Calorific Value of Oil Palm Frond Through Bio-Charcoal Briquette as Renewable Energy

Abstract

By product of oil palm plantations such as oil palm fronds have the potential to be processed into more valuable products. The aim of this study to to diversify these by product into natural products through the process of carbonization and briquetting. Around 50 grams of oil palm fronds were carbonized with a furnace at a temperature of 500 °C for 45, 60 and 90 minutes to produce bio-charcoal. Gluing process on the bio-charcoal is carried out using a starch-based adhesive mixed with water at 20% concentration, with the variation of the ratio of adhesives and bio-charcoal were 30:70, 50:50, and 70:30. Subsequently, the bio-charcoal briquettes were pressed using a hydraulic piston machine with a pressure of 30 kg/m2. Calorific value analysis was conducted to test the performance and quality of wood charcoal briquettes.