Continuous Pyrolysis Most Suitable For Bulk Raw Materials

Bulk raw materials such as palm shells, rice husks, sawdust, peanut shells, coffee husk and so, if will be charred or carbonized best suited with continuous pyrolysis. This is because the bulk of raw materials can flow or poured into a container such as a pipe. Retort type pyrolysis by an auger inside it will push along the retort and into charcoal at the outlet. JFBC continuous pyrolysis is one of them and is capable of producing charcoal up to 70 tonnes/day in its largest unit. Raw material with size upto 1 inch is accepted in the pyrolysis unit. It will be difficult when using batch pyrolysis because it will take a long time and process control also not easy. In the retort pyrolysis temperature, timing and heating rate control also easy to do. The process time on a continuous pyrolysis is also fast and very different to the type of batch that takes days and even up weekly.

In addition to the continuous pyrolysis will produce a number of side products that also have economic value, which is generally to be difficult in a batch pyrolysis. Pyrolysis by-products include wood vinegar / liquid smoke, bio-oil, tar and syngas. Utilization of wood vinegar / liquid smoke, among others as a fish preservative or rubber coagulant. Bio-oil is used as fuel for the boiler and can be upgraded to vehicle fuel. Tar also can be as fuel and syngas because large amount could be as a source of heat to electricity generation.

 

Some industries require charcoal in the size of the bulk because of the charcoal into a material that ready for them. Agricultural charcoal (biochar), charcoal for activated charcoal raw material in various purification industries from the food sector, mining and even oil and gas, hereinafter the steel industry and others. The bulk charcoal as raw material will reduce production costs for the downstream industry, if the particle size and shape according to the needs of the industry concerned or ready-made, so the cost of downsizing (size reduction) could be eliminated if use large-sized charcoals.

Continuous Activated Carbon Production is More Efficient With Integration JF BioCarbon Continuous Carbonization and Rotating Kiln Activation Unit

Charcoal production as raw material of activated carbon with continuous slow pyrolysis (carbonization) technology very efficient in terms of the energy efficiency, product quality of charcoal is produced, the production process in an easy and environment friendly and many type of outputs is the produced by slow pyrolysis process beside the charcoal namely syngas, biooil  and biomass vinegar, which are all valued economically. Accurate process control as well as production capacity of medium-large scale highly profitable to process a large number of raw materials or that will make activated carbon plant in medium-large scale with high quality.

The size of activated carbon usually on granul or powder which is also very suitable with application of the technology. Charcoal production with JF BioCarbon technology for raw materials of activated carbon will be in the form of granul with capacity is around 20 tons to 70 tons per day which is processed by steam activating so that it would be activated carbon. With raw materials of charcoal is produced then activated carbon plant with capacity 6 - 25 tonnes per day can be made. Charcoal from coconut shell and palmkernel shell are the most common  used in the activated carbon production because its hardness. Iodine number is other parameter the quality of activated carbon besides its hardness. With steam activation, the iodine number that can be reached around 1000 while when combined with chemical activation then the iodine number that can be reached above 2500.

  By setting up the operational process condition such as temperature and residence time then charcoal with high fixed carbon can get and after the process conditions has been obtained for charcoal product with that specification that is desired then the hot charcoal can immediately feed into the  rotating kiln activation unit  without cooling beforehand, so that will save energy consumption significantly especially in the steam activation process. Syngas from pyrolysis will be used in the activation process to produce steam and keep the temperature of activation. Excess syngas after being used in process activation, then can be used to generate electricity or other energy source.

Biochar: Low Carbon Economy As A Soution To Climate Change and the Environment

The high consumption of fossil fuels as the pedestal current economic activity has caused adverse effects on the environment such as the climate change and environmental issues. Accumulation of carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere that has exceeded the threshold needs to be reduced to the safe limit. Some things you can do include: improving energy efficiency of various equipment and machines today are still using fossil fuel, using fuel or renewable energy sources and absorb carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. When we review the balance of carbon emitted by the use of renewable fuels or substitution of fossil fuels with renewable energy is carbon neutral, while the absorption of carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere is carbon negative.

