Abstract:
The use of alternative energy is needed to overcome the availability
of fossil energy sources. One alternative energy source is water
hyacinth through a pyrolysis process using a catalyst. Fly ash has
the potential to be a catalyst given its very low utilization in
Indonesia. Utilization of water hyacinth biomass through a pyrolysis
process using a fly ash catalyst was carried out to determine the
effect of catalyst activation and the amount of the catalyst on the
pyrolysis product. The purpose of this study was to determine the
optimum amount of catalyst and the effect of catalyst activation on
water hyacinth pyrolysis products. The experiment was carried out
in an electric pyrolysis reactor equipped with a condenser as a
coolant and a thermocouple. Nitrogen gas is fed into the pyrolysis
reactor to create inert conditions that prevent sample burning. The
crushed water hyacinth samples were put into the reactor with the
fly ash catalyst with a catalyst composition of 0%, 5%, 10%, and
15% of the raw material. The process lasted for 1 hour at 500
C.
The liquid product in the form of bio-oil is collected and then its mass
and volume are measured. The solid product in the form of charcoal
is taken after the pyrolysis process is complete and the reactor
reaches room temperature and then its mass is measured. The
highest liquid and solid yields were obtained with 10% activated
catalyst variations, namely 39.142% for liquids and 45.144% for
solids.
