Abstract
Empty fruit bunch (EFB) can be used as a solid fuel for heat and power generation. However, high ash particularly potassium content can cause slagging, and fouling which negatively affect thermal conversion systems. A pretreatment process to remove potassium and achieve better solid fuel characteristics from EFB was proposed by employing the hydrothermal treatment (HT) followed by the washing process. EFB was treated via HT at the temperatures of 100, 150, 180 and 220 °C with the holding time of 30 min. A batch washing process was then conducted at different solid-product to liquid ratios. In this study, raw EFB and HT products were experimentally investigated in the laboratory to determine the effects of HT and the washing process on the potassium removal efficiency. Thermal behaviors of unwashed and washed products were also investigated. The results showed that the combination of HT-180 and washing can remove potassium up to 92 %, lowering the ash content down to 0.9 % and the chlorine content down to 0.19 % which led to a significant improvement in its thermal behavior with lowering the slagging tendencies. These results indicated that HT followed by the washing process is a viable way to obtain a low potassium content solid fuel.
