RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF OIL PALM BIOMASS UTILIZATION TECHNOLOGIES FROM KLUANG PILOT PLANT скачать в хорошем качестве

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF OIL PALM BIOMASS UTILIZATION TECHNOLOGIES FROM KLUANG PILOT PLANT

Chuah Keng Hua OPTEraz Sdn. Bhd, PTD53718, Jalan Teknologi 3, Kawasan Perindustrian Mengkibol, Kluang, Johor OPTEraz Sdn. Bhd. is a research and development (R&D) pilot plant established in Kluang, Johor, Malaysia in 2014 via the collaborative efforts between IHI and JIRCAS (Japan) and USM and Kang Sem Enviro (Malaysia). This facility occupies a land area of about half acre with a fully equipped open shade factory capable of handling various processes such as chip and fiber preparation, chip and fiber washing, grinding, press drying, drying, pelletizing and water treatment. An office building beside this factory houses the R&D laboratory. Our facility is built to accommodate not just one but various oil palm biomasses such as oil palm trunk (OPT), oil palm frond (OPF), empty fruit bunch (EFB), mesocarp fiber (MCF) and palm oil mill effluent (POME). The primary objective for the establishment of this R&D pilot plant is to develop efficient processes for the conversion of various oil palm biomass into high value-added products. The first stage of R&D works began in the plant from 2014 until 2018. During this period, we have successfully demonstrated the conversion of OPT and OPF into pellet fuels which are bio-based and renewable alternatives for coal-fired power plants. Besides, due to the nature of OPT which is unsuitable for use as timber, it can instead be utilized as a sustainable resource for pellet fuel. This reduces the concern of having to use timber woods to produce the pellet fuels. Beginning 2019, the plant has been serving the SATREPS project. The aim of this project which is to promote sustainable replantation of oil palm by adding value to the OPT via scientific and technological innovation resonates well with the objective of this plant. Therefore, a lot of R&D work which focuses on the utilization of OPT has been collectively conducted in this plant. While the production of pellet fuel is continued under this project, many other projects such as those that are related to the fermentable sugar rich OPT sap, mineral rich treated effluents, biogas production and water recycling are currently being studied. This plant is expected to become a model for the oil palm industry which successfully demonstrates the implementation of circular economy and zero waste technology post-SATREPS project. The pilot plant can be used as a R&D and reference center by government and plantation developers interested in adapting this technology in future to enhance the sustainability of the oil palm industry.