Session 1: CP2

ROHAYA MOHAMED HALIM

Designation
Principle Research Officer\ Leader of the Milling Group

Organisation/Agency
Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) since 1989

Qualifications:
 MSc (Chemistry), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 2012
 BSc (Chemistry), University of Maine, USA, 1995

Working background/ Area of Expertise / Interest:

 A promising scientist who has to her credit a number of environment friendly

patented process plants such as ROLEK series of nut crackers and zero discharge
dry cracked mixture separation systems
 Involved in developing equipment to Increase millig efficiency & productivity
 Value Addition product from oil palm biomass
 Involved in developing Pre-treatment system: short length fibre (Snipper Press &
Ligno Ripper Machine).
 Leader: NKEA project (EPP4): FOCUS: Increase Oil Extraction Rate
 She has filed half a dozen patents, won 5 national & international awards.
 ACHIEVING DRY SEPARATION OF KERNEL AND
SHELL VIA A FIVE STAGE WINNOWING COLUMNS
AT KILANG SAWIT FELDA AIR TAWAR, JOHOR

Rohaya Mohamed Halim , Ridzuan Ramli ,

Nasrin Abu Bakar, Choo Yuen May,

Hasliyanti Alias, Ravi Menon & Ng Peng Peng

 COLLABORATORS
 fabricate, install,
commission and optimize
the winnowing system as
agreed in the performance
targets of machineries

 jointly carrying out R&D

with MPOB

HUR FAR ENGINEERING WORK SDN BHD, PERAK

• Provide space, raw material,
man power, machineries &
utility for the commissioning
of the system

• Conduct commercial
evaluation with MPOB
(January - August 2013)

• Provide data on the separation

performance to MPOB
FELDA PALM INDUSTRIES (FPI) (September 2013 – August
(KILANG SAWIT FELDA AIR TAWAR, JOHOR) 2014)
 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Existing kernel / shell separation System:
• Dry Separation system – single or double
stage winnowing columns

• Wet separation system – claybath /

hydrocyclone – require a large volume of
water & clay Claybath

Wet shell
Disadvantages: Wet kernel

• Produce large volume of effluent –

additional cost to pre-treat the effluent

• Produce wet kernel and shell –require

longer drying time Hydrocyclone
 DESCRIPTION OF THE
TECHNOLOGY
• Designed to improve present
separation efficiency of cracked
mixture.

• Consists of a series of winnowing

columns.

• Each column was designed with

different parameters (e.g. air velocity,
column height, inlet and outlet level,
feeding ratio, etc.) in order to achieve
the desired shell and kernel ratio
separation at each outlet point.
FIVE STAGE WINNOWING
• This system uses the forced draught COLUMNS
(blower concept) where its air flow
velocity is adjusted via the blower or
damper located at the bottom of each
separating column.
 SPECIAL FEATURES - ENHANCE SEPARATION PROCESS

Partition in the separating column

Feed
• To divert the direction of the air material

flow away from the cracked

mixture feed flow path
Partition
Partition

• To create a laminar air flow

through the separating column –
better separation of cracked
mixture
Column Height = 4 m
Motor = 30 (21kW) & 25Hp(18kW)
 SPECIAL
FEATURES
Adjustable flap (damper) located at
the bottom of separating column
Damper
• change air flow rate (m3
/min) by altering the throat
diameter of the column to
cater for the differing
characteristics of the
cracked mixture Control panel
Concept of Separation
• Different air flow rate
𝑨𝒊𝒓 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 (𝒎𝟑 /𝒎𝒊𝒏)
indicated by the ampere at Air velocity (m / min) =
𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒂 (𝒎𝟐 )

the control panel

 Throat area = fixed in all case
 Air flow rate = varied by changing fan
speed via damper
 SCHEMATIC PROCESS FLOW OF A
FIVE STAGE WINNOWING COLUMNS

