Kelapa Sawit (Elaeis)

Proses Pengolahan Kelapa Sawit

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:05:00 +0000

PKS (pabrik kelapa sawit) pada umumnya mengolah bahan baku berupa Tandan Buah Segar (TBS) menjadi minyak kelapa sawit CPO (Crude Palm Oil) dan inti sawit (Kernel). Proses pengolahan kelapa kelapa sawit sampai menjadi minyak sawit (CPO) terdiri dari beberapa tahapan yaitu:

1. Jembatan Timbang

Sangat sederhana, sebagian besar sekarang menggunakan sel-sel beban, dimana tekanan dikarenakan beban menyebabkan variasi pada sistem listrik yang diukur. Pada Pabrik Kelapa Sawit jembatan timbang yang dipakai menggunakan sistem komputer untuk meliputi berat. Prinsip kerja dari jembatan timbang yaitu truk yang melewati jembatan timbang berhenti ± 5 menit, kemudian dicatat berat truk awal sebelum TBS yang di dalam nya dibongkar dan sortir, kemudian setelah dibongkar truk kembali ditimbang, selisih berat awal dan akhir adalah berat TBS yang ditrima dipabrik.

2. Penyortiran

Kualitas buah yang diterima pabrik harus diperiksa tingkat kematangannya. Jenis buah yang masuk ke PKS pada umumnya jenis Tenera dan jenis Dura. Kriteria matang panen merupakan faktor penting dalam pemeriksaan kualitas buah distasiun penerimaan TBS (Tandan Buah Segar).

3. Proses Perebusan (Sterilizer)

Lori yang telah diisi TBS dimasukan kedalam sterilizer dengan menggunakan capstand.

Tujuan perebusan :

1. Mengurangi peningkatan asam lemak bebas.

2. Mempermudah proses pembrodolan pada threser.

3. Menurunkan kadar air.

4. Melunakan daging buah, sehingga daging buah mudah lepas dari biji.

4. Proses Penebah (Thereser Process)

Hoisting Crane, fungsi dari Hoisting Crane adalah untuk mengangkat lori dan menuangkan isi lori ke bunch feeder (hooper). Dimana lori yang diangkat tersebut berisi TBS yang sudah direbus.
Thereser, fungsi dari Theresing adalah untuk memisahkan buah dari janjangannya dengan cara mengangkat dan membantingnya serta mendorong janjang kosong ke empty bunch conveyor.
Digester, setelah buah pisah dari janjangan, maka buah dikirim ke Digester dengan cara buah masuk ke Conveyor Under Threser yang fungsinya untuk membawa buah ke Fruit Elevator yang fungsinya untuk mengangkat buah keatas

Fungsi Digester :
1. Melumatkan daging buah.
2. Memisahkan daging buah dengan biji.
3. Mempersiapkan Feeding Press.
4. Mempermudah proses di Press.
5. Menaikkan Temperatur.

5. Proses Pemurnian Minyak ( Clarification Station )

Setelah melewati proses Screw Press maka didapatlah minyak kasar / Crude Oil dan ampas press yang terdiri dari fiber. Kemudian Crude Oil masuk ke stasiun klarifikasi dimana proses pengolahannya sebagai berikut :

