Development of generating heat energy from empty oil palm bunch powder in cylinder bio-stove with pyrolysis and gasification technology

• Potential generating heat energy from the fine powder of empty fruit bunches (EFB). • The bio-stove with EFB has been proven functional and produces stable heat energy. • Cost-effective with EFB stove for producing heat energy compared to LPG stove. • Pyrolysis & Gasification occurred in EFB with moisture of 9 %, 11 %, 14 % for 4.5 h. This research seeks to investigate the potential of generating heat energy from the fine powder of empty fruit bunches (EFB) as a biomass energy source. The fine powder of EFB is compacted into a bio-stove cylinder with three different parts of the moisture content of 9 %, 11 %, and 14 % at the same height. The middle part is then hollowed out like a tube, which becomes a gap for the pyrolysis and gasification processes. The bio-stove has been proven functional and produces stable heat energy to boil 1.5 liters of water with generated heat energy of ±110 Kcal in ±6 min, almost equal to an LPG stove, which is ±180 Kcal in ±6 min [1]. Additionally, it offers a more cost-effective alternative compared to LPG for producing heat energy with prices of IDR 220,000 for EFB stove and IDR 1,260,000 for LPG stove [2] and the pyrolysis and gasification process occurred throughout the entire area of the fine powder of EFB with a moisture content of 9 %, 11 %, and 14 % for 4.5 h with a temperature maximum of 700°C, 836°C and 826°C respectively and thermal conductivity K = 3 W.m/C, K = 0.2 W.m/C and K = 0.8 W.m/C respectively. These findings contribute to the advancement of sustainable heat energy production from EFB biomass as a renewable resource. Furthermore, it offers valuable insight into the combustion behavior of finely ground EFB, including the time required for bio-stoves to sustain a stable flame, which can be used in pyrolysis machine reactors, steam boilers, communal cooking utensils, and other energy applications.