Monoethanolamine Pulping Of EFB Agro-Biomass: Effect of Operational Variables on Pulp Screen Yield

In this research work, pulping trials were carried out using the MEA process. The operating conditions such as 50%, 75%, 100% MEA concentration, 150, 160, 170oC cooking temperature, and 60, 90, 120minutes cooking time at constant 4/1 liquor biomass ratio were investigated systematically to establish optimal pulping conditions. This paper investigates the effect of operational (independent) variables i.e. cooking temperature, cooking time, and liquor concentration at constant liquor-biomass ratio of 1/4 on pulp screened yield (dependent variable). By using a central composite factorial design (CCD), equation relating the dependent variable to the different independent variables was derived; which reproduced the experimental results for the dependent variable with errors less than 15%. The lignin content of EFB (18.29%) was low; indicating that EFB should be easier to pulp. The optimum cooking conditions for MEA pulping were 75% MEA concentration, 90 minutes cooking time, and 150°C cooking temperature. The laboratory-scale experimental results indicated that MEA-pulping process is particularly well suited for the pulping of agro-based fibers e.g. EFB of Oil Palm, which was delignified to a low kappa number value of 17.5, pulp yield of 54.73% and screen yield of 53.27% recording a reject of only 1.46%, indicating a good alternative to the Kraft pulping process because of its less polluting effect (environmental impact).