Low-carbon economy as a solution to climate change and the environment is how economic sectors are encouraged to carbon neutral conditions even carbon negative. Biomass energy is one solution to achieve the low-carbon economy. Availability of biomass feedstock in Indonesia in particular, is very abundant and has a small part that is less than 5% is used as an energy source. The Optimum scenario of utilization the biomass into environmentally friendly forms of energy is the next questions when we has dropped the option to use as an energy source.

Continuous pyrolysis technology as a second generation biofuel technology is the best solution in order to establish the era of low-carbon economy. Products such as charcoal / biochar,  biooil, and syngas will be generated by this technology. Especially biomass waste or organic waste can be directly processed at the site to produce the products as above. Agro-industry companies such as palm oil mill generate huge biomass waste every day. Indonesia and Malaysia as the largest palm oil producer in the world or around 87% of world production (2007) that had a lot of palm oil mills is estimated at more than 1,000 units, so that the biomass waste available is overwhelming.

Especially in palm oil industries, product biochar (charcoal) will have a major role to improve soil fertility, including reducing the need for chemical fertilizers (urea) in oil palm plantations, so it will be very profitable. A number of efforts have been carried out by the palm oil companies to increase their effectiveness in fertilization and soil enrichment, and with biochar is like like 1 shoot killed 2 birds, palm solid waste problem can be overcome, gain energy sources and improvement of soil fertility. Biochar (charcoal) in addition to be able to fertilize the soil is capable of capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to a carbon negative mechanism, while biooil and syngas can be applied as a carbon neutral fuel because it comes from biomass.

The Urgency Palm Oil Waste Processing Plant

Production process of palm oil mills generate large amounts of waste every day. Untreated palm oil waste will only cause environmental problems. Orientation of the waste processing in addition to overcome the environment problem should also provide great added value for the oil palm business. Commonly palm oil mill waste is a dilemma between palm oil mill division with the palm oil plantation division, it is because the current practice of waste particularly empty fruit bunches (EFB) will generally be returned to the palm oil plantation to increase the soil fertility by composting. It means that palm oil waste is generated by the palm oil mill division, while the use of compost  is palm oil plantation division. Prior to use in plantation the waste also needs to be processed separately.

 

Judging from the process, biological composting process will take longer time and considerable a huge investment. Pyrolysis is a thermochemical process that is the best process for processing the empty fruit bunch. The main product of biochar can be applied as a medium to improve soil fertility and conserve the use of subsidized urea fertilizer in palm oil plantations, while biooil and syngas for energy applications. Application of pyrolysis system can also revolutionize the energy system in palm oil mill, so become more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Palm oil waste processing company that will become a stand-alone as alternative solution of the problem. Palm oil mill division will not be bothered for waste treatment especially empty fruit bunch while palm oil plantation division can directly get the product ready and apply for palm plantations as their responsibilty. The company is like a bridge between the two divisions and could be set up a separately or joint ventures with palm oil mill and palm oil plantations are best for the benefit of optimization.

Trilema of Energy, Economy and Environment

The big problem facing the world today is energy, economy and environment. All three are interrelated and influence each other. Solving the problem or solution to it can only be done in a comprehensive way, not partial, so that the sustainable development is possible.  That's bad idea when we just focusing on one aspect so the two other aspects are neglected thus enabling larger problem.

By the time the use of renewable energy will continue to increase of its role and will be the primary energy source at a time. This is inline with the public awareness of community for living environmentally and sustainable that continues to grow. Various regulations began to be developed and implemented to accelerate it.

Various scenarios were created for the implementation at application level. Processing biomass waste, organic waste and plastic waste and scrap tires with continuous pyrolysis technology is the best scenario to overcome Trilemma facing today.