Charcoal Production for Activated Carbon Raw Material

Charcoal characteristics are influenced by the raw materials used and the conditions of the production process. The use of charcoal for certain applications or industries also requires certain specifications or characteristics. For example, charcoal used for fuel can have different specification requirements from charcoal specifications for agriculture (biochar), or charcoal used as raw material for activated carbon. A number of parameters that are acceptable in certain applications may not be acceptable in other applications.

Charcoal products used as raw materials for activated carbon production are also the same. Parameters in the form of high fixed carbon (~80%), high hardness, low ash content (~3%) and low volatile matter (<10%) are prerequisites for the specifications or quality of charcoal as a raw material for activated carbon. As a comparison, charcoal for agriculture (soil amendment) or commonly called biochar has a wide range of quality or specifications, namely lower fixed carbon (FC), higher ash content and higher volatile matter, especially in agro type biochar according to WBC (World Biochar Certificate), while premium type biochar according to WBC has a higher or highest quality and can be used for various purposes. While the material type biochar according to WBC has the lowest quality with use mainly in certain industries such as cement, asphalt, plastic, electronics, and composite materials or cannot be used for agriculture, soil applications and consumer products.

 Raw materials for charcoal production for activated carbon production because it requires stricter parameters, especially high fixed carbon, low ash content and high hardness so that raw materials suitable for this purpose are more limited or not all biomass can be used for charcoal production for activated carbon raw materials. This is what makes coconut shells the best and most popular raw material for charcoal production as activated carbon raw materials today. And palm kernel shell raw materials (especially from dura variety) are expected to be the next candidate. The availability of abundant palm kernel shells (PKS) is a special attraction. But indeed with this palm kernel shell (PKS) charcoal raw material, there is still the smell of palm oil, so it is a challenge for activated carbon producers.

PKSC For Activated Carbon Production

The production of palm kernel shells (PKS) in Indonesia and Malaysia is very large, with more than 15 million tons annually which comes from palm oil mill waste. There are about 20 million hectares of palm oil plantation from these two countries (Indonesia and Malaysia) as sources of crude palm oil and are the largest in the world today. Utilization of PKS can be optimized for the production of activated carbon. The demand for activated carbon is predicted to increase by around 10% per year and the demand will reach nearly 4 million tons in 2021 worth 8.12 billion USD, while data in 2015 recorded global activated carbon production of around 2.7 million tons worth 4.74 billion USD. Powdered activated carbon (PAC) has the largest market share followed by granular activated carbon (GAC). The high demand for PAC is mainly driven by the need in a number of industries such as chemical, petrochemical, food and beverage for decolorizarion and deodorization applications. More specifically, the use in the liquid phase has the largest portion.

However, it is recognized that coconut shell is the current favorite material for activated charcoal production, and PKS is likely to be the next priority. The area of ​​Indonesian coconut plantations is estimated at around 3.7 million hectares so that the number of coconut shells that can be used as activated carbon is also not as much as PKS because the area of Indonesian palm oil plantations has also reached approximately 15 million hectares. With a coconut plantation area of 3.7 million hectares, coconut shells have a composition of 12% of coconuts so that the total coconut shells that can be produced are around 23,000 tons/year. This is in stark contrast to PKS which have the potential to reach tens of millions of tons every year.

The characteristics of coconut shells are also almost the same as PKS. Likewise for the use of activated carbon which emphasizes factors such as hardness and ash content. The harder the material and the smaller the ash content, the better the quality of activated carbon produced. Currently there is a need for palm kernel shell charcoal / PKSC  of 20,000 tons / year for the raw material for the production of activated carbon. Groups of palm oil companies that have a number of palm oil mills (1 group of palm oil companies having 5 palm oil mills is common in Indonesia) or other private parties by taking raw material for PKS from these palm oil mills to be able to produce PKSC to be exported as raw material for the activated production. The use of a large capacity carbonization (pyrolysis) equipment that works continuously is needed to meet these needs. This will be a business development for the palm oil companies and will be more environmentally friendly because less solid biomass waste is produced.

Activated Carbon For Any Industries!

Activated carbon or activated charcoal is a material that is widely used in various industries, as auxiliary processing. Food, beverage, energy, mining and pharmaceutical industries use this activated carbon. The need for activated carbon also continues to increase so that production also needs to be expanded. Indonesia has great potential as a world class activated carbon producer considering the abundance of potential raw materials available.