CRACKED
MIXTURE

SHELL

SHELL

Shell removal drum

SHELL

KERNEL KERNEL KERNEL

COLUMN 1 COLUMN 2 COLUMN 3 COLUMN 4 COLUMN 5

 SEPARATION PRINCIPLE
Column Products Recovery Products

1 SHELL Discharge small shell : 30-35%

Kernel losses : 0.1 – 0.2% / FFB

2 KERNEL Recover big whole kernel & big broken kernel : 20 – 30%
Dirt content : 1.0 – 2.0% (on sample)

3 KERNEL Recover small whole kernel and small broken kernel:

10 – 20%
Dirt content - 2.0 – 3.0% (on sample)

4 Discharge big & thin shell and small broken

SHELL kernel : 5-10 %
Kernel losses : 0.06 – 0.08% / FFB

5 Discharge small kernel : 5 – 7%

KERNEL Discharge big & thick shell : <5 %
+ SHELL Dirt content : 2 – 3% (on sampel)
Kernel losses : 0.06-0.08% / FFB
 COMPOSITION OF CRACKED MIXTURE FROM
ROLEK NUT CRACKER (FEED MATERIAL )

Palm Nuts Rolek Nut Crackers (4 T/hr) Cracked Mixture

Composition Whole Broken Half Un-cracked Shell
kernel kernel cracked nuts
nuts
(%) 25 - 40 < 12.0 < 3.0 < 1.0 45 - 55

***500 units
of Rolek
cracker sold
COMPONENT OF THE SYSTEM INSTALLED AT THE
KILANG FELDA AIR TAWAR , JOHOR (5 + 1)

• 5 Stage winnowing column - to separate kernel & shell

• single stage winnowing column – broken kernel

recovery system at the polishing drum

• 1 unit of nut polishing drum

• 1 unit of shell removal drum installed between column 1

& column 2 – to remove thick shell , uncracked nut and half

cracked nuts

• 3 unit of Rolek nut cracker

5 STAGE WINNOWING COLUMNS

Shell Outlet

Kernel Outlet
Nut Polishing Drum
4 pcs of mesh screen to
discharge small stone)
4 pcs of mesh
screen to
recover broken
kernel ex press

Small stone (10kg/hr)

Trunking to transport small • Dimension : 7.7 m length (25 ft)

broken kernel direct to the (4.9m/ 16 ft – commercial size)
winowing colum • Diameter (Ø) - 1.17 m (0.9m)
• Shaft-less technology
 Shell Removal Drum
 Installed between column 1 and column 2
 Mesh screen : 16mm dan 18mm
 To remove thick shell fragments at the early stage-
reduces the load of the cracked mixture to be
separated in stage 2, 3, 4 & 5.
 air velocity for all columns can be optimized to control
Screen Drum
kernel losses and dirt content.

Thick shell
discharged from the
Shell removal Drum drum
 OPTIMIZATION OF THE SEPARATION PROCESS
(Maximize the recovery of kernel & shell)

COLUMN AIR FLOWRATE PRODUCT (%)

(AMP)

1 26 SMALL SHELL 34.0

2 24 BIG WHOLE KERNEL 32.0

3 30 SMALL WHOLE 18.0

KERNEL

4 25 BIG SHELL 4.0

BROKEN KERNEL 5.0

5 25 +
SMALL THICK SHELL 2.0
 SAMPLING POINTS TO DETERMINE DIRT AND
THROUGHPUT
Kernel outlet at the end of the kernel
conveyor - samples of column 2, 3,
5,6
Kernel conveyor
to silo
Colum 4 Colum 3 Colum 2
Colum 5

Colum 6

Broken kernel
from
polishing
drum

Kernel outlet from colum

Kernel outlet from colum 5 3 (dirt & througHput) Kernel outlet from column 2 (dirt &
(dirt & througHput) througHput)

** Kernel sampling can be done either by individual sampling

point for dirt and shell content or at the end of the kernel
conveyor
 THROUGHPUT / MASS BALANCE
RECOVERY OF KERNEL AT COLUMN 2, 3 AND 5

COLUMN 2 COLUMN 3

BIG WHOLE KERNEL + BIG BROKEN SMALL WHOLE KERNEL +

KERNEL (32%) SMALL BROKEN KERNEL
(18%)

