Utilization of subcritical water for improving methane production from oil palm empty fruit bunch by anaerobic co-digestion: Process optimization, compositional, chemical, and morphological analysis

Adila Fazliyana Aili Hamzah, Muhammad Hazwan Hamzah, Khairudin Nurulhuda, Hasfalina Che Man, Muhammad Heikal Ismail and Pau Loke Show

Renewable Energy, 2024, vol. 231, issue C

Abstract: The recalcitrance of the palm oil empty fruit bunch (EFB) lignocellulosic structure is a key hindrance to high methane production, even with co-digestion with palm oil mill effluent. This study pre-treated EFB with subcritical water (SCW) to increase methane and reduce lignin. Response surface methodology was used to examine the effects and interactions of pre-treatment temperature (120–180 °C), time (10–30 min), and liquid to solid (L/S) ratio (10–20) on cumulative methane yield (CMY), volatile solid (VS) removal, and lignin content. Experiments demonstrated that CMY increased to 803.36 mL CH4/gVS, lignin reduced to 12.21 %, and 36.61 % VS removal at 120 °C, 10 min, and L/S ratio of 20. SCW pre-treated EFB had 55.42 % more CMY and 124.30 % greater gross energy production than untreated. Pre-treated EFB has higher sugars and volatile fatty acids, and its crystallinity index increased to 65.42 %. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed lignocellulosic structural alterations in pre-treated EFB. Morphological analysis showed structural cracking and craters in pre-treated EFB. SCW pre-treatment efficiently improved co-digestion for high methane production.

Keywords: Anaerobic co-digestion; Palm oil wastes; Pre-treatment; Response surface methodology; Subcritical water (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:231:y:2024:i:c:s0960148124010814

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2024.121013

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