Use of Response Surface Methodology to Measure the Impact of Operating Variables on the Co-gasification of Oil Palm Biomass

Hadiza Aminu Umar, Shaharin Anwar Sulaiman, Mior Azmanbn Meor Said, Afsin Gungor, Rabi Kabir Ahmad

Abstract

Co-gasification of biomass is a thermochemical technique for harnessing the chemical energy of biomass in order to produce low carbon energy. In this study, co-gasification of oil palm trunks and fronds was carried out to examine the effects of particle size, blending ratio, and temperature using a downdraft gasifier in the presence of air as the medium. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize syngas (H2+CO) and methane (CH4) yield from the combined effects of particle size, blending ratio, and temperature using the Box-Behnken design (BBD). A temperature range of 700–900oC, a blending ratio of 20–80% wt., and a biomass particle size of 1.18–4mm were used. The results indicate that temperature had the greatest influence on syngas yield, followed by particle size and then blending ratio. The optimum input parameters were as follows: temperature of 900 oC, blending ratio of 50/50% wt., and particle size of 2.59 mm. These parameters resulted in optimum yields of 48.60% volume of syngas and 17.1% volume of methane.

 

 

Keywords: co-gasification, optimisation, oil palm trunk, syngas, methane.

 

 

 


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