Analysis and Characterization Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB) Biochar from Gasification as a Source of Pottasium Fertilizer

Abstract

Charcoal from gasification of oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) is a potential source of several components that can be used as ingredients in the manufacture of NPK fertilizer. OPEFB is gasified at 400, 500 and 600oC to get charcoal (biochar). From the gasification results, the highest yield was obtained in the gasification process at a temperature of 400oC, which was 33.78%. Biochar gasification results are analyzed and characterized to obtain the elemental content in biochar and to determine its physical properties. From the results of the composition test, the highest potassium content was found in the gasification process at a temperature of 600oC with a percentage of 41.57%. Where from the results of the composition test it is known that the higher the gasification temperature, the higher the potassium content. The resulting biochar was also tested by BET and SEM to obtain the surface area, pore volume and morphology of the biochar which was then compared with OPEFB before the gasification process. From the results of the BET test, the pore volume was 0.2819 cc/g with a surface area of ​​5.451 x 10-3 m2/g. The surface area of ​​biochar increased almost 100 times when compared to the surface area of ​​OPEFB while the pore volume increased almost 20 times. The high content of potassium and the large surface area and high pore volume of the gasified biochar can be used as a substitute for KCl fertilizer.