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Numerical Methods to Estimate Biomass Calorific Values via Biomass Characteristics Index

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Green Technologies for the Oil Palm Industry

Part of the book series: Green Energy and Technology ((GREEN))

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Abstract

The oil palm industry contributes a huge amount of valuable crude palm oil (CPO) as export commodity for Malaysia. It also produces a large quantity of biomass as plantation waste, which can be utilized as potential fuel sources. In order to shed light on the energy output estimation from the biomass, a comprehensive study on the physical properties of the biomass, i.e., bulk density and moisture content is crucial. A Biomass Characteristics Index (BCI) is proposed to represent the relationship between bulk density and moisture content . A numerical framework is developed to determine the BCI. This index is used to estimate the biomass bulk density and moisture content prior to the calorific value calculation. A regression graph is plotted to illustrate the relationship among those values with respect to different appearance or shapes of biomass. The result shows that the biomass of different sizes and shapes has its own specific BCI. The classification of biomass according to its specific BCI can be used to forecast the related bulk density and moisture content . Therefore, it reduces the hassle and time constraint to get those values through the conventional empirical method.

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Acknowledgements

The financial supports from Long Term Research Grant Scheme (UPM/700-1/3/LRGS), University of Nottingham Early Career Research and Knowledge Transfer Award (A2RHL6), and Institute of Advanced Technology of Universiti Putra Malaysia are gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering, Centre of Excellence for Green Technologies, The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia

    Jiang Ping Tang, Hon Loong Lam & Mustafa Kamal Abdul Aziz

Authors
  1. Jiang Ping Tang
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  2. Hon Loong Lam
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  3. Mustafa Kamal Abdul Aziz
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Correspondence to Hon Loong Lam .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia

    Dominic C.Y. Foo

  2. Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia

    Mustafa Kamal Tun Abdul Aziz

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Tang, J.P., Lam, H.L., Aziz, M.K.A. (2019). Numerical Methods to Estimate Biomass Calorific Values via Biomass Characteristics Index. In: Foo, D., Tun Abdul Aziz, M. (eds) Green Technologies for the Oil Palm Industry. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2236-5_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2236-5_5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-13-2235-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-2236-5

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