Products of Palm Midrib Torrefaction as Activated Charcoal Raw Material

Ryan Wahyudi; Fadhilah Firza; Nadhella Fahira Faradisha; Zuchra Helwan

Ryan Wahyudi Oleochemical Laboratory Technology, Chemical Engineering Department, Riau University, Indonesia.
Fadhilah Firza Oleochemical Laboratory Technology, Chemical Engineering Department, Riau University, Indonesia
Nadhella Fahira Faradisha Oleochemical Laboratory Technology, Chemical Engineering Department, Riau University, Indonesia
Zuchra Helwan Oleochemical Laboratory Technology, Chemical Engineering Department, Riau University, Indonesia

Abstract

The activated charcoal is a porous solid containing 85% - 95% of charcoal having undergone a reaction with gas or by addition of a chemical (KOH, NaOH, ZnCl2) before, during or after carbonization to enhance its absorbency. Activated carbon has an important property that is absorption/adsorption. Materials containing charcoal elements can produce activated charcoal by heating it at high temperatures. Activated charcoal can be utilized as absorbent agent, electrode, catalyst, liquid waste or gas/waste treatment, as storage gas/gas adsorptive strorage and water purification process both in drinking water production process and in waste handling. The purpose of this research is the utilization of palm midrib torrefaction product as raw material of activated charcoal through pyrolysis process and analyze the effect of pyrolysis temperature and pyrolysis time on the active charcoal raw material produced. For each torrefaction trial, nitrogen was flowed through the reactor at a flow rate of 150 mL / min for 15 min with a temperature of 275 Âº C. Sample of palm midrib used 50 gram is put into reactor and heated for 45 minutes. The resulting torrefaction charcoal product is then processed into activated charcoal through a pyrolysis process of 3 grams with a pyrolysis temperature variable of 550 Â° C, 600 Â° C, and 650 Â° C and a pyrolysis time of 5, 10 and 15 minutes.