Production and Characterization of RDF Pellets from Food and Paper Waste as a Renewable Energy Source

Siti Nur Najwa Rosli; Munira Mohamed Nazari

doi:10.58915/aset.v4i2.2699

Authors

Siti Nur Najwa Rosli Universiti Malaysia Perlis
Munira Mohamed Nazari Universiti Malaysia Perlis

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58915/aset.v4i2.2699

Keywords:

Food Waste, Pelletization, Refused-derived Fuel, Renewable Energy

Abstract

This study investigates the production of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) pellets from a blend of food waste, specifically banana peels and paper waste. The goal is to develop a renewable energy source from commonly discarded materials. RDF pellets, formed by compacting various types of organic waste into dense, cylindrical forms suitable for combustion, are the focus of this research. This study produced RDF pellets using a hydraulic pressure of 5 kPa, with food waste-to-paper waste ratios of 30:70, 50:50, and 70:30. The resulting pellets were then analyzed for their physicochemical and morphological properties. Among the tested formulations, the 70:30 ratio yielded the most favourable results, achieving a high heating value (HHV) of 19.92 MJ/kg. Increasing the proportion of banana peels enhanced the pellet density and compactness, indicating a strong influence of composition on fuel quality. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed a more homogeneous and tightly bound internal structure in pellets with higher banana peel content, correlating with improved mechanical strength and energy density. These findings underscore the potential of integrating food and paper waste for RDF production, supporting both sustainable energy generation and effective waste management strategies.

References

[1] Malaysian Investment Development Authority. Waste-to-energy (WTE): The preferred approach for waste management in Malaysia. MIDA (2023, July 25).

[2] BioEnergy Consult. Refuse-derived fuel: A renewable energy option from MSW. BioEnergy Consult (2024, March 18).

[3] Li, T., Li, W., Lou, Z., & Wang, L. Comprehensive Analysis of Industrial Solid-Waste-to-Energy by Refuse-Derived Fuel Technology: A Case Study in Shanghai. Sustainability, vol 16, issue 10 (2024) p. 4234.

[4] International Trade Administration. Malaysia waste management. International Trade Administration, Washington, USA (2024). Available from: https://www.trade.gov/market-intelligence/malaysia-waste-management-solutions.

[5] Hassan, H. F., Hassan, U. F., Usher, O. A., Ibrahim, A. B., & Tabe, N. N. Exploring the potentials of banana (musa sapietum) peels in feed formulation. International Journal of Advanced Research in Chemical Science, vol 5, issue 5 (2018) pp. 10-14.

[6] Gupta, G., Baranwal, M., Saxena, S., & Reddy, M. S. Utilization of banana waste as a resource material for biofuels and other value-added products. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, vol 13, issue 14 (2023) pp. 12717-12736.

[7] Sarkar, A., & Praveen, G. Utilization of waste biomass into useful forms of energy. In Biofuels and Bioenergy (BICE2016) International Conference, Bhopal, India, 23-25 February 2016. Cham: Springer International Publishing (2017) pp. 117-132.

[8] Ministry of Economy, Malaysia. National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR). FAOLEX / UNEP Law and Environment Assistance Platform (2024, April 24).

[9] Bishnoi, S., Sharma, S., & Agrawal, H. Exploration of the potential application of banana peel for its effective valorization: A review. Indian Journal of Microbiology, vol 63, issue 4 (2023) pp. 398-409.

[10] Ibitoye, S. E., Mahamood, R. M., Jen, T., Loha, C., & Akinlabi, E. T. An overview of biomass solid fuels: Biomass sources, processing methods, and morphological and microstructural properties. Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, vol 8, issue 4 (2023) pp. 333-360.

[11] Mohd Dom, Z., Mujianto, L., Azhar, A., Masaudin, S., & Samsudin, R. Physicochemical properties of banana peel powder in functional food products. Food Research, vol 5, issue 1 (2021) pp. 209-215.

[12] Ansari, N. A. I. M., Ramly, N., Faujan, N. H., & Arifin, N. Nutritional content and bioactive compounds of banana peel and its potential utilization: a review. Malaysian Journal of Science Health & Technology, vol 9, issue 1 (2023) pp. 74-86.

[13] Imran, A. M., Widodo, S., & Irvan, U. R. Correlation of fixed carbon content and calorific value of South Sulawesi Coal, Indonesia. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, vol 473, issue 1 (2020) p. 012106.

[14] Bruce, G. M. Chapter 5 – Technologies for coal utilization. Coal Energy Systems (2005) pp. 195-281.

[15] Kabenge, I., Omulo, G., Banadda, N., Seay, J., Zziwa, A., & Kiggundu, N. Characterization of banana peels wastes as potential slow pyrolysis feedstock. Journal of Sustainable Development, vol 11, issue 2 (2018) pp. 14–25.

[16] Chotikhun, A., Laosena, R., Kittijaruwattana, J., Lee, S. H., Sae-Ueng, K., Nakason, C., ... & Salca, E. A. Elemental compositions of wood plastic pellets made from sawdust and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) waste. Applied Sciences, vol 13, issue 20 (2023) p. 11162.

[17] Oladeji, J. T. Fuel characterization of briquettes produced from corncob and rice husk resides. The Pacific Journal of Science and Technology, vol 11, issue 1 (2010) pp. 101-106. [18] Nazari, M. M., San, C. P., & Atan, N. A. Combustion performance of biomass composite briquette from rice husk and banana residue. Int. J. Adv. Sci. Eng. Inf. Technol, vol 9, issue 2 (2019) pp. 455-460.

[18] Nazari, M. M., San, C. P., & Atan, N. A. Combustion performance of biomass composite briquette from rice husk and banana residue. Int. J. Adv. Sci. Eng. Inf. Technol, vol 9, issue 2 (2019) pp. 455-460.

[19] Jewiarz, M., Mudryk, K., Wróbel, M., Frączek, J., & Dziedzic, K. Parameters affecting RDF-based pellet quality. Energies, vol 13, issue 4 (2020) p. 910.

[20] Kalak, T. Potential use of industrial biomass waste as a sustainable energy source in the future. Energies, vol 16, issue 4 (2023) p. 1783.

[21] Economic Planning Unit (EPU). The 12th Malaysia Plan 2021–2025. Government of Malaysia (2021).

[22] Gaina, P. C., Sari, M. M., Suryawan, I. W. K., Prayogo, W., Ummatin, K. K., Arifianti, Q. A. M. O., & Faria, N. Characteristics of Density and Hardness on Caloric Value of Substitution of Biomass and Pet Plastics as Refused Derived Fuel Pellets. Jurnal Bahan Alam Terbarukan, vol 12, issue 1 (2023) pp. 39-44.

[23] Özyuğuran, A., & Yaman, S. Prediction of calorific value of biomass from proximate analysis. Energy Procedia, vol 107 (2017) pp. 130-136.

[24] Jewiarz, M., Mudryk, K., Wróbel, M., Frączek, J., & Dziedzic, K. Parameters affecting RDF-based pellet quality. Energies, vol 13, issue 4 (2020) p. 910.

[25] Santos, S. M., Nobre, C., Gonçalves, M., & Brito, P. Characterization of Refuse-Derived Fuel Pellets and Feasibility Assessment of Their Application in CO2 Gasification. In Insights into Energy Trends: Selected Papers from ICOWEFS 2024. Springer (2025) pp. 89-97.