Analysis of phenol production technology from the waste of empty palm oil bunches: a review of methods and process efficiency

• Published in: E3S Web of Conferences
• Main Author: Saputro E.A.; Alias A.B.; Nurherdiana S.D.; Saraswati R.; Ariyanti D.; Redina E.R.P.; Awardani N.F.
• Format: Conference paper
• Language: English
• Published: EDP Sciences 2025
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85217235047&doi=10.1051%2fe3sconf%2f202560503045&partnerID=40&md5=ea000a4faad4cfe92685a69c32943d78

Empty palm oil bunches (EPB) are waste from the oil palm farming process that has not been widely utilized. This waste can be used as a raw material for the manufacture of phenols. There are various processes in making phenol from empty palm oil bunch waste, including pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction. Pyrolysis is the process of decomposition of a material that occurs at high temperature, which produces three products, bio-oil, bio-char, and gas. The phenol content contained in bio-oil is taken using a liquid-liquid extraction process. This pyrolysis has advantage including compactness and relative simplicity, fuel flexibility and clean carbon by product and low CO and CO2 emissions. This literature study aims to explain the method of making phenol and become a reference in terms of the selection of the process in making phenol, especially from empty palm oil bunches. © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences.