The effect of pretreatment methods for improved biogas production from oil-palm empty fruit bunches (EFB): Experimental and model

Abstract

The production of biogas from solid wastes in addition to palm oil mill effluents is necessary due to the shortage of the effluents, operation of biogas plants at low to moderate capacities, and large amount of solid wastes, particularly oil-palm empty fruit bunches (EFB). However, the biogas production from raw EFB gives low yield. This study therefore aims to investigate the effect of EFB pretreatment methods on the improvement of biogas production. The pretreatment of EFB was carried out through chemical (NaOH solutions), physical (size reduction) and biological (activated sludge and bio-scrubber effluent) processes. The experimental data was tested against corrected Gompertz model. The results showed that size reduction and pretreatments of EFB with 7% w/v NaOH, activated sludge and bio-scrubber effluent could improve biogas yield significantly and differently. The highest yield of methane was 429.9 ml/g.VS, obtained from EFB with size reduction. For the pretreatments of EFB with 7% w/v NaOH, bio-scrubber effluent and activated sludge, the methane yields were 345.5, 326.4 and 297.3 ml/g.VS, respectively. Without pretreatment, the methane yield was only 226.0 ml/g.VS. The change in cellulose and lignin compositions of EFB after pretreatment is attributed to the improvement of biogas yield. It is economically interesting that the bio-scrubber effluent from palm oil mills can be recycled to treat EFB. In the modeling study, the corrected Gompertz model could fit all data sets reasonably well.