THERMOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF OIL PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCH PEDUNCLE FOR USE AS A MULCHING MATERIAL

The choice of mulching or topsoil covering material for the retardation of soil water loss through evaporation requires a good knowledge of thermal properties of the material. Peduncle of oil palm empty fruit bunch was obtained from some local oil palm processing units in Uyo, soaked in water and air-dried completely before shaping and subjecting samples to various laboratory tests. The bulk density, water absorption, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, volumetric heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, thermal effusivity, and solar radiation absorptivity of the sample were found to be (332.59 ± 0.65) kg m –3 , (269.54 ± 1.28)%, (0.078 ± 0.001) W m –1 K –1 , (1552.56 ± 1.56) J kg –1 K –1 , (0.516 ± 0.001) MJ m –3 K –1 , (1.51 ± 0.01) 10 –7 m 2 s –1 , (200.42 ± 1.33) J m -2 K -1 s -1/2 and (15.54 ± 0.05) m -1 respectively in the longitudinal direction whereas the respective values were found to be (332.54 ± 0.68) kg m –3 , (269.51 ± 1.27)%, (0.042 ± 0.001) W m –1 K –1 , (1553.38 ± 0.44) J kg –1 K –1 , (0.517 ± 0.001) MJ m –3 K –1 , (0.82 ± 0.01) 10 –7 m 2 s –1 , (147.98 ± 1.57) J m –2 K –1 s –1/2 and (21.06 ± 0.18) m –1 in the transverse direction. The results of the tests favour the peduncle as a potential mulching material for retardation of soil water loss through evaporation and a slow response to changes in its thermal environment.