The present invention generally relates to a system for extracting palm oil, and more particularly relates to a system for enhancement of oil extraction rate of palm oil by adding enzymes to the processing of mass passed digester (MPD) of sterilized fresh fruit bunch (SFB).

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Oil palm is the most efficient oilseed crop in the world. According to Oil World 2013 report, one hectare of oil palm plantation is able to produce up to ten times more oil than other leading oilseed crops. The most efficient producers may achieve yields as high as eight tons of oil per hectare. Among the 10 major oilseeds, oil palm accounted for 5.5% of global land use for cultivation, but produced 32.0% of global oils and fats output in 2012.

Palm oil is one of the 17 major oils and fats produced globally. Among the 17 oils and fats, palm oil was the highest consumed oil in 2012, reaching three billion people in 150 countries. Global consumption for palm oil was 52.1 million tons in 2012. Palm oil is competitively priced against soybean, rapeseed and sunflower oil in the world's market for oils and fats.

Oil palm produces two different types of oils: palm oil and palm kernel oil. Palm oil is used in a wide variety of food products such as cooking oil, shortenings and margarine. Palm kernel oil is a raw material in the production of non-food products which include soaps, detergents, toiletries, cosmetics and candles. Palm oil is increasingly being used as feedstock for biofuel although its primary use remains for food. Palm oil is a balanced oil with a unique chemical composition that offers greater advantages compared to other vegetable oils: a) It has a longer shelf life as it does not become easily rancid b) unlike other vegetable oils, palm oil is naturally semi-solid and does not need to undergo hydrogenation to make it suitable for solid applications. The hydrogenation process is responsible for the formation of trans fatty acids which are detrimental to health.

Palm oil is versatile in its uses in the food and chemical industry and increasingly as a feedstock for biofuels, which is another reason for the rising popularity of palm oil. Other factors include the increasing demand for vegetable oils in general and the comparably low prices of palm oil. Industrial processes for the extraction of edible oil from palm oil generally involve mechanical processing or solvent extraction.

Conventionally, palm oil is extracted from the mesocarp of fresh fruit bunches by undergoing very complex and harsh mechanical process. The process of extraction which begins with the sterilization of FFB is the process whereby the FFB is loaded in cages and pushed into sterilizers where they are cooked under the temperature of 120°C at steam pressure 40 psig for 120 minutes. The purpose of sterilization is to deactivate the lipolytic enzymes which can increase the amount of Free Fatty Acids (FFA) in the fresh fruit bunches.

Then threshing process comes afterwards in which to separate the fruit from the bunch stalk through repetitive lifting and dropping of the bunches by gravity force. Digester is used to mash the loose fruits so that the mesocarps are separated from the nuts under high temperature of about 95°C. It facilitates the oil release with the help of thermal and mechanical energy. Later, pressing is done while the mash is hot (80-90°C). Clarification is to separate the oil from its entrained impurities. The crude oil produced from the press process contains mixture of palm oil, water, and cell debris, fibrous material and non-oily solids. After undergoing the purification step, dried oil is transferred to a tank for storage prior to being dispatched from the mill.

Meanwhile, there are mills which are interested to extract the edible oil from oil seed by organic solvent. Extraction with organic solvents is faster and more efficient, providing higher yields of oil. This is by far the dominant commercial process for extraction of, for example soybean oil, with greater than 90% of all soy bean oil extracted with hexane or other organic solvents. However, such solvents pose substantial safety issues, including the risk of fire and explosions from solvents, as well as exposure risks to personnel. Moreover, solvent extraction processes require expensive plants that are equipped to handle the solvents, as well as the required safety measures. In addition, the larger-scale use of organic solvents raises waste management concerns. Furthermore, for applications in food processing, the solvent based extraction may result in denatured, altered, or less functional proteins in the remaining, extracted portion of which known as palm kernel meal, decreasing the value of or use of this potentially more valuable portion of the palm oil.

The newest technology of oil extraction of palm oil is by using enzyme. According to scholar the enzyme-assisted extraction process removes phospholipids, which eliminates the degumming step from the process and reduces the overall cost of the final product (Christensen, 1991 and Latif and Anwar, 2011). The extraction efficiency and quality of the oils depend on the combination of the applied enzymes (Lamsal et al., 2006). In our finding it also improves the carotenoid value compared to untreated with enzyme. The enzymes for oil extraction that are most frequently reported in the literature are proteases, a-amylases, celluloses and pectinases (Rosenthal et al., 1996). Extraction of oil palm from the flesh of the fruit (mesocarp) using the enzymatic process has been reported recently by Rathi et al. (2012). The type of enzymes and concentration use was subject to the purpose of the invention as the enzyme cost is the main deterrent for the application of the enzyme in this fields.

Enzymatic extraction processing has found increasing interest due to the need for environmentally cleaner alternative technologies for oil extraction (Rosenthal et al., 2001). (Do and Sabatini, 2010, Lamsal and Johnson, 2007 and Rosenthal et al., 1996). The advantages of using enzyme have long been recognized as higher yields and generates less by-products. Due to these reasons, initiative steps to enhance the oil yields or the oil extraction rate of palm oil by addition of enzymes to the processing of FFB are materialized. By using the technology as per invented, the objective to enhance the oil extraction rate is achieved successfully. Therefore, there is a need of a system to enhance the oil extraction rate of palm oil by adding of enzymes to the processing of MPD of SFB. Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of described systems with some aspects of the present disclosure, as set forth in the remainder of the present application and with reference to the drawing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system for extracting palm oil from plurality of palm fruitlet are provided substantially as shown in, and/or described in connection with the accompanying figure, as set forth more completely in the claims.

According to embodiments illustrated herein, there is provided a system for extracting palm oil from plurality of palm fruitlet. The system includes a threshing unit, an enzyme dosing unit, a maceration unit, a digester unit and a press unit. The threshing unit threshes plurality of fresh palm fruit to provide palm fruitlets. The threshing unit further discharges the threshed palm fruitlets to a maceration unit. The enzyme dosing unit is to apply one or more enzymes cocktail to the threshed palm fruitlets discharged into the maceration unit. The maceration unit receives the threshed palm fruitlets to mix and homogenize the palm fruitlets and enzyme in order to soften and disintegrate the palm fruitlets. The digester receives the macerated palm fruitlets to improve release of palm oil through the rupture of oil bearing cells. The one or more enzymes cocktail composes of: celluloses, hemicelluloses, pectinases and xylanases. The press unit receives the digested palm fruitlets to extract the palm oil. In one embodiment, enzyme dosing unit is configured in between the threshing unit and the maceration unit. These and other features and advantages of the present disclosure may be appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the present disclosure, along with the accompanying figure in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

The accompanying drawing illustrates the various embodiments of systems, methods, and other aspects of the disclosure. Any person with ordinary skills in the art will appreciate that the illustrated element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figure represent one example of the boundaries. In some examples, one element may be designed as multiple elements, or multiple elements may be designed as one element. In some examples, an element shown as an internal component of one element may be implemented as an external component in another, and vice versa. Further, the elements may not be drawn to scale.

Various embodiments will hereinafter be described in accordance with the appended drawing, which are provided to illustrate and not to limit the scope in any manner, wherein similar designations denote similar elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an enzyme unit to apply one or more enzymes cocktail to the threshed palm fruitlets discharged into the maceration unit, in accordance with at least one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present system extracts palm oil from plurality of palm fruitlet. Additionally, the present system enhance the oil extraction rate of palm oil by adding enzymes to the processing of threshed palm fruitlets of SFB. The system includes a threshing unit, an enzyme dosing unit (shown and explained in conjunction with FIG. 1), a maceration unit, a digester unit and a press unit. In one embodiment, the threshing unit threshes plurality of fresh palm fruit to provide palm fruitlets. The threshing unit further discharges the threshed palm fruitlets to a maceration unit.

FIG. 1 illustrates an enzyme dosing unit 100 to apply one or more enzyme cocktails to the threshed palm fruitlets discharged into the maceration unit, in accordance with at least one embodiment. The enzyme dosing unit 100 to apply one or more enzyme cocktails to the threshed palm fruitlets discharged into the maceration unit. The maceration unit receives the threshed palm fruitlets to mix and homogenize the palm fruitlets and enzyme in order to soften and disintegrate the palm fruitlets. The digester receives the macerated palm fruitlets to improve release of palm oil through the rupture of oil bearing cells. The one or more enzymes cocktail composed of cellulases, hemicellulases, pectinases and xylanases. The press unit receives the digested palm fruitlets to extract the palm oil. In one embodiment, an enzyme dosing unit 100 is configured in between the threshing unit and the maceration unit.

