Study on determination of calorific value of selected local weeds for ‘Waste to Wealth’ program

Abstract

Weed is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens. The objective of this study is to determine calorific values of different species of weeds in Malaysia that have potential to become net producer of renewable energy. Calorific values of weeds were determined using “dry” static jacket isothermal calorimeter and proximate analysis. However, proximate analysis which determine moisture, fixed carbon, volatile matter and ash content. Besides, functional group compositions of local weeds were determined by FT-IR spectroscopy. The aim of this study was weed had a high calorific value between 16 and 18 MJ kg-1 had the potential to become net producer of renewable energy among the weeds. Chrysopogon Aciculatus (Rumput kemuncup) had the highest heating value (HHV) (16.7507 MJ kg-1) among the species of weeds. While, Chloris Barbata (Rumput Mekar) was the weed had second highest HHV (16.6354 MJ kg-1). The following was Pennisetum Polyslachion (Rumput Ekor Kucing) had with HHV (16.5605 MJ kg-1). Eleusine Indica (Rumput Sambau) had the lowest value of HHV (16.0552 MJ kg-1) and Typha Angustifolia (Linnaeus) with value of HHV (15.6044 MJ kg-1). Result of FT-IR had indicated that samples of local weeds with functional group which has potential to be used as fuel.