Physical Properties Characterization of Biomass Fuel Briquette Made from Oil Palm Mill Residues

Malaysia has involved in palm oil industry over the last four decades and since then it has been generating vast quantities of palm biomass, mainly from milling and crushing palm kernel. Through concerted research and development efforts by many research organizations including Malaysian Oil Palm Board, this co–products from palm oil industry has been found to be a good resource for many applications.
The products generated from palm oil mill are crude palm oil and kernels, as primary product and biomass as a secondary product. A typical mill has many operating units. This comprises of sterilization, stripping, digestion and pressing, clarification, purification, drying and storage. The palm oil industry generates vast amounts of palm biomass. Converting palm biomass into a solid fuel through briquetting process should be attractive in upgrading its properties and adding value to the loosely-bounded biomass. The major byproducts produced in the production of crude palm oil are palm oil mill effluent, empty fruit branch (EFB), palm kernel shell and mesocarp fiber. Mostly, the biomass, like empty fruit bunch, palm kernel shell and mesocarp fiber are utilized as fuel in the mill in the loose form with high moisture content.
Realizing the potential of palm oil waste especially palm kernel shell and palm fiber to generate fuel, briquettes will produced by mixing the palm kernel shell and palm fiber with EFB, palm frond, saw dust and sugar cane waste. Their physical properties, mechanical strength will be analysed. In this research, the author will study the physical characteristics of these biomasses product in improving the handling and transportation method of this type of biomass fuel product.