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Char resulted from the gasification of empty fruit bunch (EFB) is a potential source of some components that can be used as a material in the production of NPK fertilizer. Beside that char also has a porous surface which allows it to hold the nutrients in fertilizer so that the utilization of char can give the positive effects to the availability of nutrient for the plant growth. That characteristics support the utilization of char as a supporting component for fertilizer production. In making the NPK slow release fertilizer, some main components that used in order to fulfill the need of nitrogen (N), phosphor (P), and potassium (K), were urea, diammonium phosphate (DAP), and potassium chloride (KCL). Zeolite was also used as a matrix to increase the character of the fertilizer. In this research, the materials above were formulated to produce the NPK slow release fertilizer for rice plant application by adding char as a source of potassium. The materials were crushed into powder form and then mixed and granulated with molasses as a binder to improve the adhesive strength of the granule fertilizer. In order to study the effect on the utilization of EFB char on the properties of the fertilizer, the NPK non-char fertilizer was also synthesized and characterized. The fertilizer product was then characterized to study about the surface area and pore volume, morphology, and its composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palm oil plant is one of principal-national-plant commodities in Indonesia and becomes the highest worldwide Crude Palm Oil (CPO) production used as an edible necessities and source of biofuel (Biodiesel). The whole process of Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) at palm oil plant (called PKS) Cikasungka could produced Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) having high Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) content amount 35.000 ppm. POME could be used to generate Hydrogen (called Biohydrogen) and Methane (called Biomethane) by throughing two steps fermentation process for producing Biohydrogen and Biomethane gases respectively on 0,6 m3 POME into 1 m3 prototype biohythane system which have been mixed with starter liquid containing consortium microbe. The first fermentor could produce biohydrogen by 32% wt of the total generated gas for 1 x 24 hours of the fermentation process. The increase of biohydrogen after purification process until 99% wt gave potencial electricity generation from biohydrogen amount 0,0188 kWe. The second fermentor could produce biomethane by 60% wt of the total generated gas more than 1 x 24 hours afterwards of fermentation process. The purification of biomethane until 99% wt gave generated potencial electricity amount 0,753 kWe. Furthermore, economic calculation analysis on biohythane prototype showed up the value of Capital Expenditures (CAPEX) amount US$ 26,395 and Operational Expenditures (OPEX) amount US$ 14,712/year too. By totaling the potencial generated electricity from both fermentors, these resulted generated electrical cost was 2.478 US$/kWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syngas of biomass is touted as an alternative energy due to its environmentally clean fuel and reducing greenhouse effect. Utilization of biomass through gasification is usually intended for power generation and produce syngas. The syngas of biomass is proposed for methanol production using local catalyst. The assessment of methanol production for low cost, low temperature and low pressure was conducted by local catalyst that has been developed. The role of the catalyst is the key to achieve optimal conditions through lower activation energy. This study is highlighting the methanol synthesis with Cu-based impregnation catalyst using γ Al2O3 and Activated-Carbon as the support catalyst. Experiments were carried out for the methanol synthesis at low pressure, 14 bar, and low temperature, from 200 to 260°C. As the result, both catalysts were comparable with a commercial catalyst. Methanol production was good reproducibility. At 260°C, methanol production of both local catalysts reached 8 %, close to equilibrium concentration, while the commercial catalyst was only 2.4%. However, at lower temperature, the methanol production using the local catalysts was less than 0.28% at 200°C and increase by raising temperature. Thus, methanol production was influenced by reaction rate which was much lower than equilibrium state. Scaling up methanol synthesis of commercial catalyst reached 5.2% because of retention time extended. In addition, liquid product was harvested but only 0.9% methanol concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-energy is renewable energy made from plant. Biomass-based energy sources are potentially CO2 neutral and recycle the same carbon atoms. In order to reduce pollution caused by fossil fuel combustion either for mechanical or electrical energy generation, the performance characteristic of purified palm oil blends are analyzed at various ratios. Bio-energy, Pure Plant Oil, represent a sustainable solution.A generator has been modified due to adapt the viscosity ofblended fuel, PPO - diesel, by pre-heating. Several PPO - diesel composition and injection timing were tested in order to investigate the characteristic of mixed fuel with and without pre-heating. The term biofuel refers to liquid or gaseous fuels for the internal combustion engines that are predominantly produced fro m biomass. Surprising result showed that BSFC of blended PPO - diesel was more efficient when injection timing set more than 15° BTDC. The mixed fuel produced power with less mixed fuel even though the calorie content of diesel is higher than PPO. The most efficient was 20% PPO in diesel with BSFC 296 gr fuel / kwh rather than 100% diesel with BSFC 309 gr fuel / kwh at the same injection timing 18° BTDC with pre-heating. The improvement of BSFC is caused by heating up of mixed fuel which it added calorie in the mixed fuel. Therefore, the heating up of blended PPO - diesel is not only to adapt the viscosity but also improving the efficiency of fuel usage representing by lower BSFC. In addition, torque of the 20% PPO was also as smooth as 100% diesel representing by almost the same torqueat injection timing 15° BTDC. The AIP Proceedings article template has many predefined paragraph styles for you to use/apply as you write your paper. To format your abstract, use the Microsoft Word template style: Abstract. Each paper must include an abstract. Begin the abstract with the word “Abstract” followed by a period in bold font, and then continue with a normal 9 point font. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]