Simulation Study of Bamboo Leaves Valorization to Small-Scale Electricity and Bio-silica Using ASPEN PLUS

Electricity is essential in human life. It is generated from power plants fuelled by fossil resources that have threatened the environment. Greener resources, such as biomass, are becoming imperative to utilize for their eco-friendly, renewable, and sustainable properties. One of the potential biomass is bamboo leaves because of their high calorific value (15-19 MJ/kg), high ash content (up to 25.86%-wt), and silica content in the ash (bio-silica) of 90-92%-wt. Unfortunately, the study on their valorization is still rarely disclosed, and hence, this study aims to discuss the simulation of bamboo leaves valorization to electricity and bio-silica. In this study, 2 tonnes/day of bamboo leaves are combusted at 700 degrees C and the produced heat is then fed to the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems to generate small-scale electricity. Depending on several case studies, the specific electricity is generated in the range of 0.156-0.160 kWh/kg and can electrify 24 households in rural areas. Furthermore, the produced ash from combustion is undergone alkaline extraction processes to gain bio-silica with a yield of 17.5%-wt and purity of 92%-wt. Based on the simulation, bio-silica is obtained at the highest amount of 3.3 kg/h. Finally, this study concludes that bamboo leaves valorization is promising.