Biogas generation from palm oleochemical effluent for steam production

Abstract

Palm oleochemical industries have huge market potential but it is unsustainable due to the high utilization of fossil fuel and high generation of liquid waste which is harmful to the environment. The main purpose of this project is to identify and analyse the best option to reduce the chemical oxygen demand in the liquid waste by treating in anaerobic digester and to optimize the generation of biogas. The controlling of pH, temperature, alkalinity and volatile fatty acid in the digestion process in a systematic way has brought down the chemical oxygen demand of the liquid waste to a safe environmental standard to support the Malaysian Environmental Quality Act. The efficient control and reduction of chemical oxygen demand is optimizing the generation of biogas as a by-product and also as a renewable potential energy resource. The biogas generated has a calorific value of 5600kcal/kg and it is effectively utilized in the generation of steam in a fire tube boiler.The steam produced is used for the process heating and this is minimising the dependency on fossil fuel. The utilization of biogas has successfully reduced carbon dioxide emission and yield savings for oleochemical industries.