EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON COCONUT SHELL BIOMASS PYROLYSIS USING A DOWNDRAFT REACTOR FOR CHARCOAL PRODUCTION

Coconut shell charcoal (CSC) is used as an energy storage device, in medicines, foods, chemicals, and cosmetics. However, the production method stays inefficient, and the quality of the charcoal differs. The quality and quantity of charcoal significantly depend on the biomass type, reactor type, and operating parameters. Many white fumes having air pollutants are produced during charcoal production, particularly when traditional kilns are used. If inhaled repeatedly, these may have a long-term effect. The study's main aim is to investigate the production of charcoal from coconut shell biomass (CSB) using a downdraft reactor under various operating conditions, which will support the implementation of more efficient production techniques. Besides that, the method’s performance was evaluated by characterizing the CSC. Design Expert v11® with Response Surface Methodology was used to design the experiments and optimize the process parameters for the response of CSC yield, calorific value, and ash content. According to the analysis of variance, the temperature was the most influential factor, followed by residence time, while particle size had no significant effect.