were heated on 450-600oC in the
*
Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory Faculty of Engineering absence of oxygen produces organic vapor, gas and
The University of Riau, Indonesia, 28293. carbon residue. Organic vapors were condensed further
+ into bio oil having yield 70-75% of initial biomass
Physical Chemistry Laboratory Faculty of Mathematics and Natural
Sciences, The University of Riau Indonesia, 28293.
sample weight, [9]. The bio oil results could further
processes into fuel, resine, fertilizer, and others
1
Corresponding author; chemicals such as surfactant, antibiotics, paint, detergent
Tel: + 62 761 66595, Fax: +62 761 66595 etc., [10].
E-mail: sybahri2002@yahoo.co.uk.

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PEA-AIT International Conference on Energy and Sustainable Development: Issues and Strategies (ESD 2010)
The Empress Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand. 2-4 June 2010.

2. METHOD AND MATERIAL was beleaved due to the holocellulose contained of tree
is higher than empty bunch and stem. This holocellulose
Material selected in this research were crude palm oil
contained is related to the production of bio oil, the
solid waste consisted of tree, empty bunch and stem
highest holocellulose content the highest bio oil
originated from palm oil industry wastes. During
production. This result is related with the report revealed
pyrolysis process nitrogen were flown into the reactor to
by Song et al, (2000) [8], which is stated that bio oil
have the condition was absence of oxygen. Pyrolysis
production is related to the holocellulose content of the
processes were conducted using a stainless tube reactor
biomass. In general yield of bio oil increased as
was placed into the tubular furnace connected with
temperature increases and maximum yield of bio oil is
condenser. Palm oil solid wastes were cut off into small
achieved on temperatre of 600oC.
chips, and then seived using seive of 2, 6 and 10 mesh
to have the sample having dimension of -6+10 mesh and 3.2 Effect of kind of palm oil waste (tree, empty bunch
-2+6 mesh respectively. And then the sample were and stem) to bio oil production.
heated to deminimised the water content until the
Part of palm oil plant subjected of this research are tree,
humidity less than wt10%, [9]. And then to the sample is
empty bunch and stem parts respectively. Bio oil
conducted pyrolysis processes using the stainless steel
production from this various samples were given in
tube reactor of diameter 3.81cm and 60 cm lenght
Figure 2.
respectively. The reactor were heated in the tubular
furnace on various temperature of 450, 500, 550 and
600oC respectively. Palm oil solid waste which is
grained were weighed of 45 grams and then packed into
the reactor and the nitrogen was flowing with 60 ml per
minutes into the reactor. Organic vapor produced were
condensed to bio oil. The process were terminated when
no more liquid of bio oil is produced. Bio oil produced
were measured for pH and density, and the gas
chromatography analysis were conducted for the bio oil
chemicals components contained.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Fig. 2. Bio Oil Production on various kind of

3.1 Effect of temperature on bio oil.
Figure 1 showed relation on variation of temperature
450, 500, 550 and 600 oC to yield of bio oil production.
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biomass.
From Fig 2, is showed that the highest result of bio
oil production is originated from stem at temperature
500oC is 54,75%. Yield of bio oil is depended on
hollocellulose content of the sample, where the highest
content of the hollocellulose the highest bio oil produced
as revealed by Song et al, (2000) [8]. This result is close
related to the report revealed in literature that palm tree
have the highest holocellulose contained [7].
3.3 Effect of particles size of sample on bio oil
production.
In general sample of biggest size of -2+6 mesh,
produces the highest yield of bio oil result than sample
of smallest size of -6+10 mesh for empty bunch, and
stem which is 31,8 and 54,7% respectively. It is shown
in Figure 3.

Fig. 1. Bio Oil production on various temperatures.
Biol oil maximum production is achieved on
temperature of 600oC for sample of tree is 58.75%. It
Fig.3. Bio Oil production on various particle size.
It could be possibly due to in the bulk of sample of
biggest particle size the nitrogen could homogeneously
spreadout having effective contact with the particles and
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PEA-AIT International Conference on Energy and Sustainable Development: Issues and Strategies (ESD 2010)
The Empress Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand. 2-4 June 2010.
flowing oxygen content in the sample hence no oxygen
content left compared to the sample of smallest size of
particles which possibly leave the oxygen in the bulk of
sample which could initiate combustion to produce
charcoal and hence declining the bio oil production.
3.4 Chromatoghraphy analysis.
This analysis is intended to identify chemicals content
of bio oil. It was reported from analysis conducted, that
chemicals such as benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX)
were contained in bio oil derived from empty bunch
sample. It was proved through this research that Palm
Oil Industry Solid Waste (POISW) was biomass
potential to produce liquid of bio oil which furthermore
could be processd as fuel oil and chemicals. Bio oil
from this research have the charachteristics of ρ=0.99-
1.1 gr/ml, pH=3 having deepbrown color and smoky
smel.
4. CONCLUSION
Bio oil production is increased as temperature incresed
and viseversa char production is decreased as
temperature increased. Bio Oil production maximum of
58.75% is achieved at the temperature of 600oC for the
biomass sample of tree having particle size of -2+6
mesh. From the chromatography analysis is proved that
boi oil having chemicals contained of ethanol, benzene,
toluen and xylene.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Authors grateful to the staff of Chemical
Reaction Engineering Laboratory Faculty of
Engineering The University of Riau Indonesia for their
help and assistence during the research work, and the
Laboratory Analysis of Chemistry of ITB Indonesia for
their help in Chromatography Analysis.
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