Upgrade PKS with Torrefaction

Application of the tax on PKS (Palm Kernel Shell) based on the Minister of Finance Indonesia No 67/2010 on stipulation of export goods subject duties (Bea Keluar/ BK) has made the selling price in the international market or the export market to be high. The amount of export duties and export taxes which value is currently around US $ 15 / ton, making a number of parties thought to do the processing of the PKS. Enforcement of the above regulations is also intended to encourage the growth of domestic industry. PKS categorized as raw materials, thus further processing into a solution to it. The selling price of PKS from Indonesia less competitive, when compared before, because it becomes much more expensive.

The use of palm shells (PKS) today especially for fuel of large scale power plant. And in particular Japan and Korea are much in need of the PKS. The need also tends greater for the next few years. Japan, especially in the next 1-2 years the need is predicted to increase sharply as the operation of power plants using biomass and part of PKS as a mixture (co-firing) with coal.

 Torrefaction is biomass processing to increase the calorific value and improve its characteristics. With torrefaction the energy content in biomass increased by 20% and conversion rate reached 70%, or nearly three times the carbonization conversion were an average of 25%.  In addition to the torrefaction then torrefied PKS product will be hydrophobic so that it does not absorb water / moisture.  This will make it easier in terms of handling and storage. Furthermore, by compaction (densification) into pellets torrified PKS, the density also will increase, as well as the energy content per volume of it. Pelleting torrified PKS will save significant transportation costs from the manufacturer to the user. JFBC technology is able to perform continuous torrefaction process, with a production capacity up to 140 tonnes per day of torrified PKS.