CLARIFICATION STATION

OPERATION
BY:
R.JIVARATNAM
 Reason For Low OER
 FFB Quality/Harvesting Std
 Low Loose Fruits
 Weather
 High Mill losses
 Breakdown
 Short Running Hours
 Poor Sterilisation
 Water Dilution
 Mill Supervision
 Mill Design Wrong
 Poor Maintenace
 W/Bridge Operation
 No Competent Person
 Machinery Efficiency
 Mill Leakages
 OBJECTIVES
1. Efficient separation of the pure oil from
the crude oil.
2. Optimum recovery of the pure oil with
minimum oil loss.
3. Efficient separation and disposal of the
free water.
4. Efficient separation of the solid impurities
and dissolved moisture.
PROCESS FLOW-MACHINERY
CLARIFIERS TANK

PURE OIL TANK SLUDGE TANK

PURIFIERS SAND CYCLONE/DESANDER

VACUUM DRIER ROTARY STRAINER

VACUUM PUMP SLUDGE DECANTER SLUDGE CENTRIFUGE

MAGNETIC TRAP RECOVERY OIL TANK RECOVERY OIL TANK

OIL COOLER

PRODUCTION METER

STORAGE TANK
 Diluted Crude Oil
The Clarification Process of Crude Oil

Clarification Tank
Vibrating screen
Screening out Solids in DCO Vertical clarifier

Recovered Sludge
Vacuum Drying of Oil Oil

Crude Oil Sludge Oil

Sludge /
Effluent to
Crude Palm Oil ETP
to Storage Tank Purifier
Vacuum
Dryer Removal of Dirt in Centrifuge
the Crude Palm Oil
 TYPE OF CLARIFIER TANK
There are two main types of Clarifier Tanks in
use today. They are:-

1. Vertical Continuous Clarifier

2. Horizontal Continuous Clarifier
 VERTICAL CLARIFIER
- Consists of a large vertical tank with a conical
bottom.
- In the center of the tank is a large intake pipe
for the diluted crude oil (DCO).
- The oil builds up to a rather high depth of
pure oil and leaves the tank continuously
through an adjustable oil skimmer, usually a
funnel of sufficient size.
- The sludge collects near the bottom of the
tank and is flowing upward through a pipe.
 Oil
Layer
Feed
Concentration
Zone

Sludge
Layer

Vertical Clarifier Tank

 VERTICAL CLARIFIER (con’t)
- The discharge of underflow pipe is installed
somewhat lower than the level of the adjusted oil
skimmer.
- When no more DCO is fed to the tank, the
discharge of oil and sludge will stop at the same
time.
- To lower the oil level inside the clarifier, the
sludge valve/skimmer should be shut and feed
hot water to the tank.
 VERTICAL CLARIFIER (con’t)
- The oil layer will then be pressed upward and can
be drained out preferably up to a foot of oil being
left to prevent sludge water from being drained
off.
- The Clarifier is also fitted with a steam heating
coil in order to raise the temperature of the
sludge and oil in the tank during the initial
operation.
- Sand and other heavy impurities should be
drained off periodically through the conical
bottom of the Clarifier.
 HORIZONTAL CLARIFIER

- Consists of a long rectangular tank divided into three

or more compartments by partitions fitted across the
tank.
- The partitions are so arranged that the DCO passes
in turn beneath and over them.
- The oil that is separated as the DCO passes through,
rises to the surface and is retained by the partitions
projecting above the surface.
- The pure oil is collected by adjustable skimmers.
- The DCO enters at one end and the sludge leaves at
the other end.
 HORIZONTAL CLARIFIER (con’t)
- During the operation it is essential that the flow
of DCO admitted into the continuous settling tank
be as even as possible.
- The skimmer should be set to maintain only a
thin layer of oil at the oil skimming compartment,
preferably not more than 10” at the sludge inlet
compartment and not more than 6” at the other
compartment.
- There should not be any oil layer at the sludge
compartment.
- Valves are also provided to enable draining off of
heavy matters and sand collected.
 PURE OIL TANK
- Clarified oil from the Clarifier flows into the
cylindrical Pure Oil Tank which is basically a
reception and storage tank for the oil
before it is next purified in the Purifier.
- Closed steam heating coils are normally
installed in the tank to raise the
temperature of the oil.
 Oil from Clarifier is
collected in the
Pure Oil Tanks
before the Purifier
process.

