Steam Explosion of Palm Oil Mesocarp Fiber: A Simulation Study
Abstract
Palm oil mesocarp fiber (POMF), a lignocellulosic biomass generated in large quantities during palm oil production, is a potential feedstock for sugar production via steam explosion. In this study, the steam explosion of POMF was simulated using Aspen Plus® to evaluate the effects of POMF composition, steam explosion temperature (110–220°C), and residence time (3.5–20 min) on cellulose and hemicellulose conversions as well as on the yields of sugars and degradation products. Variations in POMF composition had no significant impact on cellulose or hemicellulose conversion, nor on the resulting product yields. Across all samples, glucose yields remained constant at approximately 14%, while xylose yields remained stable at approximately 6%. Furfural and 5-HMF yields were minimal at ~0.5% and ~0.2%, respectively. In contrast, product yields were highly sensitive to steam explosion temperature. Glucose yield increased moderately from ~12.7 to ~14.3% at intermediate temperatures before declining sharply between 170 and 210°C. Xylose increased from 0.47 to 10.1% as the temperature rose from 130 to 160°C, then decreased substantially at higher temperatures. At elevated temperatures, sugars became unstable and degraded, leading to significant increases in furfural and 5-HMF formation above 160°C. Residence time had a stronger influence than temperature. Prolonged exposure intensified sugar degradation, with glucose decreasing from ~14.1 to 2.3% and xylose decreasing to 1.4% as residence time increased from 3.5 to 20 min. Correspondingly, furfural and 5-HMF yields increased gradually with time, indicating enhanced secondary degradation pathways. Overall, the Aspen Plus® model successfully described the steam explosion behavior of POMF over a wide range of process conditions. While POMF composition exerted minimal influence, both steam explosion temperature and residence time strongly affected sugar release and the formation of degradation products.
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