Biomass to methanol plant based on gasification of palm empty fruit bunch

Abstract

Biomass from Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) has the potential to be employed as raw material for renewable energy sources in Indonesia. EFB can be efficiently converted into valuable fuel products through gasification to produce syngas. Syngas is a suitable basis for added value products development. One of type biomass that has big potential to be utilized is palm EFB biomass. Research about methanol synthesis from various biomass has been done, though little research about methanol production based on EFB gasification. The purpose of this research is to simulate methanol plant model based on gasification of palm EFB. The method covers the step to perform a simulation of the model and methanol plant design. Electric power requirement has been investigated at 3 417 kW, and 67 % of its demand can be fulfilled by steam generation cycle and internal combustion engine (ICE) fuelled by off-gas, while the deficit fulfilled by diesel powered ICE. The flow rate of methanol produced is 85 % of EFB feed flowrate. Energy efficiency is 92 % once electricity energy added to liquid product energy content. The developed model reflects the initial step toward circular economy principals as well as the basis for analysis of the methanol production from EFB biomass gasification profitability.