Pure Oil Tanks

Pure oil Tanks
Temperature of Oil
in Clarifier is
maintained at
85+10oC.
Clarifier
Temperature of Oil
in Pure Oil Tank is
maintained at
70+10oC.

Clarifier and Pure Oil Tanks

 PURIFIER
- The wet clarified palm oil discharge by the
Clarification tank still contains some dirt and
about 0.5 % moisture.
- High speed purifying centrifuges are used to
reduce the dirt content.
- Crude oil is fed into the bowl through the inlet
pipe (V) and is directed by the distributor (D)
towards the periphery of the bowl.
- When it reaches the holes of the distributor, it
passes through the channels formed by the disc
stack (G)
 Purifier removes Dirt
and some moisture
from the Crude palm
oil.
Specification:
Dirt level below
0.010%

Purifier
 PURIFIER (con’t)
- The crude oil is continuously cleaned as it travels
towards the center of the bowl.
- When the cleaned oil leaves the disc stack it
travel upwards, flows over the level ring (C) of
the top disc (E) and enters the oil paring
chamber.
- The rotating oil is pumped by the stationary oil
paring disc (U) and leaves the bowl through the
clean light phase outlet (220).
 PURIFIER (con’t)
- Separated sludge and solid particles are forced
towards the periphery of the bowl where they
collect in the sludge space (H).
 Vacuum Drying
process removes
moisture from the
crude palm oil.
Vacuum is
maintained between
(– 20) to (– 27)
inches of mercury
Specification for
Moisture Level in
Crude Palm Oil:
Maximum level:
0.180%
Minimum Level:
0.120%
Vacuum Dryer
 VACUUM DRIER
- The moisture content of the purified oil is still too
high to preclude a further set up of FFA content
during storage and shipment.
- The oil must be further dried to a final moisture
content of 0.12 – 0.18 % which is the final step in
the oil recovery process.
- Formerly, many types of atmospheric drying
equipments have been used in palm oil mills e.g.
atmospheric boiling pans, spray driers and
cascade driers.
 VACUUM DRIER (con’t)

