Palm Kernel Shells

The Palm Oil Plant (Elais Guinensis), considering its three different varieties Durà, Pesipherà and Tenerà, produces an edible fruit similar to an apricot which has inside a nut. During the crude palm oil process the fruit’s flesh is melted through a steaming treatment. The residual nuts are further mechanically crashed to extract the seeds or Kernels. The crashed shells are called Palm Kernel Shells (PKS), a virgin biomass with a high calorific value (NCVAR typical abt 3,800 Kcal/kg – ASTM D5865 – 02).

Palm Kernel Shells has a very low ash and sulphur contents:

» Ash content (typical abt 3% weight – ASTM D3174-02)
» Sulphur content (typical abt 0,09% weight – ASTM D4239 – 02)

Palm Kernel Shells can be considered like a natural pellet and an high grade solid renewable fuel for burning, as received, both in co firing with steam coal or burned at biomass power plants, usually blended with other grades of biomass, like wood chips.