Estudo da amêndoa de babaçu como matéria-prima para produção de biocombustíveis

Abstract

The growing demand for energy and the concern with the significant environmental impacts caused by excessive burning of fossil fuels, besides having high prices, are polluting and non-renewable reinforcing the need for the search for renewable energy sources such as biofuels that they are economically viable and environmentally friendly. The Babassu (Orbignya sp.) Was used as a source of research for this study in order to determine its suitability as biomass for energy purposes due to their socio-economic importance and highlight the northeast region has in its extraction. oil extraction were made from almond babassu oil and then biodiesel production; the characterization of the almond oil, biodiesel and post-extraction residual pie and the feasibility study for the production of briquettes formed by Pie Residual and other biomass. The characterization of the raw material, product, by-products and briquettes was performed according to methods described in the NBR, ASTM and the Adolfo Lutz Institute Manual. The oil solvent extraction process performed in almond fresh and showed degraded, respectively, an efficiency of 52.1% and 50.07%; but when subjected to a secondary process by press extraction efficiency reached 59.8% and 70.66%. The carbonization of the post-extraction residual cake was held in the muffle furnace at temperatures of 250 ° C, 300 ° C, 350 ° C and 400 ° C. The most relevant results for the babassu oil were: acid number of 4.64 mg KOH / g Saponification value 228, 73 mg KOH / g. For biodiesel babassu were: density 0.88 g / cm3; Higher Calorific Power (HCP) of 38.54 MJ / kg. For the almond babassu in natura was: PCS 30.03 MJ / kg. The residue after extraction in nature presented HCP 23.06 MJ / kg. After carbonization HCP’s were obtained: 28.07 MJ / kg; 30.69 MJ / kg; 28.24 MJ / kg and 18,27MJ / kg, respectively to temperatures of 250 ° C, 300 ° C, 350 ° C and 400 ° C. The results of the analyzes for babassu kernel showed that it presents an untapped potential as, for example, the possibility of being used as a source of energy and as binding agent.