Energy needs in Indonesia are still highly dependent on limited fossil fuels, so it is starting to turn to renewable energy. In Indonesia, the massive application of renewable energy is still dominated by Solar Photovoltaic (PV), while other renewable energy such as wind energy and biomass is still very minimal.
Under such a condition, biomass can become one of the salient substitutes for fossil energy such as coal and gas. One of the Professors of Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia (FTUI), Prof. Dr. Ir. Adi Surjosatyo, M.Eng., researched the potential of Indonesian biomass as an alternative to renewable energy. “Biomass is a term used to refer to all organic compounds derived from cultivated plants, algae and organic waste that can be used as alternative energy sources with renewable raw materials. Indonesia has fertile soil and a tropical climate, allowing biomass to be produced all year round. Biomass energy can be a fuel solution that has not been renewable and pollutes the environment,” said Prof. Adi who is also a researcher at the Tropical Renewable Energy Center (TREC) FTUI.
FTUI is also developing biomass gasification that is connected to Internet of Things (IoT) in commercial development. Biomass gasification is an endothermic reaction process to convert biomass into combustible gas, occurring at high temperatures with limited oxygen.
“We designed Mobile Biomass Gasifier Prototype 3 as an advanced stage from the previous generation which aims to utilize biomass from rice into combustible gas that can be used as electricity through machines. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the producer gas from Mobile Gasifier Prototype 3 (P3) in the continuous gasification process with a fixed bed downdraft reactor,” said Prof. Adi.
Since 2019, Biomass Gasification Research Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering FTUI, in collaboration with Development Partner PT Melu Bangun Wiweka, developed Mobile Biomass Gasifier. Mobile Biomass Gasifier is a tool for converting biomass (rice husks, wood, leaves, corn cobs, etc.) into gasified gas (producer gas).
Gasified gas can be used as fuel gas for gas engines and industrial-scale heat sources. This equipment has a capacity of 35 kW thermal for the gas product and 20 kW electrical for the electrical product.
“The Mobile Biomass Gasifier has the advantage of being a renewable energy source that can support the transition to renewable energy because it meets the carbon neutral concept as plants that produce biomass can capture CO2 produced in the gasification process. In addition, this technology is also eco-friendly because it does not cause environmental pollution. In its development, this tool was examined in three prototype stages, namely Prototype 1 (P1), Prototype 2 (P2), and Prototype 3 (P3),” said Prof. Adi.
The initial stage of development of the mobile gasifier is with a capacity of 10 kW thermal and using a 10 kW single cylinder engine (P1). P1 has been equipped with a semi-controllable system and gas cleaning using an indirect condenser and biomass filter. P2 is an industry standard prototype with partner PT Melu Bangun Wiweka with a capacity of 25 kW thermal or 10 kW electric. P2 is equipped with 4 inline cylinder otto engine with 1:12 compression, PLC system and gas cleaning using indirect condenser and double biomass-paper filter.
P3 is the latest prototype with partner PT Melu Bangun Wiweka with a capacity of 35 kW thermal or 20 kW electric. P3 is equipped with PLC and IoT, so it can be controlled remotely and provide real-time data.
Together with Prof. Adi as the main researcher, Biomass Gasification Research Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering FTUI consists of Dr. eng. Radon Dhelika (Research Member), Ardiyansyah, Ph.D. (Research Member), Hafif Dafiqurrohman, M.T. (Project Manager-Research), Sarah Islamiati Pertiwi, M.T. (Research Assistant), Marcellino Lorenzo, S.T. (Research Assistant), Surya Kelana, A.Md. (Technician), Rohmat Mubarok (Technician), Ajeng Prabowo, A.Md. B.A. (Administrator), Ir. Teguh Nugraha Kusnan, M.Sc. (Partner Coordinator), and Angga Purnama Putra, S.T. (Project Manager-Fabrication).