Currently, large activated carbon producers are located outside Indonesia such as Europe and America. Yet neither Europe nor America have abundant source of raw materials or most imports including from Indonesia. The most favorite activated carbon feedstock today is coconut shell and once again Indonesia is the country with the largest coconut plantation in the world, which is about 3.7 million hectares. Palm kernel shells can also be the raw material of further choices. With a palm oil plantation area of approximately 12 million hectares, palm kernel shells produced more than 10 million tons / year.

The raw material of activated carbon is charcoal. The charcoal is then activated to become activated carbon. The process of making charcoal is by carbonization or pyrolysis. Coconut shell as an example of raw material of charcoal, then after carbonization the coconut shell convert into coconut shell charcoal, which then this charcoal become the raw material of activated charcoal. So basically the process of activated charcoal production is through 2 stages of the process namely pyrolysis (carbonization) and activation. The process of producing the charcoal or the carbonization process (pyrolysis) is the same as the biomass carbonization process in general, for more detail can be read here. Currently in large capacity the production of charcoal is carried out continuously with indirect-heating. Rotating kilns and heated auger pyrolyser are commonly used equipment for continuous production of charcoal. Continuous integration of charcoal production and activation process can be read here.

While the activation phase can be done in two ways namely the activation of physics and chemistry. The choice of activation depends on the target surface area, pore distribution and economy. Steam activation is the most widely used physics activation, whereas chemical activation is very diverse. The more surface area of activated carbon the more expensive the price is also proportional to the cost of production. Activation equipment commonly used there are 2 kinds namely, rotating kilns and fluidized bed. Of these 2 types of rotating kiln equipment is more widely used than the fluidized bed. The price of rotating kiln equipment is cheaper because the construction and operation are easier than the fluidized bed system. Fluidized bed systems are typically used for higher quality activated carbon production due to better distribution and pore engineering due to fluidization.

Standard and quality of activated carbon is determined primarily by surface area, pore distribution, size and hardness. The iodine number parameter is commonly used for the quality of activated carbon. The higher the iodine number the better the activated carbon quality. The iodine number is a number indicating how much adsorbent or activated carbon can adsorb iod. The greater the iodine value, the greater the adsorption power of the adsorbent or the activated charcoal. Conversely, the higher water content and ash content contained in the activated carbon will cause many pores to be covered by the impurities so that the surface area will be smaller. Where the surface area is closely related to the activated carbon adsorption capacity.All biomass basically can be used as an activated carbon raw material because it has a carbon content. Specific application of the activated charbon that determines the choice of raw material and its activation options.

Wood Pellet, PKS and Biomass Power Plant Market in Japan

PKS (Palm Kernel Shell) to be a hot topic of renewable energy source or fuel commodity currently in Japan. This is because PKS is the cheapest biomass fuel and is currently still available in large quantities. PKS is a waste of palm oil mill from CPO production. So it is automatically PKS is widely available in areas of palm oil mill or CPO producers, namely in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Selection of PKS as fuel also its characteristics that can be poured, high calorific value and high density also. 

What about wood pellets? The world's leading producer of wood pellets today, certainly not Indonesia or other Southeast Asian countries, but North American and Scandinavian countries. Even for Indonesia itself wood pellet is a new thing, so its production capacity also not big. Wood pellet price is more expensive than PKS. Most wood pellets are produced in Indonesia from wood waste such as sawdust, wood shaving, plywood waste and so on. The development potential for quantity enlargement is also very possible with energy plantations. Technically the properties of wood pellets are not much different from the PKS.

Japan biomass power plant status map, red means already operating, yellow means in the development stage, blue means in the planning.

Biomass is one of the alternatives  fuel of power plants in Japan, following the accident or destruction of the Fukushima nuclear power plant (NPP) in 2011.  PKS becomes the favorite choice of biomass power plants there. Most of these biomass power plants use PKS as their energy source, and only a few operate with wood pellets. The large number of biomass power plants built, automatically also requires a lot of fuel supply. Most of the biomass power plants are built in 2015 and by 2017 some of them are in operation and by 2019 it is estimated that they are all operating, so it can be imagined the need and competition to get the supply of the PKS.

Japan is a country that almost all rely on imports to meet domestic needs, this is because the potential of the natural resources is minimum there, including the energy sector. With a population of approximately half of Indonesia, their energy consumption is almost 5 times Indonesia, so practical energy needs including fuel is also huge. The biomass power plant that uses wood pellets predicts that in the next 1 - 2 years there will be a shortage of supply of PKS, so early on it has anticipated, although at present the advantage of selling electricity is smaller, because of its more expensive raw material (wood pellet) prices. With this experience they will confident if next years wood pellets become more common fuel. 

