Sains Malaysiana 50(12)(2021): 3583-3592

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2021-5012-10

Analysis of Biogas Production from Biomass Residue of Palm Oil Mills using an Anaerobic Batch Test

(Analisis Penghasilan Biogas daripada Sisa Biojisim Kilang Minyak Sawit menggunakan Ujian Kelompok Anaerob)

NORASHIKIN AHMAD KAMAL¹*, SITI NOORAIHANAH OSMAN¹, LEE DONG YEOL² & MARFIAH AB WAHID¹

¹Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²GS E&C, Seoul, South Korea

Received: 5 July 2020/Accepted: 4 April 2021

ABSTRACT

The Malaysian palm oil industry has grown rapidly due to Malaysia’s tropical weather and suitable terrain. Palm oil production is now categorized as the most significant agriculture-based industry in the country. Along with strong economic returns, the palm oil industry also generates an abundance of waste products, including empty fruit bunches (EFB) (23%), mesocarp fibre (12%), shells (5%) and palm oil mill effluent (POME) (60%) for every batch of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) processed in the mills. This study is meant to fill the gap from previous studies in terms of biogas productions from the POME or the combination of POME and EFB which normally been conducted under the thermophilic conditions. The appropriate mixture ratios between POME and EFB in anaerobic digestion will reduce time of treatment and space if been conducted in the low temperature (mesophilic conditions). Thus, this paper is focuses on the analysis of batch test design which consist of low temperature (mesophilic, 20-40 °C) conditions for evaluating the performance of biogas production from the combination of POME and EFB in anaerobic digestion. The aim was to determine the amount of biogas production based on different ratios of POME and EFB mixtures. Biogas 1, containing 160 mL of fresh POME mixed with 40 g of EFB, was shredded and blended with 1800 mL seed sludge. Biogas 2, containing 120 mL of fresh POME mixed with 80 g of EFB, was shredded and blended with 1800 mL seed sludge. Based on the analysis of the results, the total production of Biogas 1 was greater than that of Biogas 2. The findings also show that the ratio of POME and 20% EFB (Biogas 1) was more efficient in producing the biogas compared to the ratio POME and 40% EFB (Biogas 2) under the mesophilic conditions. Thus, the mesophilic conditions required energy saving and low-cost process, compared to the previous studies which used the high temperature (thermophilic, 41-122 °C) that definitely was costly and require more energy consumption. This study will serve as preliminary results for enhancing the treatment methods use in Malaysia and form the early basis for the development of a new technology incorporating a combination of POME and EFB.

Keywords: Biogas production; empty fruit bunch (EFB); palm oil mill effluent (POME)

ABSTRAK

Industri minyak kelapa sawit Malaysia telah membangun secara pesat disebabkan oleh cuaca tropika di Malaysia dan rupa bumi yang sesuai. Pada masa ini, penghasilan minyak kelapa sawit telah dikategorikan sebagai industri pertanian yang terpenting di dalam negara ini. Selain daripada pulangan ekonomi yang besar, industri minyak kelapa sawit kaya dengan penghasilan hasil buangan, termasuk tandan buah kosong (EFB) (23%), fiber mesokarp (12%), cangkerang (5%) dan efluen minyak kelapa sawit (POME) (60%) untuk setiap kelompok tandan buah segar yang diproses di kilang. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk melengkapkan kajian lepas dari segi produksi biogas daripada penghasilan POME atau gabungan POME dan EFB yang kebiasaannya dijalankan di bawah keadaan termofili. Nisbah campuran yang sesuai antara POME dan EFB dalam proses pencernaan anaerob akan menurunkan masa rawatan dan ruang sekiranya ujian ini dijalankan pada suhu yang rendah (keadaan mesofili). Oleh itu, kajian ini adalah berfokuskan pada analisis ujian reka bentuk kelompok yang terdiri daripada keadaan suhu rendah (mesofili, 20-40 °C) untuk menilai prestasi penghasilan biogas daripada penggabungan POME dan EFB dalam proses pencernaan anaerob. Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk menentukan jumlah penghasilan biogas berdasarkan daripada penggunaan nisbah campuran POME dan EFB yang berbeza. Biogas 1 mempunyai 160 mL POME segar yang dicampurkan dengan 40 g EFB, campuran ini dicincang dan dikisar dengan 1800 mL benih enap cemar. Biogas 2 mempunyai 120 mL POME segar yang dicampurkan dengan 80 g EFB, campuran ini dicincang dan dikisar dengan 1800 mL benih enap cemar. Berdasarkan keputusan analisis, jumlah penghasilan Biogas 1 adalah lebih tinggi daripada Biogas 2. Penemuan kajian juga menunjukkan bahawa nisbah POME dan 20% EFB (Biogas 1) adalah lebih cekap dalam penghasilan biogas sekiranya dibandingkan dengan nisbah POME dan 40% EFB (Biogas 2) di bawah keadaan mesofili. Oleh itu, keadaan mesofili adalah diperlukan atas sebab jimat tenaga dan proses yang murah jika dibandingkan dengan kajian lepas yang menggunakan suhu tinggi (termofili, 41-122 °C) yang memerlukan penggunaan tenaga yang tinggi dan proses yang lebih mahal.

Kata kunci: Efluen minyak kelapa sawit (POME); penghasilan biogas; tandan buah kosong (EFB)

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*Corresponding author; email: norashikin7349@uitm.edu.my