EFFECT OF NICKEL ADDITION ON THE AIR GASIFICATION OF OIL PALM MESOCARP FIBER

Gasification is one of the efficient methods to convert low-value biomass into higher-value energy, fuel and chemical through the production of syngas. This study investigates the effect of direct nickel addition to biomass on the gasification of biomass. In this study, nickel was added to oil palm mesocarp fiber via ion-exchange with nickel nitrate solution. The Ni-loaded biomass was gasified inside a reactor at different temperatures (within 750-950 degrees C) using air as the gasifying agent. To determine the effect of nickel addition on biomass gasification, comparison of syngas concentration was made between the gasification of Ni-loaded oil palm mesocarp fiber and that of the unloaded (raw) oil palm mesocarp fiber. Our results showed that Ni-loaded oil palm mesocarp fiber produces higher concentration of CH4, CO and H-2 compared to the raw oil palm mesocarp fiber within the same range of reaction temperatures. The nickel addition onto biomass also reduces CO2 concentration in the product gas and lowers the amount of tar produced from the gasification of oil palm mesocarp fiber to only 0.35% of tar yield.