Physical Refining is a Modern Alternative for Processing Crude Palm Oil Where

Physical refning is a modern alternative alternative or processing crude palm oil where the removal o ree atty acid is by distillation at higher temperature temperature and low vacuum.  This replaces chemical chemical reaction reaction mode using an alkali (caustic soda) soda) in chemical refning. The advantages o this physical refning method over the chemical refning method o palm oil refnery are; • etter yields • !igh "uality o atty acids as by#products • $ood oil stability • %imultaneous distillation o atty acids and deodori&ation • 'ower cost o euipment • %implicity o operation  Degumming Process

 The main obective o this degumming degumming is to remove remove the unwanted gums* which will interere the stability o the oil products in later stage. The obective is achieved by treating the crude palm oil (+P,) with the specifed uantity o ood grade acid normally phosphoric or citric acid o certain concentration.  The main component o contained in the gums* gums* which has to be removed* removed* is phosphatide. -t is vital to remove the phosphatides content in the crude oil because the presence o this component will impart undesirable avor and color* and shorten the shel lie o oil. o il. The phosphatides emulsiying action is the main culprit that causes the o/idative instability o the crude palm oil (+P,). -n this unit operation* the incoming crude palm oil is frst heated up to a temperature temperature o about 01 o+ # 221o+ beore it is treated with phosphoric acid.  The dosage o phosphoric acid normally used is within the range o 1.13 4 1.2 5 o oil weight with acid concentration appro/imately appro/imately about 61 # 63 5. -t is meant to decompose the non#hydratable phosphatides as well as to coagulate the phosphatides making them insoluble and thus easily removed removed during bleaching. 7/cessive amount o phosphoric acid are need to be avoided as it may cause rise in phosphorus acid and a nd this e/cessiveness may be di8cult to be removed and contribute to urther refning problems.  Bleaching Process

9uring bleaching process in palm oil refnery* degummed oil is treated with

bleaching earth and heated up to a temperature o about 211o+ beore entering the vacuum bleacher. The dosage o acid activated clay used is typically within the range o 1.3 4 :.1 5 by weight o oil and the contact time with continuous agitation is about 1 minutes. 2 9uring this stage* trace metal comple/es such as iron and copper* pigments* phosphatides and o/idation products are removed by adsorptive e
 The fltered oil (9P,) is then channelled into the deodori&er or the deacidifcation and deodorisation treatment. This process utilises a combination o  high temperature heating appro/imately about :>1 # :?1 o+* under vacuum (: # > mm!g) and direct steam inection o about :.3 # >.1 5 by weight o oil ('eong* 200:). 9uring this deodori&ation process* ree atty acid (@@=) in the orm o palm atty acid distillate (P@=9) is removed as refning waste* at the upper section o  deodori&er. =part rom @@=* carotenoids pigments* primary and secondary o/idation products are also being removed as it may contribute to o<#avours. The deodorised oil is then cooled beore it is fltered by means o a polishing flter and sent to storage tanks.