Torrefaction of Indonesian sugar-cane bagasse to improve bio-syngas quality for gasification process

Bio-syngas from gasification of sugarcane bagasse is one of the most promising sources for renewable energy. As an agriculture-based biomass, sugarcane bagasse has a high content of moisture (46-52%), fibrous (43-52%) and low bulk density (80-120 kg/m(3)). This quality of bagasse will tend to initiate agglomeration and cause de-fluidization. It will disturb the gasification process and finally will decrease yield and quality of syn-gas. Its chracteristics in low quality can be improved by pretreatment, i.e., torrefaction process, addressed by slow heating of biomass on wet or dry conditions on atmosphere pressure for 1 hour before it is used as feedstock gasification. This preliminary work features an experimental investigation of torrefaction process of Indonesian sugarcane cane bagasse. Temperature of torrefaction varies from 150, 175, 200, 225, 250 and 300 degrees C. For bagasse gasification process, the optimum temperature of dry torrefaction is 150 degrees C. At this temperature, yield of syngas will higher than other torrefaction temperature. Temperature of dry torrefaction will give energy saving opportunities than that's of wet torrefaction (180 degrees C, 1 hr). Analysis ultimate and proximate also indicate that sugarcane bagasse with temperature torrefaction 150 degrees C give better result than other torrefaction's temperature in high content of hydrogen and low content of carbon. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.