Sand Trap Tank ( Tangki Pemisah Pasir). Setelah di press maka Crude Oil yang mengandung air, minyak, lumpur masuk ke Sand Trap Tank. Fungsi dari Sand Trap Tank adalah untuk menampung pasir. Temperatur pada sand trap mencapai 95 derajat celcius
Vibro Seperator / Vibrating Screen, fungsi dari Vibro Separator adalah untuk menyaring Crude Oil dari serabut – serabut yang dapat mengganggu proses pemisahan minyak. Sistem kerja mesin penyaringan itu sendiri dengan sistem getaran – getaran pada Vibro kontrol melalui penyetelan pada bantul yang di ikat pada elektromotor. Getaran yang kurang mengakibatkan pemisahan tidak efektif.
Vertical Clarifier Tank (VCT). Fungsi dari VCT adalah untuk memisahkan minyak, air dan kotoran (NOS) secara gravitasi. Dimana minyak dengan berat jenis yang lebih kecil dari 1 akan berada pada lapisan atas dan air dengan berat jenis = 1 akan berada pada lapisan tengah sedangkan NOS dengan berat jenis lebih besar dari 1 akan berada pada lapisan bawah.
Oil Tank, fungsi dari Oil Tank adalah untuk tempat sementara Oil sebelum diolah oleh Purifier. Pemanasan dilakukan dengan menggunakan Steam Coil untuk mendapatkan temperatur yang diinginkan yakni 95 derajat celcius. Kapasitas Oil Tank 10 Ton / Jam.
Oil Purifier, fungsi dari Oil Purifier adalah untuk mengurangi kadar air dalam minyak dengan cara sentrifugal. Pada saat alat ini dilakukan proses diperlukan temperatur suhu 95derajat celcius.
Vacuum Dryer, fungsi dari Vacuum Dryer adalah untuk mengurangi kadar air dalam minyak produksi. Sistem kerjanya sendiri adalah minyak disimpan kedalam bejana melalui Nozel. Suatu jalur resirkulasi dihubungkan dengan suatu pengapung didalam bejana, sehingga bilamana ketinggian permukaan minyak menurun pengapung akan membuka dan mensirkulasi minyak kedalam bejana.
Sludge Tank, fungsi dari Sludge Tank adalah tempat sementara sludge ( bagian dari minyak kasar yang terdiri dari padatan dan zat cair) sebelum diolah oleh sludge seperator. Pemanasan dilakukan dengan menggunakan sistem injeksi untuk mendapatkan temperatur yang dinginkan yaitu 95derajat celcius.
Sand Cyclone / Pre- cleaner, fungsi dari Sand Cyclone adalah untuk menangkap pasir yang terkandung dalam sludge dan untuk memudahkan proses selanjutnya.
Brush Strainer ( Saringan Berputar ), fungsi dari Brush Strainer adalah untuk mengurangi serabut yang terdapat pada sludge sehingga tidak mengganggu kerja Sludge Seperator. Alat ini terdiri dari saringan dan sikat yang berputar.
Sludge Seperator, fungsi dari Sludge Seperator adalah untuk mengambil minyak yang masih terkandung dalam sludge dengan cara sentrifugal. Dengan gaya sentrifugal, minyak yang berat jenisnya lebih kecil akan bergerak menuju poros dan terdorong keluar melalui sudut – sudut ruang tangki pisah.
Storage Tank, fungsi dari Storage Tank adalah untuk penyimpanan sementara minyak produksi yang dihasilkan sebelum dikirim. Storage Tank harus dibersihkan secara terjadwal dan pemeriksaan kondisi Steam Oil harus dilakukan secara rutin, karena apabila terjadi kebocoran pada pipa Steam Oil dapat mengakibatkan naiknya kadar air pada CPO.

6. Proses Pengolahan Biji ( Kernel Station )

Telah dijabarkan bahwasanya setelah pengepresan akan menghasilkan Crude Oil dan Fiber. Fiber tersebut akan masuk kestasiun Kernel dan akan dijabarkan proses pengolahannya.

Cake Breaker Conveyor (CBC), fungsi dari Cake Breaker Conveyor adalah untuk membawa dan memecahkan gumpalan Cake dari stasiun Press ke depericarper.
Depericarper, fungsi dari Depericarper adalah untuk memisahkan fiber dengan nut dan membawa fiber untuk menjadi bahan bakar boiler. Fungsi kerjanya adalah tergantung pada berat massa, yang massanya lebih ringan (fiber) akan terhisap oleh fan tan. Yang massanya lebih berat (nut) akan masuk ke Nut Polishing drum.

Fungsi dari Nut Polishing Drum adalah :

1. Membersihkan biji dari serabut – serabut yang masih melekat.

2. Membawa nut dari Depericarper ke Nut transport.

3. Memisahkan nut dari sampah.

4. Memisahkan gradasi nut.

Nut Silo, fungsi dari Nut Silo adalah tempat penyimpanan sementara nut sebelum diolah pada proses berikutnya. Bila proses pemecahan nut dengan menggunakan nut Craker maka nut silo harus dilengkapi dengan sistem pemanasan (Heater).
Riplle Mill, Fungsi dari riplle Mill adalah untuk memecahkan nut. Pada Riplle Mill terdapat rotor bagian yang berputar pada Riplle Plate bagian yang diam. Nut masuk diantara rotor dan Riplle Plate sehingga saling berbenturan dan memecahkan cangkang dari nut.
Claybath, fungsi dari Claybath adalah untuk memisahkan cangkang dan inti sawit pecah yang besar dan beratnya hampir sama. Proses pemisahan dilakukan berdasarkan kepada perbedaan berat jenis. Bila campuran cangkang dan inti dimasukan kedalam suatu cairan yang berat jenisnya diantara berat jenis cangkang dan inti maka untuk berat jenisnya yang lebih kecil dari pada berat jenis larutan akan terapung diatas dan yang berat jenisnya lebih besar akan tenggelam. Kernel memiliki berat jenis lebih ringan dari pada larutan calcium carbonat sedangkan cangkang berar jenisnya lebih besar.
Hydro Cyclone

Fungsi dari Hydro Cyclone adalah :

