A Study of the Potentiality of use of Siwei Palm Midribs in Charcoal Production

Abstract

The objective of this study utilizes the residues of Siwei palm midrib to produce charcoal with satisfactory environmental, medical, and industrial applications. Choosing the Siwei palm midrib residues is based on its distribution all over Egypt and availability for Egyptian farmers. The study objective was achieved by passing with some steps. The first step prepared the samples, where used the Siwei palm midrib samples and then divided the Siwei palm midrib into five parts (top, middle, base, knee, and end), according to the dimension of the inner reactor. The second step is to design and manufactures a pyrolysis reactor (test rig) to produce charcoal. The third step is carbonization cycle process for the samples of Siwei palm midrib five parts with quantity for all part, where the carbonization cycle process steps according to food and agriculture organization (FAO) standard. The four-step is experimental analysis for ten samples of Siwei palm midrib five parts (row material before carbonization) and Siwei palm midrib five parts (after carbonization) in labs according to American society for testing and materials (ASTM) standards. The experimental analysis divided into proximate analysis such as (moisture content, ash content, volatility matter content, and fixed carbon content), ultimate analysis such as sulfur, and calorific value(also known as heating value or a specific value). Finally, after comparing the results of the experimental analysis for samples Siwei palm midrib parts (after carbonization) to FAO standard values. The potentiality of production of charcoal from Siwei palm midribs with satisfactory properties has been proven. The procedure charcoal is suitable for environmental, medical, and industrial applications. According to FAO, the best samples are the top part of palm midrib in Siwei, followed by the base, middle, knee, and end. The whole Siwei palm midrib could be utilized realizing the calorific value 88% of the FAO standard. The designed reactor in this work could serve as a model for the production of charcoal from palm midribs in the village conditions. Introduction The charcoal is the black carbon and ash residues, which come from animal or vegetation substances by removing water and volatile matter during slow heating in the absence of oxygen by pyrolysis process. Charcoal marketing shapes, the first lump charcoal is low ash, high calorific value, and ability to be used in many applications, the other briquette charcoal is high ash, medium calorific value, and ability to use in low energy applications. The charcoal applications are environmental, medical and industrial. The environmental applications are using the charcoal in soil amendment is considerably required, because it increases the carbon concentration in soil and reduces the emissions of green carbon gases. The medical applications with activated carbon mean that the carbon structure of the charcoal has a pore in low volume to do absorption of chemical substances. It acts as filters and has excellent health and medical benefits. The industrial applications have required the sulfur at low levels as much as possible to By-Products of Palm Trees and Their Applications Materials Research Forum LLC Materials Research Proceedings 11 (2019) 143-149 doi: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644900178-9 144 avoid environmental effects, the ash content at high to realize the most significant energy consumption, the stable pore structure, and chemical compatibility. Almost smokeless, because of its low ash content and chemical stability. Experimental Procedures Siwei Palm Midribs Specimens were obtained from Al-Qayat Village, Menia governorate, Egypt. (Fig. 1) illustrates the different parts of palm midrib including: Palm end left on the palm after pruning, the knee (the bent part of the palm midrib), difficult to manufacture, and the three parts of the midrib: base, middle and top. Fig. 1 Parts of Siwei palm midrib The following test samples (Table1) have been sourced from Al-Qayat village, Menia Governorate, Egypt. Table 1 Quantity of items Item Quantity (kg)*