BROKEN KERNEL
COLUMN 5
(5%)
 DETERMINATION OF SHELL THROUGHPUT AND KERNEL
LOSSES IN SHELL
shell outlet from column 1
(losses & throughput)

drum 4 5
1

Shell outlet from Shell Outlet from column 5

shell removal drum Shell Outlet from column 4 (losses & (losses & throughput)
(losses & throughput) throughput)
 ThrougHput / Mass Balance
Recovery of Shell From Column 1, 4 & 5
COLUMN 1 COLUMN 4

Small shell (34%) Big thin shell ( 4%)

COLUMN 5

Big thick shell (2%)

 NUT HISTOGRAM
40.0

30.0
Percent (%)
20.0

10.0  Nut size :

0.0 10 -18 mm,
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
% Nut 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.9 3.8 9.4 21.7 34.0 20.8 6.1 2.8 0.5 0.0
% Kernel 0.9 2.3 9.3 17.8 32.7 24.8 10.7 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Size  highest:
% Nut % Kernel
 13-16mm
 (20-36%)
40.0
35.0
30.0
Percent (%)

25.0
20.0
 Kernel size:
15.0  7 - 14mm
10.0
5.0
0.0  Highest:
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
% Nut 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 7.1 29.5 23.2 25.0 12.5 0.9 1.8 0.0  10 – 12mm
% Kernel 2.5 11.9 21.2 37.3 19.5 7.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Size
% Nut % Kernel
SEPARATION PERFORMANCE

JANUARY 2013 – AUGUST 2014

Targeted Performance
Dirt & shell content in the production kernel - <5.5%
Kernel losses to FFB - < 0.3%
Kernel Extraction Rate (KER) - > 6.0%
Performance of a 5 Stage Winnowing Columns from (

Kernel losses : 0.11% to 0.30% to FFB- almost all figures falling < 0.25%.
Dirt content : 4.56% to 6.03% , most cases <5.5%.
High dirt content : in June (5.82%), October 2013 (6.03%) and April
2014 (5.97%).
KER : 5.85% to 6.89. Efficient performance from January
2013 to February 2014, KER were maintained between 6.29% to 6.89%
Comparison of Kernel Extraction Rate (KER) With Other Sister Mills
in The Same Region

6.40 6.32 6.27 Air Tawar mill : maintained above 6.0% every
6.20
6.00
5.77 month except in July 201 & June 2014.
5.80 5.70
5.58
Mill A : varies between 4.84 – 6.29%
KER (%)

5.60 5.39
5.40
5.20 Mill B : between 4.85 – 5.743%
5.00
4.80 *** KER decreased in June & July for all mills
2013 YEAR 2014
Average KER in 2013 & 2014 : above 6.0%
Air Tawar Mill A Mill B
compare to mill A & B
Comparison Of Kernel Losses (To FFB) With Other Sister Mills In The Same Region

0.30
0.25 Air Tawar mill : varied from 0.11% to 0.3%.
Total Kernel Losses (%)

0.25 0.22
0.19 Maintained <0.3%.
0.20 0.17 0.17 0.17
0.15 Mill A mill A & mill B : varied from 0.14 -0.27%
0.10 ***Mill A & Mill B : Double stage winnowing +
0.05
Claybath
0.00
2013 2014 Average of losses in Air Tawar in 2013 & 2014 is
YEAR
Air Tawar Mill A Mill B lower (0.17%) than mill A & B
Comparison Of Dirt Content In The Production Kernel With Other Sister Mills In The Same
Region

5.80
5.65 Air Tawar mill : slightly lower of dirt content
5.60
5.39
compared to other mills . Average : 5.33 & 5.12%
5.40 5.33 5.38
Dirt (%)

5.20 5.12
5.05
Mill A : Average : 5.38 & 5.05 5.82%
5.00 Mill B : Average : 5.39 & 5.65
4.80
*** use of shell removal eliminate the presence
4.60
2013 YEAR 2014 of the thick shell and contaminant carry-over as
Air Tawar Mill A Mill B
the dirt in the production kernel
 WINNOWING COLUMS –PARTS REPLACEMENT
 After 4 months operation - (2400 - 2600 hr)

