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Anaerobic Digestion of Palm Oil Mill Residues for Energy Generation

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Recycling of Solid Waste for Biofuels and Bio-chemicals

Abstract

Malaysia is one of the world’s largest palm oil exporter (39 % of world palm oil production and 46 % of world exports). In the process of producing palm oil, a considerable amount of water is needed, leading to the generation of large volumes of wastewater also known as palm oil mill effluent (POME). Anaerobic digestion of palm oil mill effluents (POME) has started as early as the 1990s using the anaerobic lagoon system comprising a series of ponds in combination with aerobic and pre-treatment ponds to effectively meet the effluent discharge standards. This conventional open pond system requires long hydraulic retention times, large land area and at the same time release uncontrolled greenhouse gas and odour to the atmosphere. Of late, there has been an emergence of more advanced anaerobic digesters in palm oil mills replacing the conventional lagoon system. This chapter discusses anaerobic technology for POME moving from a purely effluent treatment focus using conventional lagoons to more advanced controlled systems for energy recovery purposes using closed tank digesters. The issues of palm oil mill residues for energy recovery will also be looked at taking into consideration POME co-digestion with other materials and possible environmental impacts.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the valuable information provided by Messrs. United Palm Oil Industries, Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300, Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia

    Nastaein Qamaruz-Zaman, Nurashikin Yaacof & Hossein Faraji

  2. Solid Waste Management Cluster, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300, Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia

    Nastaein Qamaruz-Zaman

Authors
  1. Nastaein Qamaruz-Zaman
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  2. Nurashikin Yaacof
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  3. Hossein Faraji
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Correspondence to Nastaein Qamaruz-Zaman .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

    Obulisamy Parthiba Karthikeyan

  2. James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

    Kirsten Heimann

  3. SGS Hong Kong Limited, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Subramanian Senthilkannan Muthu

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Qamaruz-Zaman, N., Yaacof, N., Faraji, H. (2016). Anaerobic Digestion of Palm Oil Mill Residues for Energy Generation. In: Karthikeyan, O., Heimann, K., Muthu, S. (eds) Recycling of Solid Waste for Biofuels and Bio-chemicals. Environmental Footprints and Eco-design of Products and Processes. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0150-5_7

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