Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
needed by palm oil mill for extraction of 1.0 t crude palm oil. The wastes generated
are 28 % EFB, 24 % fibres, 6 % shell, 3 % DC and POME. Oil palm decanter cake
(OPDC) is a solid waste containing nitrogen (2.42 %), phosphates (0.51 %), potash
(1.29 %), calcium (1.6 %) and magnesium (0.5 %) hence, could be used as organic
fertilizer as well as soil amendment.
11.2.1.2
Biomass Wastes from Palm Oil Mills
The palm oil industry produces immense amount of wastes and its disposal is a big
task (Ma
1999
; Sridhar and AdeOluwa
2009
; Rupani et al.
2010
). In the palm oil
mill the FFB are sterilized and oil fruits are removed from the branches so the EFB
become residues and the fruits are pressed, the kernel is separated from the press
cake. The kernels then shifted and pressed in separate mills. In palm oil plantation
about 70 % of the FFB's are rotated into wastes in the form of EFB, fibers, shells
and liquid effluent. These by-products may be transformed into value-added prod-
ucts or source of energy for extra income (Table
11.1
).
11.2.1.3
Palm Kernel Shells
Palm kernel shells (PKS) are the portion left over subsequently the nut has been
detached during crushing in mill. Huge and little shell sections are assorted by dust-
like portion and tiny fibers. Kernel shells contain small quantity (11-13 %) moisture
compared to other biomass residues from different sources.
11.2.1.4
Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches
The EFB's are amply available as fibrous material of solely biological source in
a palm oil mill. Following the harvesting of FFBs, they are sterilized to inacti-
vate enzymes available in pericarp and untie fruits from bunches. The sterilized
bunches are fed into a gyratory drum thresher in order to remove the sterilized fruit
from bunches. These bunches exclusive of fruit are called as EFB. It was estimated
that 20,000-22,000 kg of EFB are produced from 100 t of FFB (Katamanee
2006
).
These EFB contains neither chemical nor mineral additives and have no inappro-
priate components. Usually EFB's are burnt which is a cause of air contamination.
11.2.1.5
Palm Oil Mill Effluent
The whole area under oil palm plantation increased in the past few years in Ma-
laysia so the palm oil mill production also increased. As palm oil mill wastes viz.
POME and POMF are the main by-products of the milling process. The fleshy me-
socarp of the fruit is used to get the oil and yield is 45-56 % of FFB. The probable
yield from both mesocarp and kernel is about 17 t ha
−1
year
−1
of oil (Corley
1983
).