PKS must meet the specifications before being exported to the destination country. Some key specifications for PKS are: moisture content, calorific value and impurities or contaminants (foreign materials). All three variables must meet a certain level to achieve export quality. Japanese markets or their consumers generally require contaminants from 0.5 to 2%, while European 2% - 3%. A simple process can be done to get the quality of the PKS as above. Japan usually buys with a volume of 10,000 tonnes per shipment or their import, so for PKS providers must prepare a sufficient stockpile for the PKS. The location of PKS stockpile that close to the seaport is the ideal condition to facilitate transportation to shipment. 

Wood pelletproduction process is more complex than PKS, so wood pellet is categorized as finished product. PKS can be said raw product because of its industry activity is very minimal and simple, as explained above. In the production process of wood pellet will include selection of raw materials and the properties namely : cleanliness, drought, size, shape and hardness. Based on the characteristics of these raw materials, the next process varies until become the wood pellet products. The wood pellet production process is very much like the wood briquette. The quality of wood pellet is generally viewed from its density, calorific value and ash content. Indonesia wood pellet export is not as big as PKS, it is also because of the limited producers of wood pellet itself. Japan buys wood pellets from Indonesia mostly for testing on their biomass power plants. Shipping or export by container is still common in wood pellet commodity because the volume is still small.

For short-term orientation exporting PKS is a profitable business. This PKS some time ago only waste that contaminate and unworthy then large amount of it only used for road hardening and so on, but currently become a “hot” commodity.  Wood pellets with raw materials from energy plantations by planting the legume types such as calliandra are medium-term solutions to meet biomass fuel needs in Japan.  Torrefaction followed by densification can be a long-term orientation, so the torrified pellets product is superior to wood pellets because it can save transportation and facilitate handling, hydrophobic and higher calorific value.

Torrified Pellets

Government Regulation namely Indonesian Minister of Finance Regulation No. 67/2010 on Stipulation of Export Goods Subject to export duties (BK = Export Duties) have purpose to push downstream or production of various derivative products from oil palm including PKS. But the fact is not much that happened in the field related to PKS. In fact, many PKS providers are experiencing setbacks and even closed their businesses. This BK has made the price of PKS higher, thus making the market demand decrease. The higher the BK for the raw product and the lower the BK for the finished product the downstreaming will be faster, but it must be done through the process gradually, well-planned and comprehensive. Ideally the BK for the finished product is zero percent. Does the government ask people to wait next 2 years when PKS prices are high because their needs are projected to rise sharply? We don't know. While the best scenario is to reduce taxes so that the industries can grow so then they can start develop new products. Torrefaction of PKS becomes torrified PKS becomes the best solution for next development, because upgrading of PKS quality will give more economic value added. Carbonization or pyrolysis of PKS to PKS charcoal (PKSC = palm kernel shell charcoal) and then followed by densification into PKS charcoal pellets is also an attractive alternative.

Activated Carbon Production From Coconut Shell and Palm Kernel Shell

Magnification of the surface area due to the increasing number of micro pores that have great adsoroption ability is the main purpose of the production of activated carbon. Characteristics of the pores and even then vary depending on the application or use of activated carbon as an example the pores of the activated carbon used in the liquid, will be different which is used in gas substances. Characteristics of the pores can be designed and made during the production process. Basically the manufacture of activated carbon will involve high temperatures and adjuvant activating that can be a steam, CO2 or chemical, depending on the characteristics of activated carbon, or more specifically in the pores of activated carbon are generally calculated  by its surface area of the activated carbon. Additionally hardness of activated carbon is also other important quality factors of the activated carbon. This article is a continuation of my previous article about the production of charcoal from coconut shell and palm kernel shell continuously. Alhamdulillah can be done writing.

Activated charcoal production requires charcoal as raw material. The charcoal can be produced in both traditional and modern process. Charcoal quality will affect the quality of the final product of activated carboon. Modern charcoal production continuously be able to make the whole process of the activated carbon production becomes efficient when both are integrated into one. In the process of making charcoal which usually need to be cooled beforehand so into charcoal, then it can not be done when the production of charcoal continuously. Results of carbonization directly into the activation unit with only slightly raise its temperature, ie, if the carbonization ranging from 600 C and the activation of about 900 C. When using raw charcoal from the traditional process as a raw material, it takes far more energy to achieve the activation temperature of about 900 C.