The enzyme dosing unit 100 further includes a mixing unit and a spraying unit. The mixing unit mixes the one or more enzyme cocktails with water. In one embodiment, the mixing unit is a static mixer 102 or any type of mixing system. The spraying unit sprays the mixed enzyme composition and water onto the threshed palm fruitlets.

The mixing unit 100 may consist of dosing pump 112, static mixer 102 water pump 114, flexible pipe 122 and hot water tank 110, rotameter 124 for both enzyme and water line 128. The mixing unit 100 further includes a y-strainer 132 to strain or filter out any solid in the water 114. The mixture of the enzyme and water in the range of 65°C to 80°C to be mixed in static mixer 102 before spraying the diluted enzyme to the threshed palm fruitlets.

The spraying unit includes a spraying nozzle 106 to spray the enzyme composition having a predefined temperature to the threshed palm fruitlets. In one embodiment, the angle of spraying nozzle 106 is in between 45-75 degrees. The pre-defined temperature of the threshed palm fruitlets is in the range of 65-80°C. In one embodiment, the concentration of enzyme composition 118 is in the range amount from 200 ppm-1000 ppm per tons of fresh palm fruit bunches process per hour with dilution rate of 500 liter to 2000 liter per hour 110. Both enzyme and hot water are mixed in the static inline mixer 102 prior to dose the diluted enzyme using the spraying nozzle 106.Also, in the embodiment the spraying of the diluted enzymes to the threshed palm fruitlets is controlled using sensors. The function of the sensor is to detect the flow of the threshed palm fruitlets in the conveyor. The enzyme dosing unit will be automatically switched off if no continuous flow of threshed palm fruitlets is detected in the range of 5-10 minutes and will be switched on when there is flow of threshed palm fruitlets detected.

Further, the maceration unit includes a macerating conveyor or a macerating vessel or any type of macerating system. A mixing conveyor may be included prior to maceration unit. The maceration unit and/or a mixing conveyor maximizes the penetration of the enzyme to the inner layer of the palm fruitlet.

The maceration unit may prolong the retention time of the enzyme reaction with the substrate i.e. treated threshed palm fruitlets with enzyme. Specifically the maceration unit is able to prolong the retention time adequate for enzyme reaction i.e. 20 to 45 minutes with temperature of the treated threshed palm fruitlets with enzyme in the range of 65-80°C. The present invention provides the operating temperature and time for the enzyme to work ideally during maceration process in the maceration unit and/or digester unit. The maceration unit and/or digester unit is (are) controlled to operate at temperatures 65-80°C by controlling the steam input using temperature inline controller (TIC). The enzyme works at optimum condition between 65°C to 80°C for incubation time at least 20-45 minutes during maceration process in the maceration unit and/or digester unit.

The present disclosure is best understood with reference to the detailed figure and description set forth herein. Various embodiments are discussed below with reference to the figure. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed descriptions given herein with respect to the figure are simply for explanatory purposes as the methods and systems may extend beyond the described embodiments. For example, the teachings presented and the needs of a particular application may yield multiple alternative and suitable approaches to implement the functionality of any detail described herein. Therefore, any approach may extend beyond the particular implementation choices in the following embodiments described and shown.

References to "one embodiment," "at least one embodiment," "an embodiment," "one example," "an example," "for example," and so on indicate that the embodiment(s) or example(s) may include a particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element, or limitation but that not every embodiment or example necessarily includes that particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element, or limitation. Further, repeated use of the phrase "in an embodiment" does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described. All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned herein are incorporated herein in their entirety.

It is also noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "and", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the claims, the terms "first," "second", and so forth are to be interpreted merely as ordinal designations they shall not be limited in themselves. Further, the use of exclusive terminology such as "solely," "only" and the like in connection with the recitation of any claim element is contemplated. Also, it is contemplated that any element indicated to be optional herein may be specifically excluded from a given claim by way of a "negative" limitation. Finally, it is contemplated that any optional feature of the inventive variation(s) described herein may be set forth and claimed independently or in combination with any one or more of the features described herein.

All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

The recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value failing within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein.

All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate embodiments of the invention and does not impose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modification and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. There is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form or forms enclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modification, alternative construction, and equivalents falling within the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modification and variation of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.