PENGARUH MASSA ABSORBER KOH DAN MASSA KATALIS ZEOLIT ALAM TERHADAP PRODUK PIROLISIS TANDAN KOSONG KELAPA SAWIT DENGAN REAKTOR MICROWAVE

Abstract

This research aims to explore the effects of varying the mass of the KOH absorber and natural zeolite catalyst on the pyrolysis yield of empty palm fruit bunches (EFB) using a microwave reactor. EFB was chosen as the feedstock due to its abundant availability and potential as a renewable energy source. The use of a microwave reactor enables faster heating of EFB and improved temperature control. The pyrolysis process was carried out with a configuration of two separate reactors: a microwave reactor to pyrolyze EFB with KOH as an absorber to absorb microwaves and convert them into heat, and a catalyst reactor with heating provided by an oven. The operating temperature for the microwave reactor was set at 450°C, and for the catalyst reactor at 400°C. The methodology involved varying the mass of KOH (0%, 50%, 100%) and zeolite (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%) to evaluate their effects on pyrolysis product distribution. The results showed that adding KOH as an absorber improved heating efficiency, with a higher KOH mass (100%) tending to increase gas production. The addition of zeolite also proved to enhance bio-oil yield, especially under conditions of 50% absorber and 30% zeolite, which achieved the highest yield of 34.8%. The optimal combination of KOH absorber and zeolite catalyst shows great potential in increasing bio-oil yield, thus supporting the use of EFB as a sustainable alternative energy source.