Fast Pyrolysis of Corn Husk For Bio-Oil Production Leni Maulinda(a), Husni Husin(a,b*), Nasrul AR(a,b), Cut Meurah Rosnelly(a,b), Erna Andau(b), Winda Lestari(b)
(a)Doctoral Program, School of Engineering , Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia 23111
(b) Reaction Engineering and Catalysis Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitas
Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia 23111
*husni_husin[at]che.unsyiah.ac.id
Abstract
The fast pyrolysis of corn husk was studied by using a tube pyrolysis unit. This research aimed to produce bio-oil from corn husk through a fast pyrolysis process. Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition process of biomass at high temperatures with the absence of oxygen. The products in pyrolysis combustion are solids (bio-char), liquids (bio-oil), and gases. The major factors to get excellent products of pyrolysis are temperature and time. The corn husk was dried at 105 oC in the oven to reduce water content. The dried sample was burned at temperatures of 250, 300,350, 400, 450, and 500 oC by flushing the nitrogen gas inside the tube for two h. The highest yield of bio-oil was reached of 33.3% at a temperature of 400 degree C. Bio-oil characteristics such as density (1,00 gr/ml) and viscosity (8.3 cP) were observed. The composition of bio-oil was identified using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Its composition was composed of hydrocarbons such as acids, furfural, phenols, and ketones.
Keywords: Bio-oil, fast pyrolysis, corn husk, bio oil properties
