Adding values to agriculture productivity in District Number Four, Bong County - An Environmental Biothermal Palm Oil Factory
The current method of oil production in District Number Four is inefficient and unprofitable. In producing red oil, palm seeds are carried to an oil production center. The production technology is made of two pits dug in the ground. One is layered with rocks and the other is plastered with clay. The pit with the rock is used to grind the palm after it has been boiled in a container (locally called a “drum”). The pulps of the palm seeds are washed in the second pit. As the palm seeds and pulps are washed with water, a thick butter floats on top. This butter is collected and boiled in the same container. As the butter boils, the red oil floats on top and the residues remain under. This method of oil production is very inefficient, wasting more than 50 percent of oil.
Having grown up in District Number Four, Dr. Urey-Yarkpawolo experienced the suffering associated with making palm oil. To improve the production, Dr. Urey-Yarkpawolo transferred a biothermal energy system technology from India to District Number Four. He is currently building a one hundred thousand dollars biothermal palm oil factory in Garmue.
He is upgrading palm oil production by using a scientific steam pressurized sterilizer. In this method, sterilized palm fruits bunches are emptied into a big hopper of palm fruit stripper and fed to the stripper machine where palm fruits are separated out by jumping the bunches and falling and are collected at the bottom conveyor. About two tons of palm bunches are processed and fruits are separated and empties that are pushed out from the discharge chute at the opposite end which are excellent fuel for boilers after drying under the sun.
These palm fruits are fed to the digester kettle with steam jacket at the bottom. Feeding is automatic by palm fruits conveyor of 6 mt long which feed palm fruits to Digester kettle which is mounted on the expeller and is driven by chain and sprockets from palm expeller shaft. In digester kettle, palm fruits are vigorously cooked and then are fed to Palm oil expeller just by gravity where crude palm oil are extracted. Palm oil is collected in the bottom tank and a mixture of whole palm nuts and fibers are discharged from the side of the expeller.
Palm nuts are separated in a very simple machine Nut Fiber Separator. It is an inclined cylinder of wire netting screen from which fibers are passed through and nuts are collected at the lower end of the cylinder. Cylinder revolves by 1 HP motor. Fibers are again excellent fuel for boilers.
One steam engine drives an oil expeller and digester kettle. Another steam engine drives palm fruit strippers. Third steam engine drives a generator, which generates electricity for use for lighting, water pumping, for nut fiber separators, etc. All the 3 steam engines get the steam from one common boiler.
This system does not require outside electricity or diesel. So, the system is completely independent from power problems. The mill can round the clock and get full production without stopping. If the mill is not in use at night, a battery storage can be created to store electricity for use at night.
Once completed, this project will benefit palm farmers in District Number Four.