Quantity of Water Used in Palm Oil Refining Process
Introduction: The Critical Role of Water Resources in Palm Oil Refining Process
In the palm oil refining process, water is not only a crucial component of the palm oil production process, but also a key factor affecting product quality, energy consumption, and environmental compliance. As one of the leading enterprises in China’s grain and oil machinery industry, Henan Huatai Cereals and Oils Machinery Co., Ltd. has achieved efficient utilization and recycling of water resources through technological innovation, while ensuring the quality of refined palm oil, setting a benchmark for sustainable development in the industry.
Analysis of Water Usage in Each Stage of Palm Oil Refining Section
1) Degumming Stage: Water Volume Control in Hydration Degumming
In the palm oil degumming process, Henan Huatai’s patented technology precisely controls the amount of added water (usually 2%-3% of the crude oil weight) and temperature parameters to effectively remove non-hydratable phospholipids. The company’s developed intelligent water addition system can monitor the oil condition in real time and automatically adjust the water flow, reducing oil loss caused by excessive water use.
2) Deacidification Stage: Optimization of Water Washing Process
The traditional water washing process after alkali refining usually requires a large amount of hot water. Huatai Oil Machinery adopts multi-stage countercurrent water washing technology, reducing fresh water consumption by more than 40%. Its designed centrifugal separation system significantly improves oil-water separation efficiency and reduces wastewater generation.
3) Decolorization and Deodorization Stages: Steam Consumption and Recovery
In the palm oil deodorization stage, Huatai’s direct steam system uses high-temperature and high-pressure injection technology, reducing steam consumption by 15%-20% compared to traditional equipment. At the same time, the company’s innovative steam condensate recovery device can recover and reuse more than 85% of the condensate, significantly reducing the need for fresh water replenishment.
Henan Huatai’s Water-Saving Innovation Technologies
1) Intelligent Water Management System
Huatai’s Intelligent Water Balance System can monitor water consumption, water quality parameters, and wastewater discharge indicators in each process in real time. Through algorithmic optimization, it achieves dynamic adjustment of water volume throughout the entire palm oil refining process. This system has been successfully applied to several large-scale palm oil refining projects, achieving an overall reduction in water consumption of 25%-30%.
2) Closed-Loop Circulating Water Cooling Technology
To address the cooling needs of the palm oil refining process, the company has developed a closed-loop circulating cooling water system. Through a combination of high-efficiency heat exchangers and cooling towers, the system achieves a water utilization rate of over 95%, significantly reducing fresh water consumption.
3) Efficient Wastewater Treatment and Reuse
The integrated wastewater treatment system provided by Huatai adopts a three-stage filtration process. The treated water quality meets production reuse standards. In a large palm oil plant project in Cameroon, this system helped the client achieve a 60% wastewater reuse rate.
Practical Application Case: Water Conservation and Economic Benefits
In a palm oil refinery project in Ghana with a daily processing capacity of 100 tons of crude palm oil, the complete set of palm oil refining equipment provided by Henan Huatai Oil Machinery achieved significant water savings through the following measures:
1) Intelligent water metering system: Precisely controls water consumption in each process, avoiding unnecessary waste.
2) Heat integration design: Fully utilizes process waste heat to preheat water, reducing steam consumption.
3) Graded water usage strategy: Implements a tiered water usage plan based on the water quality requirements of different processes.
After palm oil project implementation, the comprehensive water consumption per ton of refined palm oil decreased from the traditional 0.8-1.2 tons to 0.5-0.6 tons, saving approximately 120,000 tons of water annually, while also reducing wastewater treatment costs by more than 30%.
Industry Trends and Future Outlook
With increasingly stringent global environmental regulations and the advancement of “dual carbon” goals, water resource management in palm oil refining is developing in the following directions:
1) Zero Liquid Discharge technology: Huatai is developing advanced water treatment technology aiming for near-zero discharge of production wastewater.
2) Digital water resource management: Combining the Internet and big data analysis to achieve precise water usage prediction and optimization.
3) Novel waterless/low-water refining processes: Exploring innovative applications of physical refining technologies to reduce reliance on process water.
Conclusion: Technological Innovation Drives Sustainable Development
Henan Huatai Cereals and Oils Machinery Co., Ltd. has achieved significant accomplishments in palm oil refining water management through continuous R&D and technological innovation. The company not only provides customers with efficient and energy-saving palm oil refining equipment, but also helps global palm oil producers achieve both economic benefits and environmental responsibility through intelligent water resource solutions. For companies planning to build new or upgrade existing palm oil refining production lines, choosing palm oil equipment suppliers with advanced water-saving technologies is not only a wise move to reduce production costs, but also an essential step towards practicing green manufacturing and achieving sustainable development.
Henan Huatai Cereals and Oils Machinery Co., Ltd., as a national high-tech enterprise, is committed to the research and manufacturing of grain and oil machinery equipment, providing customers with complete solutions from engineering design and equipment manufacturing to installation and commissioning. In the field of palm oil refining, Huatai’s innovative water-saving technologies have been successfully applied in several countries and regions in South America and Africa, contributing to the green development of the global grain and oil industry with Chinese manufacturing expertise.
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