What is dry fractionation process of RBD palm oil? --palm oil dry fractionation technology method analysis

RBD palm oil dry fractionation technology is one of current used palm oil fractionation method, is also one of the most economical methods. In dry fractionation process of RBD palm oil, the palm oil is heated in advance, then slowly cooled to a certain extent, and at last filtered to separate palm olein and stearin.

RBD palm oil dry fractionation technology is also the main palm oil fractionation method used in Henan Doing palm oil fractionation plant. Doing Company engineers specially design 1-5tpd small palm oil fractionation plant for small palm oil refinery plant. [Watch: 1-5tpd palm oil fractionation machine working process 3D video]

1-5tpd palm oil fractionation plant 3D view

The detailed introduction of palm oil dry fractionation technology method:

As stated in the first paragraph of the article，there are three steps in the palm oil dry fractionation technology process.

1. Heating: The first step in palm oil dry fractionation technology process is to break the crystal in RBD palm oil.

Heating section in palm oil dry fractionation process

RBD palm oil is semi-solid at normal atmospheric temperature and the saturated acid and unsaturated acid content in RBD palm oil is about 50%, such unique composition of which determines that the crystallization process is complicated.

Palm oil is dissolved into a liquid state by heating before processing, and is generally heated to about 70℃ before crystallization to break all existing crystals.

In the heating process, the RBD palm oil is heated in order to destroy the memory effect before it is cooled in crystallizer chamber. The presence of crystal memory can negatively affect the yield and process repeatability. In other words, heating is an very important precondition in the whole palm oil dry fractionation technology method, beause the effect of heating will influence the effect of next step--palm oil cooling and crystallization process.

2. Cooling and Crystallization: In palm oil crystallization process, solid crystals are produced in a liquid matrix by a cooling process, which is the second step in palm oil dry fractionation technology process.

Cooling and Crystallization section in palm oil dry fractionation process

The cooling and crystallization is the key to palm oil dry fractionation technology successful. If crystallization is successful, it is easy to separe palm olein and stearin. But if the effect of palm oil crystallization process is not too good, the RBD palm oil should be heated again and then cooled again slowly.

The specific operation of palm oil cooling and crystallization process:

By setting the temperature difference between the oil and the cooling water and the cooling time,to control the cooling process under stirring and circulating water cooling, then form a crystal nucleus and grow up slowly. When the desired temperature is reached (depending on the quality of the desired palm olein, usually 20℃), stop cooling.

3. Filtration: The last step of palm oil dry fractionation technology process, palm olein is separated from the palm stearin.

Membrane filters in palm oil dry fractionation plant

The selection of filter machine has a great influence on the yield of palm olein. Doing Company Engineers recommend using membrane filters in palm oil dry fractionation technology process, because it is widely applied in recent decades. Compared with continuous belt vacuum filter and drum filter, membrane filter has higher yield of palm olein (70%-75%) and higher hardness of palm stearin, while the yield of palm olein separated by other two filters is only 65%.

Above is about the analysis of what is dry fractionation process of RBD palm oil, and I believe that you have a preliminary understanding of the palm oil dry fractionation technology method. Doing Company has rich experience in designing palm oil fractionation plant which use dry fractionation technology. If you are interested in building a palm oil fractionation plant, welcome to contact Henan Doing Mechanical Equipment Co., Ltd, and our engineers can answer your query.