- However, drying in open atmospheric and at

relatively high temperatures significantly
increases the risk of oil oxidation.
- Therefore, nowadays mostly vacuum drying
equipment are being used.
- Drying can then be carried out at lower
temperature with little or no risk of oxidation.
 VACUUM DRIER (con’t)
- Operating the vacuum drier at an absolute
pressure between -20 to -27 in Hg, or -0.8 to
-1.0 bar with the aid of vacuum steam jet
ejectors or vacuum pumps, the oils entering
the drier at a temperature of approximately
80 C and a moisture content of 0.24 – 0.30 %
is then dried to a final moisture content of
0.12 – 0.18%.
 SAND CYCLONE/DESANDER
- DCO contains a significant quantity of fine
sand and which if not removed will subject
sludge separators and nozzles to rapid
abrasive wear.
- To remove sand, a sand cyclone/desander is
commonly used.
- Consists of a pump and a stainless steel
cyclone which has a waste receiver
connected below it.
 SAND CYCLONE/DESANDER (con’t)
- Sludge is pumped to the desanding cyclone and
is admitted tangentially.
- Centrifugal force set up in the cyclone will cause
the heavy sand particles to move towards the
wall of the cyclone and then flow into the waste
receiver.
- The waste receiver is emptied regularly during
normal operation.
 ROTARY STRAINER
- Rotary strainer is installed before sludge
separator for continuous straining of any coarse
particles which may affect the operation of the
separator.
- Coarse particles are usually carried over from
DCO tank as a result of torn vibrating screen.
- The strainer consists of a casing with flange
mounted to and bottom covers.
- The internal parts consists of a perforated steel
screen and a shaft with steel brushes attached to
it.
 ROTARY STRAINER (con’t)
- The perforated vertical steel cylinder is used to
strain out the coarse solid particles.
- These are continuously removed from the
cylinder by the rotating steel brushes and fall to
the bottom of the casing where they are
discharged periodically.
 SLUDGE CENTRIFUGE
- Consists of a casing divided between top and
bottom half, with an inspection cover on the top
section to permit access to the nozzles.
- The bowl housing consists of two disc-shaped
sections of cast iron which together with the
wearing strips, form the protective casing to the
cast iron material external casing.
- The rotor which is constructed entirely from
s/steel is in the shape of a star and at the end of
each fin or tip is fitted a nozzle holder which
holds a nozzle with sizes of 1.8 to 2.2 mm.
 SLUDGE CENTRIFUGE (con’t)
- The non-oily sludge water is jetted through the
nozzle.
- The oil is discharged through a 5/8” s/steel pipe
mounted in the centre of the hollow journal.
- In operation, the sludge oil tank is fed by gravity
flow from the sludge buffer tank and by means of
a feed pipe to the center of the star-shaped bowl.
 SLUDGE CENTRIFUGE (con’t)
- The machine is normally rotated at 1400 rpm.
- Due to centrifugal force, the heavier particles of
dirt and water are forced to the extreme end of
the rotor and passed out through the nozzles and
discharged off.
- The pure oil being lighter in comparison builds up
in the center of the bowl and discharged through
the 5/8” s/steel pipe.
- The oil is collected in Oil Recovery Tank and
pumped back to the Clarifier tanks.
Sludge Centrifuge
Sludge Centrifuge
The Sludge
Centrifuge Centrifuge is
used for recovery
of palm oil in the
sludge before it is
Centrifuge discharged as
Centrifuge waste.

Basculator

Basculator Effluent Pit

Effluent Pit
 SLUDGE DECANTER
- The sludge enters the decanter at the intersection
of the conical and the cylindrical part of the bowl
through a central feed pipe in the hollow drive
shaft.
- After leaving the feed pipe, the feed suspension is
distributed into the rotating liquid in the bowl and
smoothly accelerated to the full rotational speed.
- The centrifugal force makes the solids settle at
the bowl shell.
 SLUDGE DECANTER
- The screw conveyor continuously transports the
solids toward the conical end of the bowl and
through conical bowl part.
- The separation takes place throughout the total
length of the cylindrical part of the bowl, and the
clarified liquid discharges at the large end where
it flows over the rim of exchangeable and/or
adjustable plate dams.
- The solids are discharged from the small end by
centrifugal force through outlet openings.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
DILUTION RATE

 Oil is essentially immersible with water (sludge).

 A mixture of oil and sludge always tend to separate into 2
layers in such a way that the liquid of the lowest e.g in
this case the oil is at the top.
 The force separating the elements is the difference in
specific gravity (s.g) between them.
 Therefore implies that for a good settling, one should
always attempt to reduce the viscosity of the crude oil as
far as possible by dilution of hot water or increase of the
temperature.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
However in diluting the crude oil, one is tied to
certain limits.
1. The stronger the DCO is diluted the larger
would be the size of the Clarifier tank and
storage tank to cater for it.
2. The sludge contains suspended N.O.S and
these particles tend to rise to the surface
when given the opportunity to do so.
Consequently, a third layer may form between
the oil and the sludge and impedes the
separation of oil and sludge.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
3. Maximum dilution of sludge increases the
amount of mill effluent and thus increase
the problem of disposal.
 Therefore, the crude oil ex screw press
should be diluted as far as is feasible from
the point of good management.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
What should be the limits of dilution for
optimum good separation?
The quantity of dilution depends upon:-

1. The moisture content already present in the

fruit pericarp and extracted along in the crude
oil.
2. The N.O.S in the crude oil extracted.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
DILUTION RATE
 The rate of separation is highest when the
dilution is 50 % to crude oil or in the ratio
approximately 1:1 of dilution to pure oil.
 But for most mills the dilution rate is maintained
at ± 30 %.
 The dilution of the water to the crude oil is best
diluted in the press (after press and before
vibrating screen).
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
WATER DILUTION IN DIGESTOR
– It has been found that dilution through digester either
directly or indirectly by the condensed steam from the
direct steam injection coil, causes higher oil loss in
sludge than the no dilution at all through digester. The
difference can be explained as:-
 Water injected tends to wash out more N.O.S so
that the viscosity of the sludge is increased and the
rising of the oil droplets retarded.
 The hot water tends to dissolve the bond between
the oil bearing cells, causing non-ruptured cells to
find their way into the crude oil.
 COMPOSITION OF CRUDE OIL
The composition of crude oil from the press is approximately as follows:-
Oil - 55 %
Water - 35 %
Solids - 10 %
The % to FFB can be taken as 21% of oil, 15 % water and 4 % solids.
Dilution of hot water is about 1:1 % on oil or 21 % to FFB.
Total - 61% to FFB

For 30mt/FFB/Hr, Vol Of Crude Oil = 30 x 61%=18.3ton/hr

Design For Settling Tank based on 1.3cu m pr ton FFB
Eg: Vol Of settling tank for 30mt/FFB/Hr=30x 1.3=40cu m
Retention Time – 40/18.3=2.25hr
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
TEMPERATURE
 The effect of temperature in separation process.
 From Stroke Law with all other conditions being
equal, the settling rate at 100°C is twice as high
as that at 70°C and 3.5 times as high as that at
50°C.
 For optimum results the temperature should
therefore be raised as high as possible and should
be maintained at this high level throughout the
period of clarifying.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
TEMPERATURE
 Heating process starts at press station where
closed steam coil of 40 psi has been used to raise
and maintain the required temperature. However,
the actual heat transfer is seldom sufficient to
meet the requirement to give the required
temperature.
 Hence closed steam coil is installed at Clarifier
tank to provide further heat to the crude oil.
 The only disadvantage of closed coil is that it
gives a ‘Frying Pan” effect resulting in a blackish
hard deposit being formed around the heating
coil.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
TEMPERATURE IN CLARIFICATION STATION

 The heat loss by the crude oil during the process

of transit from ex screw press to the end of the
settling tank is fairly high. For example, there is a
drop of 2 to 3°C even across the Clarifier tank
itself.
 Hence DCO tank, Clarifier Tank, Pure Oil Tank,
Sludge Tank should be adequately insulated and
the top covered.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
TEMPERATURE IN CLARIFICATION STATION

 Pipe conveying crude oil should preferably be

lagged.
 The other problem that normally encountered is
the capability to maintained desired temperature
even after the initial temperature has been
achieved.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
TEMPERATURE IN CLARIFICATION STATION

 This is more than often caused by the hot water

dilution of comparatively low temperature.
 It is imperative that hot water temperature is to
be kept as near to 100°C as possible.
 FACTORS AFFECTING
SEPARATION (con’t)
REGULATION OF FLOW

 Another important factor often neglected is the

regulation of flow through the settling tank.
 It is necessary that the flow of the crude oil
admitted into the settling tank be as even as
possible to give a homogenous accelerating
motion and stable rise of the oil droplet.
 It is claimed by STORK that centrifugal pump
should not be used as “cavitation” can occur.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
 “Cavitation” causes the formation of small free oil
droplets of below 15 micron size which our type
of sludge centrifuge is unable to recover.
 Centrifugal pump can also act as true emulsifying
machines.
 For this reason, all crude oil transfer pump before
early 1980 is of mono pump type.
 Only after that period, centrifugal pump such as
KEW and Warman Pump are being used.
 No problem of cavitations and emulsifying, but it
should be operated at low rpm of 650/750 rpm.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
IMPROPER DIGESTION

 By the stirring action of the digester, the walls of

the oil bearing cells are ruptured so that the oil is
spontaneously or can easily forced out of the
broken cells during the extraction process.
 If the crude oil liberated from the cells is not
removed, it will act as a lubricant as a result of
which the stirring arms will lose more of their grip
on the pericarp and a large number of oil cells will
not be broken up.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
IMPROPER DIGESTION

 Oil bearing cells which are not ruptured in

the digester will consequently be lost
through the sludge centrifuge respective of
its type or make.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
OVER-DIGESTION
 When digestion is intensive and much crude oil is
directly drained off from the digester especially
from the bottom drainage plate, the
concentration of N.O.S in the crude oil or diluted
sludge in oil is high.
 Over digestion also causes disintegration of the
oil and causes the free oil of below 15 micron
sizes which are normally lost through the
centrifuge.
 Heavy boiling causes emulsion and has an
adverse effect upon the static clarification.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
POOR STERILISATION
 Proteins are found in the oil bearing cells of the
palm fruit and has an affinity to form colloidal
complexes or gummy effect which hampers the
separation of the oil.
 The objective of sterilisation process is to
coagulate these proteins and the coagulated
proteins cannot form colloidal complexes.
 The effective coagulation of the proteins in the
palm fruits requires a temperature of at least
100°C.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
UNRIPE BUNCHES
 Refers to the presence of starch in palm fruits
especially high in unripe bunches, abortive and
poorly pollinated fruits.
 The starch gives rise to a problem of jelly effect
which impedes good separation of oil.
 For the effective breakdown of as much as
possible of this jelly effect, high temperature >
120°C and longer sterilisation are necessary.
 FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE
INCREASE OF OIL LOSS
1. Heavy boiling of the crude oil.
2. Tank capacity.
3. Low temperature in the entire process.
4. Under and over-dilution; poor regulation
of flow.
5. Poor sterilisation and improper digestion.
 FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE
INCREASE OF OIL LOSS
6. High solid content.
7. Mechanical problem such as nozzle being
worn out, nozzle caps not properly fitted,
etc.
8. Poor supervision.
 OPERATION PROCEDURES

 After realizing the importance of factors

governing the good clarification process, it
is then of upmost importance to institute
some form of control by means of standard
procedures laid down to supervisors and
operators to follow.
 OPERATION PROCEDURES
STARTING

 The main problem of not being able to maintain

the required temperatures even after a few hours
of processing is that either the tanks and hot
water are dead cold or insufficiently warmed up
before commencing processing.
 It is therefore essential that steam is made
available for warming up a period of at least ½
hour on the following:-
 OPERATION PROCEDURES

1. Hot Water Tank

2. Crude Oil Tank
3. Digester
4. Pure Oil Tank
5. Sludge Tank
6. Recovered Oil Tank
7. Any other heat exchanger.
 OPERATION PROCEDURES
It is also essential the equipment in the
clarification be prepared such as:-

1. Purifier bowls to be cleaned and ready.

2. All nozzles in sludge centrifuges checked and
any blockage cleared.
3. The thick layer of oil in Clarifier level to be
maintained at certain level for better
separation.
 OPERATION PROCEDURES

4. Sand and other heavy particles settled down

during the processing and most during idle
period should be drained off to the recovered oil
tank.
5. The screen fitted on the crude oil tank as tell
tale should be washed and cleaned.
 OPERATION PROCEDURES
DURING OPERATION

1. Periodic inspection and stringent checks on all

sludge centrifuge/decanter discharges for any
abnormal oil loss in the sludge water.
2. Adjust the water dilution to the crude oil at the
press and at the vibrating screen to give the
approximate requirement for good oil/sludge
separation.
 OPERATION PROCEDURES
DURING OPERATION

