Bunch Reception & Threshing:

Fresh fruit bunches are separated into loose fruit and bunches after being gathered from the field. Threshing of loose fruit or bunches is done to remove the fruit from the bunches.

Sterilization:

The fruit is treated with high-temperature wet heat to sterilize it. This step is crucial for the quality of the final oil and for removing the fruit from the stalks. Cooking fruit softens and weakens the pulp structure, which facilitates the detachment of the fibrous material and its contents during the digestive process. The high heat partially disrupts the oil-containing cells in the mesocarp, allowing oil to be released more readily. This step is essential in the palm oil refinery plant.

Digestion:

The fruit is reheated in a digester to break down the oil-bearing cells and release the palm oil. Digestion is the process of releasing the palm oil in the fruit by breaking down the oil-bearing cells. A cylindrical vessel heated by steam and equipped with several beater (stirring) arms is the typical digester. The shaft rotates centrally. The fruit is mashed by the motion of the revolving beater arms. Pounding, or digesting the fruit at high temperatures, helps to reduce the viscosity of the oil, destroys the fruit’s outer covering (exocarp), and completes the disruption of the oil cells already begun in the sterilization phase. This is a key process in crude palm oil refinery plants.

Pressing & Clarification:

In this section, the fruit is pressed to extract the palm oil by applying mechanical force to the fruit. The oil extracted from the fruit, along with other impurities, is sent for clarification.

Clarification:  The oil, water, and solids in a clarification tank. The water-soluble compounds separate from the oil and move into the water phase, and the oil rises to the top because it’s lighter than water. The oil obtained is crude palm oil, which is further sent for refining. These steps are integral in any palm oil refinery plant.

Gum Conditioning and Bleaching Section:

The crude palm oil gum conditioning is done with the help of phosphoric acid, followed by the bleaching section. Bleaching earth and activated carbon are used to lighten the oil’s colour. The mixture of oil and earth is then filtered with the help of a Vertical Pressure Leaf filter and finally sent to the deodorizing section. These processes highlight the advanced techniques used by palm oil refinery plant manufacturers.

Deodorizing Section:

Bleached oil is then passed through the palm oil physical deodorizing section to remove the smell and fats from the oil. This is a crucial step for palm oil refinery plant suppliers to ensure high-quality final products.

Dry Fractionation Section:

Deodorized palm oil is then passed through the crystallization and filtration process to remove the stearin from the oil. The final oil obtained is called palm olein.

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