Scientific Experiences in Energy and Thermal Engineering

Articles

Kinetic Analysis of the Combustion Reaction of Sub-Bituminous Coal Blended with Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) Waste

Akhmad Faruq Alhikami , Nurcholis Majid , Ena Marlina , Ria Aniza

Published
January 2, 2027

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2027): Issue in Progress
Pages e17.1-12

DOI

Open Access
Download PDF
Share

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of blending ratios of sub-bituminous coal and Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) biomass on the activation energy (Eₐ) of the combustion process using Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and the Coats–Redfern kinetic approach. The fuel samples consisted of 100% coal, 80% coal–20% EFB, and 60% coal–40% EFB blends. The results showed that the average activation energy during Stage I decreased from 91.16 kJ/mol for pure coal to 86.69 kJ/mol for the 20% EFB blend, before increasing to 91.64 kJ/mol for the 40% EFB blend. During Stage II, the activation energy decreased from 61.88 kJ/mol for pure coal to 48.70 kJ/mol for the 20% EFB blend, and then increased slightly to 49.50 kJ/mol for the 40% EFB blend. These findings indicate that the addition of 20% EFB produces a synergistic effect by enhancing the thermal reactivity of the fuel mixture, whereas increasing the EFB content to 40% results in a higher activation energy due to the greater complexity of lignin decomposition and the formation of an ash layer on the char surface. It can therefore be concluded that the 20% EFB blend represents the optimum co-firing ratio from a kinetic perspective.

Keywords

Activation energy; Co-firing; Sub-bituminous coal; Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB); Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA); Coats–Redfern method; Combustion kinetics

