Ramavi Akbar Akhsanul Fitrah, Ratna Dewi Kusumaningtyas, Dwi Widjanarko, Catur Rini Widyastuti, Muslikhin Hidayat, Muhammad Aziz
While biomass is a promising carbon-neutral alternative to coal, the specific volatile matter (VM) flame characteristics of diverse biomass pellets, particularly water hyacinth, remain under-researched. This study uses a numerical CFD approach (Ansys Fluent) to investigate how varying VM fractions influence flame structure in a 2D planar slice of the furnace block (25 cm width). Simulations employed the SST k–ω turbulence and Eddy dissipation model to capture mixing-limited chemical reactions. Boundary conditions were based on experimental configurations using a 0.05 m/s air inlet velocity. Results using CO-based flame-tip markers revealed that water hyacinth (VM: 63.5 wt%) produced a peak temperature of ~1,400°C at 75 cm above the fuel, while rice husk and bagasse (VM: 59–77 wt%) exhibited longer, more intense hot plumes compared to the localized heat profile of coal. These findings demonstrate that biomass generates more dispersed combustion zones, aiding in furnace hot-spot prevention and air control optimization. A limitation of this study is that findings are based solely on numerical simulations without direct experimental validation, although the model replicates physical furnace configurations. These results provide a foundation for developing sustainable biomass– coal co-firing technologies. © 2026 The Author(s).
Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Sekaran, Gunung Pati, Central Java, Semarang, 50229, Indonesia; Automotive Engineering Education Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Sekaran, Gunung Pati, Central Java, Semarang, 50229, Indonesia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jl. Grafika No.2, UGM Campus, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia; Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8505, Japan
