Carbonisation of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches - A Preliminary Study

Empty fruit bunches from oil palm trees were carbonised at different terminal temperatures ranging from 450°C to 750°C. When the gaseous emissions produced during the carbonisation process were collected and condensed, it was found that the condensate contained both a solid tar-like fraction and a dark coloured acidic liquid fraction. The quality of the charcoal produced, which was found to be somewhat dependent on the terminal carbonisation temperature is of medium grade. Even so it is believed that the product may still be useful for specific purposes. Keywords: Carbonisation, oil palm, empty fruit bunches.