Author : B. Kareem and D. D. Babatunde

Twenty samples of Palm Kernel Shells (PKS) (ranging from 0.1g to 2g in step of 0.1g) were prepared. The samples were subjected to ultimate and proximate analyses to determine the energy content using methods of Association of Official Analytical Chemist (A.O.A.C.). The PKS samples were heated in a locally made tubular furnace (oven) and the oven temperatures were consecutively maintained between 2000C and 3500C in step 300C. The twenty (20) experimental runs (based on number of samples) were carried out at every oven temperature step. The outcomes of the experiment showed that the Optimum Higher heating Value (HHV) of the PKS (6618.50) is predictable at 2600C (furnace temperature) over contents’ composition using Response Surface Analysis (RSA). The results indicated that the PKS can be optimally converted to heat energy under the stated experimental conditions.

Keywords: PKS, A.O.A.C., HHV, energy content, regression model, optimisation, tubular furnace.