Bahan Bakar Padat dari Biomassa Bambu dengan Proses Torefaksi dan Densifikasi

Abstract

Bambu sebagai biomassa dapat dijadikan sebagai bahan bakar padat dengan metode torefaksi dan dengan proses pemadatan (densification). Bambu dipotong-potong kemudian dilakukan proses torefaksi di dalam furnace. Bambu hasil proses torefaksi kemudian digiling atau ditumbuk hingga halus. Serbuk bambu itu kemudian diambil dan dipres sampai menghasilkan briket. Briket kemudian ditentukan nilai bakarnya (calorific value), dilakukan analisis proksimat, analisis ultimate serta laju keterbakaran. Proses torefaksi berhasil dilakukan pada suhu 200-300°C dan diperoleh produk arang yang, memiliki sifat getas, hidrofobik dan kandungan air yang menurun. Densitas briket bambu berpengaruh terhadap nilai bakarnya. Briket bambu dengan densitas lebih besar memiliki nilai bakar lebih tinggi. Laju keterbakaran briket dari bambu hasil torefaksi dipengaruhi oleh densitas. Briket dengan densitas lebih tinggi laju keterbakarannya lebih kecil. Proses torefaksi dan densifikasi dapat meningkatkan persentase kandungan karbon dan nilai bakar bambu sekitar 19-20% pada suhu 200-300°C.

Kata kunci: bahan bakar padat, biomassa, bambu, torefaksi, densifikasi

Bamboo can be utililized as biomass through torrefaction and densification processes and be used as solid fuel. In the present work, bamboo was cut into pieces followed by torrefaction process in a furnace. The product of the torrefaction process was then milled or ground to produce smooth powder which was then pressed to form briquettes. The resulting briquettes were characterized by determining their calorific value, proximate analysis, ultimate analysis and burning rate. The torrefaction process was successfully carried out in a temperature range of 200-300°C to obtain charcoal that had following properties: brittle, hydrophobic with decreasing moisture content. The experimental results showed that the calorific value was influenced by bamboo briquette density. Greater the density higher the calorific value of the resulting brequettes. In addition, the rate of burning was also determined by the density. The briquettes that had higher density had lower burning rate. The results showed that torrefaction and densification processes could increase carbon content and calorific value of the bamboo brequttes by 19-20% in a temperature range of 200 – 300°C.

Key words: solid fuels, biomass, bamboo, torrefaction, densification Abstrak