3. Check all temperature – valves for steam

are fully opened and monitored.
4. Check all oil Purifier discharges for abnormal
moisture content. Check vacuum for vacuum
drier.
5. Any sludge from recovered oil tank to be
boiled and oil to skim and pump back to
Clarifier.
 OPERATION PROCEDURES
SHUTTING DOWN

1. All the oil and sludge tanks in clarification

should be emptied and processed.
2. Hot water to press to continue for about 5
mins to flush down all crude oil in press, oil
gutter and through vibrating screen.
3. Crude oil pump to run until a minimum level
of about a foot above the steam coil. This
level is normally present by a float switch
control.
 OPERATION PROCEDURES
SHUTTING DOWN

4. Skim off as much oil as possible from Clarifier

tanks.
5. The Sludge Centrifuge/Decanter must not be
stopped until all the sludge oil in the bowl has
been flushed out by means of the hot water.
6. The purifier must not be stopped until all the
sludge oil in the bowl has been flushed out by
means of the hot water.
 OPERATION PROCEDURES
SHUTTING DOWN

7. Switch off all steam valves to heater and water

tank and valves intended to be shut.
8. Switch off main switch to all electrical control
and motors.
 PROCESS MONITORING
SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS
 The following are to be monitored:
– 1. Oil content in Clarifier underflow, to monitor
the efficiency of clarification process.
– 2. Oil content in Centrifuge waste, to monitor
final oil loss.
– 3. Dirt and moisture content in oil before and
after purifier, to monitor purifier performance.
– 4. FFA, PV, moisture and dirt in production oil,
to monitor production oil quality.
 PROCESS MONITORING
SPECIFICATIONS

1. Oil content in underflow should not exceed

8.0% ( wet basis).
2. Oil losses in Centrifuge/Decanter waste should
not exceed 1.5% (wet basis) or 4.5 kg/mt FFB
on absolute terms.
3. Production oil moisture content should be
between 0.12 to 0.18%.
4. Production oil dirt content should not exceed
0.020%.
 Crude Palm Oil Quality
% FFA < 3.5
% Moisture <0.15
% Dirt < 0.020
Total Iron (ppm) 1.0 to 3.9
Particulate Iron (ppm) 0.2 to 2.3
PV (m.e) 0.0
AV 1.3 to 5.0
DOBI > 2.3
Carotene (ppm) 670 to 750
Phosphorus (ppm) 2.9
Copper (ppm) 0.06
Iodine Value (IV) 53.8
Sludge Tank Sludge from the
Clarifier is
collected in the
Sludge Tanks
before the
Centrifuge process.
The temperature of
sludge is
maintained at
75+10oC (Ex-
Sludge tank).
 CLARIFIER DESIGN (con’t)
 The total amount of liquid discharged to the
station will therefore be 57 % on FFB.
 Stork recommend 1 mt of settling/ton FFB
 The two settling tanks for 30 mt/hr line has a
volume of 36 cu meters.
 An amount of oil + sludge + solids + dilution
water is approximately 0.6 ton/ton FFB
 For 30 mt/hr, total volume to clarification will be
0.6 x 30 = 18 mt/hr.
 Theoretical retention time will be 36 = 2 hrs
18
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
DILUTION RATE
 Dilution at the vibrating screen is a remarkable
favorable influence on the performance of the
clarification tank and hence on the oil loss in
discharged sludge.
 The water sprayed through 1/8” Φ hole with
sufficient pressure of 20/30 psi tends to break up
the heavy N.O.S fragments thus giving better
screening, resulting in lower amount of oily tailing
for recycling to the press hence higher press
throughput.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION
(con’t)
TEMPERATURE
• This not only reduces the heat transfer but the
blackish deposit also lowers the quality of the
finished oil.
• Nowadays, in most open tanks like the DCO
tank, sludge tank and hot water tank, simple
direct pipe either in series, parallels or crosses
with perforation of 3/16” ø hole at 6” to 10”
interval depending on the design whereby
steam at 30/35 psi is directly injected into the
crude oil being used.