Once out of the activation process, the active carbon is cooled by removing a number of considerable heat. Heat is released in large enough quantities can be used for drying coconut shell or palm kernel shell, giving it a special process of carbonization become more efficient as well as a whole with the activation. Activation adjuvant to be inserted in the activation process is well regulated its operating conditions of temperature, pressure and residence time to get the quality and quantity of activated carbon desired. In the activation condition, likened charcoal is material be punched by the activation of materials at high heat. There are many variants of activated carbon can be designed specifically for their intended use, so that the operating conditions and auxiliaries activation there are also variations.

The use of activated carbon, especially in the food industry (food) including beverages and pharmaceuticals, precious metals refinery (favor) and the oil and gas industry. Once the extent and magnitude of this use of activated charcoal so it is a great opportunity also for Indonesia, which has the best raw materials are also the largest quantity in the world of coconut shell and palm kernel shell. Will this also would be ignored? It should not. InsyaAllah

Coconut Shell Charcoal and Palm Kernell Shell Charcoal Production By Continuous Process

Indonesia as a coconut plantation owner (4 million hectares) and palm oil (11 million hectares), the largest in the world, was largely the result of the plantation still produces primary processed products such as CPO and PKO on palm oil and cooking oil at coconut. Production of various derivative products based on coconut and palm oil are many and value added is economically much more attractive largely untapped glance, thought much less do. Whereas if it is done it will give more added value, strong industrial competitiveness and of course employment. The extent of the plantations, many fruits, and high production of primary processed its supposed to be thrust towards the processing or production of a variety of downstream products or derivatives. Uneven distribution industry, market access to many types of derivative products, the quality of human resources, infrastructure and business environment that is less supportive of, among others, a number of factors that make the movement of the industry leading to downstream products such slow. Essential Material needs for human, commonly abbreviated 7F (Food, Fuel, Fiber, Fodder, Feedstock, Fertilizer, and Favor), also largely be filled based on palm oil and  coconut, so that the processing of natural resources such plantations to fulfillment 7F.

As the world's top producer of palm oil and coconut, should the downstream industries based on both raw materials are more easily and quickly realized, for example, the production of bath soap can best be produced from coconut oil and should become the world standard, as well as the production of biodiesel best of palm oil are also should become the world standard and so on. It's very possible. If that is not us who take  the chances that sooner or later must be taken by others. With the potential of say 6 billion world population or 250 million people in Indonesia alone, certainly potential market is huge. Bath soap for example combined with a distinctive scent of essential oils then the quality will also be special. Moreover, Indonesia is also one of the world's top producer of essential oils. Exporting primary processed products would also be beneficial, but how about making a variety of products that are ready-made so as to give more value added or greater profits? I think we all agree.

Waste in the form of coconut shell or palm shell, which are also abundant along both the fruit production, can also be increased added value, which is made with charcoal. The use of charcoal is also very much, especially in the food industry and the steel industry (favor). Traditional production of charcoal with a long production process, the yield is small and the smoke that many abandoned and should start using technology that is easier, faster and able to process the large quantities continuously. In a continuous process on the inlet side incoming raw materials while at the outlet discharge of the product, namely charcoal continuously. The activation process will produce activated charcoal which has a greater degree of usefulness and value-added, especially in the food industries and metal - minerals industries. Production of activated carbon from palm kernel shell charcoal (PKSC) and coconut shell charcoal (CSC) will be discussed after this. InsyaAllah.

Coconut shell is 12% of the coconut so that the number of coconut shells around 23,000 tonnes / year, while palm kernel shells are 6% of palm fruit and 20% is usually used fuel boiler in palm oil mill itself so that the amount of palm kernel shells with more than 600 palm oil mill in Indonesia then the amount will also be very large. For example: on a palm oil mill with small capacity i.e. 30 tons  fresh fruit bunch (FFB) / hour generated shell 900 tons/month, and about 200 tons/month to supplement the lack of calories with mesocarp fibre to fuel the boiler, so there is an excess of 700 tons/month waste of palm kernel shells. A very large amount and attractive to be developed. The average conversion of raw materials into charcoal is 25% with a fixed carbon content of at least 75%. Fixed carbon levels could be raised but the conversion rate becomes smaller. For those who are interested will pursue these charcoal production we can provide equipments for the production of charcoal with capacities ranging from 5 tons/day and please send an email to cakbentra@gmail.com. Hopefully this can be a small step to inspire based on palm oil and coconut - as the world's top manufacturers and can be run from the small-medium scale.