1. Mengutip kembali inti yang terikut kecangkang.

2. Mengurangi losis (inti cangkang) dan kadar kotoran.

Kernel Dryer, fungsi dari Kernel Dryer adalah untuk mengurangi kadar air yang terkandung dalam inti produksi. Jika kandungan air tinggi pada inti akan mempengaruhi nilai penjualan, karena jika kadar air tinggi maka ALB juga tinggi. Pada Kernel Silo ada 3 tingkatan yaitu atas 70 derajat celcius, tengah 60 derajat, bawah 50 derajat celcius. Pada sebagian PKS ada yang menggunakan sebaliknya yaitu atas 50 derajat, tengah 60 derajat, dan bawah 70 derajat celcius.
Kernel Storage, fungsi dari Kernel ini adalah untuk tempat penyimpanan inti produksi sebelum dikirim keluar untuk dijual. Kernel Storage pada umumnya berupa bulk silo yang seharusnya dilengkapi dengan fan agar uap yang masih terkandung dalam inti dapat keluar dan tidak menyebabkan kondisi dalam Storage lembab yang pada akhirnya menimbulkan jamur kelapa sawit

7. Detail Kerja Screw Press

Prinsip ekstraksi minyak dengan cara ini adalah menekan bahan lumatan dalam tabung yang berlubang dengan alat ulir yeng berputar sehingga minyak akan keluar lewat lubang-lubang tabung. Besarnya tekanan alat ini dapat diatur secara elektris dan tergantung dari volume bahan yang di press. Alat ini terdiri dari sebuah selinder yang berlubang lubang didalam terdapat sebuah ulir yang berputar. Tekanan kempa diatur oleh dua buah kerucut (conus) berada pada kedua ujung pengempa, yang dapat digerakkan maju mundur secara hidrolik.

sumber : repository.usu.ac.id/bitstream/123456789/18459/.../Chapter%20II.pdf

Kelapa Sawit

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:28:00 +0000

(Elaeis) adalah tumbuhan industri penting penghasil minyak masak, minyak industri, maupun bahan bakar (biodiesel). Perkebunannya menghasilkan keuntungan besar sehingga banyak hutan dan perkebunan lama dikonversi menjadi perkebunan kelapa sawit. Indonesia adalah penghasil minyak kelapa sawit kedua dunia setelah Malaysia, namun proyeksi ke depan memperkirakan bahwa pada tahun 2009 Indonesia akan menempati posisi pertama.

Pemerian botani

Kelapa sawit berbentuk pohon. Tingginya dapat mencapai 24 meter. Akar serabut tanaman kelapa sawit mengarah ke bawah dan samping. Selain itu juga terdapat beberapa akar napas yang tumbuh mengarah ke samping atas untuk mendapatkan tambahan aerasi.

Seperti jenis palma lainnya, daunnya tersusun majemuk menyirip. Daun berwarna hijau tua dan pelepah berwarna sedikit lebih muda. Penampilannya agak mirip dengan tanaman salak, hanya saja dengan duri yang tidak terlalu keras dan tajam. Batang tanaman diselimuti bekas pelepah hingga umur 12 tahun. Setelah umur 12 tahun pelapah yang mengering akan terlepas sehingga penampilan menjadi mirip dengan kelapa.

Bunga jantan dan betina terpisah namun berada pada satu pohon (monoecious diclin) dan memiliki waktu pematangan berbeda sehingga sangat jarang terjadi penyerbukan sendiri. Bunga jantan memiliki bentuk lancip dan panjang sementara bunga betina terlihat lebih besar dan mekar.

Tanaman sawit dengan tipe cangkang pisifera bersifat female steril sehingga sangat jarang menghasilkan tandan buah dan dalam produksi benih unggul digunakan sebagai tetua jantan.

Buah sawit mempunyai warna bervariasi dari hitam, ungu, hingga merah tergantung bibit yang digunakan. Buah bergerombol dalam tandan yang muncul dari tiap pelapah. Minyak dihasilkan oleh buah. Kandungan minyak bertambah sesuai kematangan buah. Setelah melewati fase matang, kandungan asam lemak bebas (FFA, free fatty acid) akan meningkat dan buah akan rontok dengan sendirinya.

Buah terdiri dari tiga lapisan:

* Eksoskarp, bagian kulit buah berwarna kemerahan dan licin.

* Mesoskarp, serabut buah

* Endoskarp, cangkang pelindung inti

Inti sawit (kernel, yang sebetulnya adalah biji) merupakan endosperma dan embrio dengan kandungan minyak inti berkualitas tinggi.

Kelapa sawit berkembang biak dengan cara generatif. Buah sawit matang pada kondisi tertentu embrionya akan berkecambah menghasilkan tunas (plumula) dan bakal akar (radikula).

