COMBUSTION PERFORMANCE AND DURABILITY ANALYSIS OF BIOMASS FUEL PELLETS FROM OIL PALM RESIDUES

Authors: *Onochie U.P, Obanor A.I, Ighodaro O.O

DOI Info: N/A

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the durability and combustion performance of biomass fuel pellets produced from oil palm residues. The pellets were produced using different mixing ratios of residues and binder. The ratios are 90R:10B, 80R:20B, 70R:30B, 60R:40B and 50R:50B. The drop test method was used to test the durability of the pellets. The pellets were dropped four times each from a height of 1.85m. Crack particles resulted on all of them at various percentages. The pellet with 90R:10B mixing ratio was the most severe whereas 50R:50B was the least severe. The percentage durability results shows 89.3%, 91.3%, 92.7%, 94.7% and 96.7% respectively. Each of the pellets from the mixing ratio was combusted in a prototype boiler and pellets from 80R:20B was adjudged best based on their percentage durability, sustainability, steady flame and lower emissions. Combustion analysis shows that the chemical formulas for the pellets from palm kernel shell (PKS), palm fibre (PF) and empty fruit bunch (EFB) are C3.86 H5.59 O2.90N0.0643S0.003125, C3.325 H5.4 O3.055N0.1436 S0.00375, and C3.58 H5.27 O2.972N0.032 S0.003125 with stoichiometric A/F ratio of 5.28/1, 4.514/1 and 4.873/1 respectively. The wet and dry basis for the exhaust products from the combustion analysis also showed that sulphur dioxide (SO2) for the pellets were very low with values ranging from 0.01% to 0.02%. This implies that the cost of maintenance of an industrial boiler would be less if the pellets are used as fuel.

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