Fast pyrolysis of empty fruit bunch from palm mill plants to produce bio-oil using a fluidized bed reactor

In the palm oil industry, palm fresh fruit bunch (FFB) is used to make crude palm oil. During the oil manufacturing process, palm empty fruit bunch (EFB), which accounts for more than 20 wt. % of FFB, is generated as a byproduct. Hence, if a robust conversion method is found, EFB will be an appealing renewable energy source. In this study, the fast pyrolysis of EFB was conducted in a lab-scale (throughput = 1 kg/hr) bubbling fluidized bed reactor at temperatures ranging from 400°C to 650°C. The characteristics of EFB were investigated. The yield of products such as oil, gas, and char at different temperatures and residence times were experimented to obtain proper operating conditions to get higher bio-oil yield. The removal of alkali and alkaline species and ash from biomass by washing to achieve more oil yield was also tested. The highest bio-oil yield of fast pyrolysis at a bubbling fluidized bed reactor showed 48 wt. % at approximately 500°C when used and only EFB treated by tap water.