References

  1. A. Sugiyono et al., “Strategies toward energy transition in Indonesia: An assessment of multi-regional biomass supply for coal co-firing power plants,” International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management, vol. 47, pp. 43–56, 2025, doi: 10.54337/ijsepm.10514.
  2. M. S. Roni, S. Chowdhury, S. Mamun, M. Marufuzzaman, W. Lein, and S. Johnson, “Biomass co-firing technology with policies, challenges, and opportunities: A global review,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 78, pp. 1089–1101, 2017, doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.023.
  3. Z. Arifin, V. F. S. Insani, M. Idris, K. R. Hadiyati, Z. Anugia, and D. Irianto, “Techno-economic analysis of co-firing for pulverized coal boilers power plant in Indonesia,” International Journal of Renewable Energy Development, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 261–269, 2023, doi: 10.14710/ijred.2023.48102.
  4. M. A. Rahmanta, A. Aprilana, Ruly, N. Cahyo, T. W. D. Hapsari, and E. Supriyanto, “Techno-economic and environmental impact of biomass co-firing with carbon capture and storage in Indonesian power plants,” Sustainability, vol. 16, no. 8, p. 3423, 2024, doi: 10.3390/su16083423.
  5. E. I. Rhofita, R. Rachmat, M. Meyer, and L. Montastruc, “Mapping analysis of biomass residue valorization as the future green energy generation in Indonesia,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 354, p. 131667, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131667.
  6. Ministry of Agriculture, Statistical of National Leading Estate Crops Commodity 2021–2023. Jakarta, Indonesia: Directorate General of Estate Crops, 2022.
  7. C. Hendrasetiafitri, Y. J. Sung, and D.-S. Kim, “Effects of pretreatments on the chemical composition and thermal conversion of oil palm empty fruit bunch,” BioResources, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 2727–2742, 2022, doi: 10.15376/biores.17.2.2727-2742.
  8. Mahidin et al., “Analysis of power from palm oil solid waste for biomass power plants: A case study in Aceh Province,” Chemosphere, vol. 253, p. 126714, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126714.
  9. Y. Niu, H. Tan, and S. Hui, “Ash-related issues during biomass combustion: Alkali-induced slagging, silicate melt-induced slagging (ash fusion), agglomeration, corrosion, ash utilization, and related countermeasures,” Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, vol. 52, pp. 1–61, 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.pecs.2015.09.003.
  10. Hariana, Prabowo, E. Hilmawan, F. M. Kuswa, A. Darmawan, and M. Aziz, “A comprehensive evaluation of cofiring biomass with coal and slagging-fouling tendency in pulverized coal-fired boilers,” Ain Shams Engineering Journal, vol. 14, no. 7, p. 102001, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.asej.2022.102001.
  11. Hariana et al., “Theoretical and experimental investigation of ash-related problems during coal co-firing with different types of biomass in a pulverized coal-fired boiler,” Energy, vol. 269, p. 126784, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.energy.2023.126784.
  12. I. B. Novendianto et al., “Investigation of the slagging and fouling aspects of co-firing coal and organic refuse-derived fuel,” Thermal Science and Engineering Progress, vol. 49, p. 102447, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.tsep.2024.102447.
  13. B. Yousaf et al., “Systematic investigation on combustion characteristics and emission-reduction mechanism of potentially toxic elements in biomass- and biochar-coal co-combustion systems,” Applied Energy, vol. 208, pp. 142–157, 2017, doi: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.10.059.
  14. M. Soh, J. J. Chew, S. Liu, and J. Sunarso, “Comprehensive kinetic study on the pyrolysis and combustion behaviours of five oil palm biomass by thermogravimetric–mass spectrometry (TG–MS) analyses,” BioEnergy Research, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 370–387, 2019, doi: 10.1007/s12155-019-09974-9.
  15. Y. J. Rueda-Ordóñez, C. J. Arias-Hernández, J. F. Manrique-Pinto, P. Gauthier-Maradei, and W. A. Bizzo, “Assessment of the thermal decomposition kinetics of empty fruit bunch, kernel shell and their blend,” Bioresource Technology, vol. 292, p. 121923, 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.121923.
  16. B. Castells, I. Amez, L. Medic, and J. García-Torrent, “Torrefaction influence on combustion kinetics of Malaysian oil palm wastes,” Fuel Processing Technology, vol. 218, p. 106843, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.fuproc.2021.106843.
  17. S. S. Idris, N. A. Rahman, and K. Ismail, “Combustion characteristics of Malaysian oil palm biomass, sub-bituminous coal and their respective blends via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA),” Bioresource Technology, vol. 123, pp. 581–591, 2012, doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2012.07.065.
  18. N. S. Hamzah, S. S. Idris, N. A. Rahman, N. F. Abu Bakar, and S. Matali, “Thermal analysis of co-utilization of empty fruit bunch and Silantek coal under inert atmosphere using thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA),” Frontiers in Energy Research, vol. 8, p. 608756, 2021, doi: 10.3389/fenrg.2020.608756.
  19. M. Z. E. Prayoga et al., “Co-combustion performance of oil palm biomass with coal: Thermodynamics and kinetics analyses,” Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, vol. 149, no. 7, pp. 2873–2891, 2024, doi: 10.1007/s10973-023-12865-z.
