Opportunities In Utilizing Lignite In Biosolubilation-Based Liquid Fuel Production
Tina Mulya Gantina(a*), Purwinda Iriani(a) and Annisa Syafitri K(a)
a) Energy Conversion Engineering – Politeknik Negeri Bandung
Jl. Gegerkalong Hilir, Ciwaruga, Bandung 40012, Indonesia
*tina.gantina[at]polban.ac.id
Abstract
Brown coal (lignite) is a type of coal which possesses the lowest energy density relative to any other types of coal such as bituminous and anthracite. Its abundance, various usage, and relatively cheaper price is some of the many profitable traits for it to be used as an energy source for many industries. Because of the composition of the chemical compounds contained in lignite, harmful environmental impacts may arise along with the process of converting its energy through direct combustion processes. Its high water content along with low carbon content cause higher greenhouse gas emissions to be produced. However, the technology of using lignite as fuel does not only come in the form of direct combustion, a process called biosolubilization utilizes the role of microorganisms to convert solid coal into liquid fuel/chemical compounds while still producing environmentally friendly byproducts. This technology provides the opportunities to reduce the impact of pollutions caused by direct combustion and increase the utilization of lignite as a raw material for the production of liquid fuels without the involvement of thermal, physical and/or chemical processes. Studies found that lignite has a considerable abundance in Indonesia. In brown coal, the types and composition of aromatic compounds contained within it will affect the resulting compounds produced from the solubilization process. The more complex the chemical structure between aromatic compounds, the more difficult the solubilization process will become. Lignite, however, contains simpler aromatic compounds, a condition which optimizes the process. The opportunity to develop preparation techniques to obtain optimal biosolubilization results is still likely to be studied. The biosolubilization process involves several important stages, starting from coal preparations, optimizing the enzymatic activity of biosolubilization microorganisms, liquefaction processes, and depolymerization. The process of preparation and optimization of enzymatic activity has been widely carried out, the biggest opportunity for the development of biosolubilization techniques is the yield optimization within the process.
Keywords: lignite, biosolubilation, aromatic composition, enzymatic activity
Topic: Chemical Engineering