1. cyclone at winnowing No. 1 & No. 2

2 units of carbon steel wear liner plate

2. Transfer trunking long bend at winnowing

Column no. 1 & 2
Cyclone -
2 units of carbon steel wear liner plate Carbon steel
wear liner
plate
 After 8 months operation -(4800 - 5200 hr)
Transfer trunking long bend
1. Cyclone at winnowing No. 1 –No.5 - Carbon steel wear liner plate

5 units of carbon steel wear liner plate

2. Transfer trunking long bend at winnowing

Column no. 1- no.5
5 units of carbon steel wear liner plate

3. Impeller winnowing (5 unit)

Impeller
Mill capacity - 50-60 tonnes MAINTENANCE COST : 5 STAGE WINNOWING
FFB processed / month = 25,000 – 30,000 Columns

4 months operation (2,400 – 2,600 hrs)

Pieces Price x Quantity ( RM) Total (RM)

LTDS No.1 & No. 2 (cyclone )
2 Carbon steel wear liner plate 880 x 2 1760.00

LTDS No.1 & No. 2 (transfer trunking)

2 Carbon steel wear liner plate 880 x 2 1760.00
8 months operation (4,800 – 5,200 hrs)
LTDS No.1 – 5 (cyclone)
4 Carbon steel wear liner plate 880 x 5 4,400
LTDS No.1 - 5 (transfer trunking)
4 Carbon steel wear liner plate 880 x 5 4,400
Total cost 1 year 12,320
Cost of motor, bearing & impeller (1 year) 13,000
Grand Total 25,320
Running Hours for One Year 300 000 hrs

0.084 tonnes
Maintenance cost (25,320)/300,000 hrs FFB
MAINTENANCE COST (JAN-AUG 2013)
MONTH FFB PROCESSED ( tonnes/month)
JAN 16170
FEB 12510
MAC 11220
APRIL 14620
MAY 11750
JUNE 13980
JULY 21290
AUGUST 21350
TOTAL 122890

Part replacement : 2 units of impeller (stage 1 & 3) @ 4,500/unit

Cost of maintenance : RM 9,000 / 122890 tonnes FFB processed

: RM 0.07 / tonne FFB processed
 POWER CONSUMPTION
POWER
MACHINE QUANTITY
(HP) (kW)

Rolek Nut Cracker 3 60 45

Cracked mixture conveyor (top &
2 11 8
bottom)
Cracked mixture elevator 1 7.5 5.5
Winnowing columns 5+1 155 120
Air Lock 17 51 37.4
Blower 2 40 30
Kernel conveyor 1 5.5 4
TOTAL 330 235

SPACE REQUIREMENT
10m x 6m (33’ x 20’)
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF USING 5 STAGE WINNOWING
COLUMNS
Investment Cost RM

• 5 – Stage Winnowing Column 950,000

• Single Stage winnower for Recovery of
Broken Kernel from Polishing Drum
• 3 units of Rolek crackers
Total
Total Saving / year RM
Total FFB processed mt/yr 184,335 718,900
• Increment in KER (min 0.3% = 553 mt/yr)
• Reduction in maintenance / effluent treatment 73,734
cost (RM 0.40/t FFB)
• Saving in clay consumption (RM 0.30 /tonne) 55,300

**Kernel prices at RM 1,300/t (Nov 2013)

Total/year 847,934
Payback Period < 1.2 years
 CONCLUSION
 The success of this invention is the result of
synergistic cooperation between MPOB and the
industrial collaborators especially Hur Far
Engineering Works Sdn Bhd and Felda Palm
Industries in revolutionizing the palm oil milling
technology to satisfy the needs of the oil palm
industry.

 MPOB’s contributions towards achieving zero waste,

income maximization and sustainability for the oil
palm industry.
 COMMERCIAL BENEFITS
This invention offers numerous benefits to the millers in terms:

• increase in kernel extraction rate of between 0.3% to 0.6%

• Reduction in overall operational costs due to :

 less maintenance – elimination of wet separation system

 no clay consumption and
 no treatment cost of the effluent – ZERO EFFLUENT
DISCHARGE from kernel recovery plant
 less drying time for dry kernel

• additional income generated through sales of the dry shell for value
added applications.
 EXHIBITION
SAWITPRO INDUSTRIES SDN BHD

BOOTH NO.12 & 13