Shyam Lakshmanan, Yen Li Yung*, Kalaiselvan Palanisamy; How Kee Ling

Abstract
The palm oil industry extensively utilizes palm biomass from the mills as a source of fuel for generating steam and power. However, the use of palm biomass presents several problems. The high moisture content (in excess of 50%) requires more fuel to be consumed and limits the distance from which the fuel may be collected, as transportation costs are generally higher than the cost of fuel, making it uneconomical to transport it over long distances. The fibrous nature of palm biomass makes it easy to knot-up, which causes bridging and associated handling problems. Palm biomass-fuelled boilers must operate below 900°C to avoid fusion and adhesion of the fuel onto the tube surfaces, which can lead to severe damage to the tubes. This paper aims to share the lesson learnt from a biomass power plant and how it has addressed some of the common problems faced by biomass-fuelled boilers.