Set Up Palm Oil Refining Plant to Start Palm Oil Processing Business

Starting your own palm oil refinery plant is an ambitious yet highly rewarding journey. I’ve had the privilege of working with clients in more than 80 countries, and I’ve seen firsthand how a well-planned refinery transforms a business. Whether you’re a farmer looking to scale up or an investor seeking high-yield opportunities, this guide will help you navigate the path.

QIE Machinery, is a professional world-wide palm oil refining plant supplier. We highlight the quality and efficiency in the manufacturing of palm oil refining machine, and the design of palm oil refining plant project, which will ensure long-term operation of the edible oil refine once it built up and minimize the maintenance cost for the palm oil processing machinery.

Palm Oil Refinery Flow Chart:

Basing on the traditional oil refining technology, our company has developed the latest combined packing layer plate deodorization soft tower and the physical and chemical mixed refining technology for crude oil of any quality. Moreover, a series of advanced technology and equipment are used, such as super wet deguming, bleaching earth automatic metering, negative pressure decoloring, high vacuum steam jet deodorization, deacidification, winterization dewaxing etc. With advanced technology, superior equipment, full-automatic control and excellent economic and technical parameters, our equipment can meet customers’ different refining requirements at home and abroad.

Palm Oil Refining Degumming and Deacidification Section

Washing: there is still about 500ppm soap in the neutralized oil from the separator. To remove the remaining soap, add into the oil about 5~8% hot water, with water temperature 3~5 ℃ higher than the oil generally. To achieve more stable washing effect, add phosphoric acid or citric acid when washing. The re-mixed oil and water in the mixer is heated to 90-95℃ by the heater, and then enters the wash separator to separate the remaining soap and most water. The water with soap and oil enters into oil separator to separate out oil in the water. Further catch the oil outside, and the wastewater is discharged to the sewage treatment station.

Vacuum drying stage: there is still moisture in the oil from the wash separator, and the moisture will affect the stability of the oil. So the oil at 90℃ should be sent to vacuum drier to remove the moisture, and then the dehydrated oil goes to the decoloring process. Finally, pump out the dry oil by canned pump.

Dephosphorization & Degumming Equipment:
1.Crude oil feed pump
2.Crude oil filter
3.Saving energy heat exchanger
4.Crude oil heater
5.Acidification of delay reaction tank
6.Phosphoric acid dosing pump
7.Multiple effect mixer

Palm Oil Refining Decolorizing Section

Decolorizing section is a major part of palm oil mill process. Decolorizing section is mainly used to remove oil pigment, residual soap particles and metal ions. Under negative pressure, the mechanical mixing method combined with steam mixing will improve the decolorizing effect.
The degumming oil firstly enters into the heater to be heated to the appropriate temperature of 110 degrees Celsius, and then goes to the blenching earth mixing tank. The blenching earth is delivered from the low blenching box to the temporary tank by wind. The blenching earth is added by automatic metering and is interlockly with the oil.
The oil mixed with the blenching earth overflows into the continuous decolorizer, which is stirred by non-powered steam. The decolorized oil enters into the two alternate leaf filters to be filtered. Then the filtered oil enters the decolorized oil storage tank through the security filter.
The decolorized oil storage tank is designed as the vacuum tank with the nozzle inside, so as to prevent the decolorized oil contacting with air and influencing its peroxide value and color reversion.

Decolorizing Equipment:
1.Decolorized oil pump
2.Leaf filter
3.Electric hoist
4.Bag filter
5.Bag filter
6.Dirty oil tank
7.High position Clay storage tank
8.Clay feeder
9.Pulse dust collectors
10.Pressure centrifugal fan
11.Bleaching earth dosing device
12.Clay mixing tank
13.Decolorizing tower
14.Mesh Washing pool
15.Oil-gas separator
16.Steam separator
17.Steam distributor

Palm Oil Refining Deodorization Section

The qualified decolorized palm oil enters into the spiral plate heat exchanger to recover most of the heat, and next goes to high pressure steam heat exchanger to be heated to the process temperature of 240-260 degrees Celsius, and then enters the deodorizer tower. The upper layer of combined deodorization tower is the packing structure that is mainly used to remove the odor producing components such as free fatty acid (FFA). The bottom layer is the plate tower which is mainly for achieving the hot decolorizing effect and reducing the peroxide value of the oil to zero.

Crude palm oil from the deodorization tower enters into the heat exchanger to recover most of the heat and makes further heat exchange with crude palm oil, and then is cooled to 80-85 degrees Celsius through the cooler. Add the required antioxidant and flavor agent, and then cool the palm oil below 50 degrees Celsius and store it. The packing catcher separates such volatiles as FFA from the deodorizing system, and the separated liquid is FFA at low temperature of 60-75 degrees Celsius. When the liquid level in the temporary tank is too high, the oil will be sent to the FFA storage tank.

Deodorization Equipment:
1.Oil supplying pump for Deodorization
2.Deodorized oil pump
3.Fatty acid cycle pump
4.Deodorized oil Cooler
5.Fatty acid Cooler
6.Conduction oil heater
7.Oil to oil heat exchanger
8.Polishing filter
9.Vacuum deaerator
10.Fatty acid cycle tank
11.De-acidification Deodorizing tower
12.steam jet pump
13.Sechanical vacuum pump
14.Mechanical vacuum pump
15.Steam jet pump
16.Seal water tank
17.Steam distribution cylinder
18.Water distributor
19.Cyclic water pump
20.Cooling water pump
21.Cool water tower
22.Heat conduction oil boiler system
23.Expansion joint

Set Up Palm Oil Refining Plant

To set up a palm oil refining plant, you need to conduct a detailed feasibility study, select appropriate processing equipment, secure a consistent supply of crude palm oil, establish a strong quality control system, develop efficient waste management and effluent treatment processes, and understand and leverage available government incentives. It is also crucial to focus on adding value through RBD oil production and explore fractionation for higher-value products like olein and stearin to enhance profitability.

1. Feasibility Study & Business Plan

Market Research: Analyze local and international demand for refined palm oil and related products. Financial Planning: Develop a comprehensive financial model, considering equipment costs, raw materials, operational expenses, and potential government incentives. Location: Choose a location with access to raw materials and suitable infrastructure.

2. Raw Material Sourcing

Supply Chain: Establish strong relationships with palm oil farmers and cooperatives to ensure a consistent, high-quality supply of crude palm oil (CPO).
Quality: Implement a system for testing raw materials to ensure they meet standards for processing.

3. Equipment Selection

Refining Equipment: Invest in high-quality machinery for the separation, conversion, and treatment processes.
Value-Added Equipment: Consider equipment for fractionation to produce olein and stearin, which can be sold as higher-value products.

4. Refining Process

Degumming, Bleaching, & Deodorizing (DBD): These steps remove impurities, colors, and odors from the crude oil, producing Refined, Bleached, and Deodorized (RBD) oil.
Fractionation: A process that separates palm oil into liquid (olein) and solid (stearin) components, creating different products with varying applications.

5. Quality Control & Sustainability

Testing: Regularly test the oil for purity, acidity, and moisture to meet food-grade standards.
Waste Management: Develop plans to utilize palm shells and fibers as biofuel and compost or sell empty fruit bunches.
Effluent Treatment: Implement robust effluent treatment systems to minimize environmental impact.

QIE Machinery has been specialized in palm oil refinery plant for decades. And our palm oil processing machine’s technology and quotation are both our advantages to compete with other companies. If you are interested in setting up a palm oil refinery plant, our professional engineers can help you design and install according to your capacity and requirements.