Palm Kernel Solvent Extraction Plant

Palm kernel extraction is a specialised operation undertaken by a completely different set of processors. They are usually better organized as a group and are not as dispersed as palm oil processors. Palm kernel oil is an edible plant oil derived from the kernel of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis.

Palm kernel cake is not very cohesive and is sold as flour. It has the lowest protein content among all oilseed meals but an equally high content of crude fibres and hence suitable as diary fodder. Palm kernel itself is a hard seed and it is to be cracked and decorticated prior to recovery of the oil. Palm kernel contains more than 45% oil. Palm kernels are first subjected to mechanical pressing in the oil mill with the help of screw presses where portion of oil is recovered, the resultant palm kernel cake containing 14 to 16% oil is subjected to solvent extraction for recovery of balance oil.

Methods of Palm Kernel Solvent Extraction Plant

The traditional palm kernel solvent extraction plant  usually starts with the shelling of the palm nuts. The shelling used to be performed using two stones to crack each nut and separating the kernel and shell simultaneously. This manual operation has been largely superseded by the use of nut-cracking stations.

The mechanical nut-crackers deliver a mixture of kernels and shells that must be separated. The kernel / shell separation is usually performed in a clay-bath, which is a concentrated viscous mixture of clay and water. The density of the clay-bath is such that the shells sink while the lighter kernels float to the top of the mixture. The floating kernels are scooped in baskets, washed with clean water and dried. Periodically, the shells are scooped out of the bath and discarded.

The traditional oil extraction method is to fry palm kernels in old oil or simply heat the dried nuts. The fried kernels are then pounded or ground to a paste in a motorised grinder. The paste is mixed with a small quantity of water and heated to release the palm kernel oil. The released oil is periodically skimmed from the top.

Our Palm Kernel Solvent Extraction Plant Methods

• Seed Cleaning
• Cooking / Conditioning
• Pre Pressing
• Solvent Extraction