Status : Verified
| Personal Name | Legaspi, Joel O. |
|---|---|
| Resource Title | Characterization of water-washed, torrefied, and pelletized coco peat in Bacong, Negros Oriental as potential bioenergy feedstock |
| Date Issued | 15 June 2025 |
| Abstract | The present study investigates the valorization of coco peat, a by‑product of coconut processing, into a viable bioenergy feedstock through sequential pretreatments of water‑washing, torrefaction, and pelletization. Baseline characterization revealed raw coco peat contains 41.22 % lignin, 19.71 % hemicellulose, 19.74 % α‑cellulose, an HHV of 17.04 MJ/kg, and 10.10 % ash, and a two‑level factorial wash (1:15 or 1:30 ratio, 10 or 20 min) identified a 1:15 ratio for 10 min (S15T10) as optimal, reducing ash to 3.64 %, retaining 34 % of wet mass, and consuming only 30 Wh per 2.68 kg batch with phenolics <0.00006 mg/L. The low‑ash material then underwent torrefy‑then‑pelletize (TTP) and pelletize‑then‑torrefy (PTT) sequences at 225 °C and 275 °C for 15–30 min under oxidative conditions. TTP at 275 °C for 30 min yielded brittle pellets with an HHV of 18.42 MJ/kg, 12.8 % moisture, 46.6 % volatile matter, 33.9 % fixed carbon, 8.67 % ash, 56.5 % mass yield, and 54.1 % energy yield. In contrast, PTT at the same conditions produced dense pellets with an HHV of 21.12 MJ/kg, 3.2 % moisture, 44.1 % volatile matter, 36.0 % fixed carbon, 10.7 % ash, 66.9 % mass yield, 74.5 % energy yield, and the lowest O/C (0.79) and H/C (0.13) ratios (CHO = 1.46). Both methods exceeded commercial wood‑pellet HHV standards (≥16 MJ/kg) but had elevated ash (8.7–10.7 %), indicating further ash‑reduction is needed, and PTT at 275 °C for 30 min is recommended for high‑energy, low‑moisture applications while TTP offers a more coal‑like char for ash‑sensitive processes. |
| Degree Course | Master of Science in Energy Engineering |
| Language | English |
| Keyword | sustainability; coco peat; biomass; torrefaction; pelletization; bioenergy; renewable energy |
| Material Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
Preliminary Pages
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Category : F - Regular work, i.e., it has no patentable invention or creation, the author does not wish for personal publication, there is no confidential information.
Access Permission : Open Access