article · Journal of Engineering Research and Reports
In many African countries, small-scale processors produce a substantial portion of palm oil informally, but they face high processing losses reaching 15% of total crude output. These losses largely explain why smallholders occupy up to 70% of cultivated land yet yield barely half of national production. The clarification stage is particularly problematic, generating over half of mill wastewater and causing major oil loss. To address this, a two-chamber prototype palm oil clarifier integrated with an oil dryer was developed specifically for small-scale operators. Testing with oil obtained from a screw press showed a throughput of 0.82, an extraction rate of 16.33%, and a clarifier efficiency of 74.24% at an operational temperature of 85 degrees Celsius and a 1:2 mole ratio. This design offers a viable way to boost output in non-industrial mills.
Informal palm oil processors cultivate most of the land but lose substantial amounts of valuable oil because of inefficient clarification equipment. Improving the machinery available to these small-scale mills reduces waste and wastewater, helping producers extract more value from their harvests without needing expensive industrial installations.
The technology is an applied prototype designed directly for non-industrial and small-scale palm oil producers. Because it targets businesses unable to afford sophisticated industrial machinery, it has clear potential for manufacturing and deployment by agricultural equipment fabricators, though further commercial validation and scaled production testing are not detailed in the abstract.
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In most palm oil processing countries in Africa, a huge quantity of the oil is processed informally by small-scale processors which contribute significantly to national production. Unfortunately processing losses by small-scale processors are very high, reaching 15% of total crude palm oil production. Such huge losses account for the fact that the sector contributes barely 50% of the total crude palm oil production despite occupying up to 70% of the cultivated area. Palm oil clarification as a unit operation generates more than 50% of the palm oil mill wastewater. It therefore contributes enormously to oil losses in palm oil processing. The objective of this research therefore was to design a more efficient palm oil clarifier suitable for use by small-scale processors in order to curb oil losses. A two-chamber prototype palm oil clarifier, integrated with a palm oil dryer has been developed. Performance evaluation with oil from a screw press puts the throughput, extraction rate and clarifier efficiency at 0.82, 16.33 and 74.24% respectively when the clarification temperature is 85oC at mole ratio1:2. This equipment can be very useful to non-industrial palm oil producers who are unable to afford sophisticated equipment. Adequate clarifier design can significantly improve on the performance of non-industrial palm oil mills.
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DOI: 10.9734/jerr/2025/v27i11366
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