Optimization of Naoh Alkali Pretreatment of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch for Bioethanol

Abstract

Bioethanol from lignocellulosic waste as an alternative energy began to be developed. Pretreatment is an early stage of the process of lignocellulose conversion into bioethanol. Chemical pretreatment using NaOH was done by inserting 3 mm EFB and 10 % NaOH solution at the reactor in moderate temperature and 4 bars pressure. The effect of temperature and time on the pretreatment process was investigated. The variation of temperature process starts from 140, 150 and 160°C, during the time variation of the process starting from 20, 30 and 40 minutes. The highest of biomass recovery was obtained in the pretreatment process with temperature 140 oC, 20 minutes at 42.83 % (dba). The highest delignification at 160 oC temperature, 40 minutes was equal to 86.92 %. However, the optimal pretreatment conditions to produce the highest bioethanol from EFB obtained at 150 oC, 30 minutes were the biomass recovery reached 35.97 %, delignification reached 76.74 %, and ethanol yield from initial EFB reached 15,17 % (w/w)