Analysis of heat loss in wall insulators and sterilizer door covers in palm oil processing factories

International Journal of Basic and Applied Science 12 (2) (2023) 82-91 Published by: IOCSCIENCE International Journal of Basic and Applied Science Journal homepage: www.ijobas.pelnus.ac.id Analysis of heat loss in wall insulators and sterilizer door covers in palm oil processing factories Aulia Suryaning Putri1, Dessy Agustina Sari2* 1,2Chemical Engineering Program, Universitas Singaperbangsa Karawang Article Info ABSTRACT Article history: The main stage of crude palm oil (CPO) production takes place in the boiling process, which involves the role of sterilizer equipment. One of the ideal standards for producing CPO is to have an oil yield value in the range of 22.5-23.5%. However, the palm oil processing industry only found an oil yield of 20.25%. The decrease in yield was due to the steam pressure entering the sterilizer not being up to standard. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of steam exiting the sterilizer or heat loss with the help of mathematical equations (including the Nusselt number and Rayleigh number) by utilizing field data. This research in the palm oil processing industry gave the highest result for heat loss at peak III of 58,074 kJ with Bunches of Fresh Fruit (BFF) boiling conditions at 2.7 bar and 130°C and a process time of 600 seconds. The resulting CPO oil yield was 20.25% (a decrease of about 10–14% from the production standard). The industry, together with a third party (a maintenance consultant from outside the company), assessed the need to maintain a continuous production process and a decrease in oil yield (2.25–3.25%). The yield gap leads to solving the problem through an operating condition optimization approach. The treatment that can be applied is equipment extension through the installation of double-glazed windows on the sterilizer equipment to minimize heat loss. This consideration is the best option considering the continuous palm oil production process and is able to prevent partial or total shut-down activities. Received Sep 01, 2023 Revised Sep 10, 2023 Accepted Sep 30, 2023 Keywords: Crude palm oil; Double-glazed windows; Lorry; Rockwool; Triple-peak. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license. Corresponding Author: Dessy Agustina Sari, Chemical Engineering Program, Universitas Singaperbangsa Karawang, Jalan HS Ronggowaluyo Telukjambe Timur Karawang, Jawa Barat, 41361, Indonesia Email: 1. INTRODUCTION Palm oil is a plantation commodity that has a strategic role in Indonesia's economic development. In 2018, palm oil and palm kernel production was recorded at 48.68 million tons, consisting of 40.57 million tons of crude palm oil (CPO) and 8.11 million tons of palm kernel oil (PKO) [1]. CPO is the result of the processing of palm oil from Bunches of Fresh Fruit (BFF), and PKO is oil derived from oil palm fruit seeds (kernels) [2], [3]. One of the companies in Indonesia that processes palm fruit (Bunches of Fresh Fruit, or BFF) intoCPO and palm kernel (kernel) is the palm oil processing industry in Banten, with a processing capacity of 60 tons of BFF or “Tandan Buah Segar – TBS”. O'clock. Crude palm oil produced from BFF processing is the main raw material for making cooking oil [4]. Therefore, palm oil companies need to pay attention to the production process to produce quality CPO. The most important process in making CPO is the boiling process in a sterilizer. The purpose of boiling is to soften the palm fruit so that the fiber and seeds are easily separated from the bunch [5]. Journal homepage: www.ijobas.pelnus.ac.id Int J of Basic & App Sci  p-ISSN 2301-8038 e-ISSN 2776-3013 83 A cylindrical pressurized steam vessel (sterilizer) functions to boil BFF with a heating medium, namely steam originating from the back pressure vessel (BPV) [6]. BPV is a tank that functions as a reservoir for steam generated by the turbine [7]. This palm oil processing factory uses a triple peak system consisting of single, double, and triple peaks in the boiling process. During the single peak process, steam from the BPV enters the sterilizer until the pressure reaches 1.5 bar. Meanwhile, the steam entering the double peak process reaches a pressure of 2.5 and 2.7 bar for the triple peak process. If the three-peak system is fulfilled, then the BFF boiling process can begin. This boiling lasts for 115 minutes at a pressure of 2.7 bar and a temperature of 130°C. The purpose of the triple peak process is to transfer steam to the inside of the BFF. Making CPO depends on the boiling process because it can determine the quality of the final product [8]. Success in the boiling process will support ease in the next process, namely the thressing, pressing, digester, and clarification stations [9]. The problem with palm oil companies is the yield resulting from the boiling process. The palm oil industry in Banten states that the product has met the requirements if the amount of CPO yield is 22.5-23.5% [10]. However, the resulting yield is sometimes below the predetermined requirements. Several factors that can influence the amount of CPO yield are pressure, temperature, boiling time, and steam from BPV [11]. Usually, low CPO yields are caused by BFF, which is not fully cooked during the boiling process in the sterilizer [12]. This can be seen from the steam that comes out through the walls and door of the sterilizer because the insulators that function to maintain heat, such as rockwool and aluminum, are running low. An insulator is a heat transfer material that has a certain thermal conductivity value and aims to maintain the heat that occurs inside the sterilizer [13]. Based on problems in this industry, the research aims to determine the steam that comes out of the sterilizer walls and doors using heat transfer calculations (heat loss). 2. RESEARCH METHOD 2.1. Field Data The data collected for this research is in the form of primary and secondary data from palm oil processing factories in the Banten area, which are presented in Figure 1, and Tables 1-2. Both data were obtained by involving direct observation (observation for one month) as well as research support from relevant references, respectively, in analyzing heat loss on the walls and closing the sterilizer door [14]. Table 1. Data on palm oil processing and sterilization equipment units Sterilizer Type Cylinder length (LS , m) Outside diameter (DLS , m) Thickness (m) Inner wall Rockwool Alumunium Thermal conductivity (k, W/m.K) ASTM-A36-SS400 (k1 ) Rockwool (k 2 ) Alumunium (k 3 ) Radius of wall layer (m) r1 r2 r3 r4 Door diameter (DPS , m) Door radius (m) r1 r2 Horizontal 3.1 2.1 0.015 0.05 0.001 50 0.0415 237 2.034 2.049 2.009 2.1 2.26 Pressure (bar) Maximum Steam peak I Steam peak II Steam peak III Temperature (oC) Steam peak I Steam peak II Steam peak III Surrounding air Condensate mass (kg) Peak I Peak II Peak III 3.5 1.5 2 2.7 Lorry Material Length (L, m) Height (m) Width (m) Radius (r, m) Initial temperature (oC) Iron plate (...truncated)