Torrefaction of Oil Palm Fronds for Enhancement of Fuel Quality

In this paper, pretreatment of oil palm fronds through torrefaction is studied. The process is carried out using a laboratory reactor. The conditions of torrefaction are varied and properties of the resulting products are observed, such as energy content and energy density. It is found that the calorific value of the torrefied fronds increases by about 50% as compared to those without torrefaction. Furthermore, the weight of the biomass decreases by about 75% due to evaporation of water and volatile matters. The resulting properties would ease transport and logistics and would result in better yields in combustion or gasification.