  20. Y. Yuan, Y. He, J. Tan, Y. Wang, S. Kumar, and Z. Wang, “Co-combustion characteristics of typical biomass and coal blends by thermogravimetric analysis,” Frontiers in Energy Research, vol. 9, p. 753622, 2021, doi: 10.3389/fenrg.2021.753622.
  21. F. Guo, Y. He, A. Hassanpour, J. Gardy, and Z. Zhong, “Thermogravimetric analysis on the co-combustion of biomass pellets with lignite and bituminous coal,” Energy, vol. 197, p. 117147, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.energy.2020.117147.
  22. J. M. Oladejo, S. Adegbite, C. H. Pang, H. Liu, A. M. Parvez, and T. Wu, “A novel index for the study of synergistic effects during the co-processing of coal and biomass,” Applied Energy, vol. 188, pp. 215–225, 2017, doi: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.12.005.
  23. S. Sezer, F. Kartal, and U. Özveren, “The investigation of co-combustion process for synergistic effects using thermogravimetric and kinetic analysis with combustion index,” Thermal Science and Engineering Progress, vol. 23, p. 100889, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.tsep.2021.100889.
  24. Z. Xiao, S. Wang, M. Luo, and J. Cai, “Combustion characteristics and synergistic effects during co-combustion of lignite and lignocellulosic components under oxy-fuel condition,” Fuel, vol. 310, p. 122399, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.fuel.2021.122399.
  25. M. Raza, B. Abu-Jdayil, A. H. Al-Marzouqi, and A. Inayat, “Kinetic and thermodynamic analyses of date palm surface fibers pyrolysis using Coats-Redfern method,” Renewable Energy, vol. 183, pp. 67–77, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.renene.2021.10.065.
  26. S. R. Naqvi et al., “Pyrolysis of high ash sewage sludge: Kinetics and thermodynamic analysis using Coats-Redfern method,” Renewable Energy, vol. 131, pp. 854–860, 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.renene.2018.07.094.
  27. H. Gohar et al., “Investigating the characterisation, kinetic mechanism, and thermodynamic behaviour of coal-biomass blends in co-pyrolysis process,” Process Safety and Environmental Protection, vol. 163, pp. 645–658, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.psep.2022.05.063.
  28. F. Surahmanto, H. Saptoadi, H. Sulistyo, and T. A. Rohmat, “Investigation of the pyrolysis characteristics and kinetics of oil-palm solid waste by using Coats–Redfern method,” Energy Exploration & Exploitation, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 298–309, 2020, doi: 10.1177/0144598719877759.
  29. A. H. Supee and M. A. A. Zaini, “Kinetics, thermodynamics, and thermal decomposition behavior of palm oil empty fruit bunch, coconut shell, bamboo, and cardboard pyrolysis: An integrated approach using Coats–Redfern method,” Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, vol. 195, no. 10, p. 1218, 2023, doi: 10.1007/s10661-023-11866-7.
  30. F. J. F. Phang et al., “Hydrochars derived via wet torrefaction of empty fruit bunches: Effect of temperature and time, comparison to oil palm trunks counterpart, and their pyrolysis behavior,” Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, vol. 179, p. 106441, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.jaap.2024.106441.
  31. N. Koga et al., “ICTAC Kinetics Committee recommendations for analysis of thermal decomposition kinetics,” Thermochimica Acta, vol. 719, p. 179384, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.tca.2022.179384.
  32. R. C. Ropp, “Mechanisms and reactions in the solid state,” in Solid State Chemistry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier, 2003. doi: 10.1016/B978-044451436-3/50004-3.
  33. H. Yang, R. Yan, H. Chen, D. H. Lee, and C. Zheng, “Characteristics of hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin pyrolysis,” Fuel, vol. 86, no. 12–13, pp. 1781–1788, 2007, doi: 10.1016/j.fuel.2006.12.013.
  34. R. Xiao et al., “Thermogravimetric analysis and reaction kinetics of lignocellulosic biomass pyrolysis,” Energy, vol. 201, p. 117537, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.energy.2020.117537.
Article Metrics
54
Views
18
Downloads

SCITE

DIMENSIONS

Publication Information
Published January 2, 2027
Section Articles
Copyright Copyright (c) 2027 Akhmad Faruq Alhikami, Nurcholis Majid, Ena Marlina, Ria Aniza (Author)
License Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Keywords
  • Activation energy
  • Co-firing
  • Sub-bituminous coal
  • Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB)
  • Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)
  • Coats–Redfern method
  • Combustion kinetics
Related Articles
Analysis of the Compatibility of Alternative and Green Fuels with Internal Combustion Engines: A Mini-Review

Kolakoti et al.

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2027): Issue in Progress | e18.1-10

Utilization of the Refrigeration Effect from LPG Expansion for a Refrigerated Display Cabinet (RDC): An Experimental Study of a Half-Cycle System

Rochman et al.

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2027): Issue in Progress | e23.1-13

Comparative Study of a Biomass-Derived Activated Carbon Catalyst and a Synthetic Silica–Alumina Catalyst on the Heat Transfer Rate Characteristics of Coconut Oil Droplet Combustion

Riupassa et al.

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2027): Issue in Progress