Pengklasifikasian

Alam: Tumbuhan

Divisi: Magnoliophyta

Kelas: Liliopsida

Order: Arecales

Famili: Arecaceae

Genus: Elaeis

Spesies: E. guineensis

Spesies berkait

Elaeis oleifera

Defenisi

Kelapa sawit termasuk tumbuhan pohon. Tingginya dapat mencapai 24 meter. Bunga dan buahnya berupa tandan, serta bercabang banyak. Buahnya kecil dan apabila masak, berwarna merah kehitaman. Daging buahnya padat. Daging dan kulit buahnya mengandungi minyak. Minyaknya itu digunakan sebagai bahan minyak goreng, sabun, dan lilin. Hampasnya dimanfaatkan untuk makanan ternak, khususnya sebagai salah satu bahan pembuatan makanan ayam. Tempurungnya digunakan sebagai bahan bakar dan arang.

Kelapa sawit yang berkembang biak dengan biji, tumbuh di daerah tropika, pada ketinggian 0 - 500 meter di atas aras laut. Kelapa sawit menyukai tanah yang subur dan tempat terbuka, dengan kelembapan tinggi. Kelembapan tinggi itu antara lain ditentukan oleh adanya curah hujan yang tinggi, sekitar 2,000-2,500 mm setahun.

Pelepah sawit

Bilangan pelepah yang dihasilkan meningkat sehingga 30 hingga 40 ketika berumur tiga hingga empat tahun dan kemudiannya menurun sehingga 18 hingga 25 pelepah. Pelepah sawit meliputi helai daun, dengan setiap satunya mengandungi lamina, racis tengah, petiol dan kelopak pelepah.

Setiap pelepah mempunyai lebih kurang 100 pasang helai daun. Helai daun berukuran 55 sentimeter hingga 65 sentimeter dan menguncup, dengan lebarnya antara 2.5 sentimeter hingga 4 sentimeter. Ada dua jenis bentuk kedudukan lai daun dalam Elaeis oleifera. Pelepah sawit tersusun dalam bentuk pusaran, dengan setiap lapan pelepah membentuk satu pusaran.

Stomata atau rongga terbuka untuk menerima cahaya dalam proses fotosintesis wujud pada permukaan helai daun. Pelepah matang mempunyai duri, dan berukuran hingga 7.5 sentimeter, dengan petiol lebih kurang satu perempat daripada panjang pelepah. Saya ini pelepah sawit lagi dibuat untuk pakan ternak. Sebab nanti nya untuk program ketahanan pangan pemerintah. Bahwa setiap perkebunan akan diusahakan untuk membuat peternakan dikebunnya, agar bisa multifungsi dan bahan pakan ternaknya dibuat dari pelepah sawit.

Syarat hidup

Habitat aslinya adalah daerah semak belukar. Sawit dapat tumbuh dengan baik di daerah tropis (15° LU - 15° LS). Tanaman ini tumbuh sempurna di ketinggian 0-500 m dari permukaan laut dengan kelembaban 80-90%. Sawit membutuhkan iklim dengan curah hujan stabil, 2000-2500 mm setahun, yaitu daerah yang tidak tergenang air saat hujan dan tidak kekeringan saat kemarau. Pola curah hujan tahunan memperngaruhi perilaku pembungaan dan produksi buah sawit.

Tipe kelapa sawit

Kelapa sawit memiliki banyak jenis, berdasarkan ketebalan cangkangnya kelapa sawit dibagi menjadi :

* Dura,

* Pisifera, dan

* Tenera.

Dura merupakan sawit yang buahnya memiliki cangkang tebal sehingga dianggap memperpendek umur mesin pengolah namun biasanya tandan buahnya besar-besar dan kandungan minyak pertandannya berkisar 18%. Pisifera buahnya tidak memiliki cangkang namun bunga betinanya steril sehingga sangat jarang menghasilkan buah. Tenera adalah persilangan antara induk Dura dan Pisifera. Jenis ini dianggap bibit unggul sebab melengkapi kekurangan masing-masing induk dengan sifat cangkang buah tipis namun bunga betinanya tetap fertil. Beberapa tenera unggul persentase daging per buahnya dapat mencapai 90% dan kandungan minyak pertandannya dapat mencapai 28%. Untuk pembibitan massal, digunakan teknik kultur jaringan.

Hasil tanaman

Bagian yang paling populer untuk diolah dari kelapa sawit adalah buah. Bagian daging buah menghasilkan minyak kelapa sawit mentah yang diolah menjadi bahan baku minyak goreng dan berbagai jenis turunannya. Kelebihan minyak nabati dari sawit adalah harga yang murah, rendah kolesterol, dan memiliki kandungan karoten tinggi. Minyak sawit juga diolah menjadi bahan baku margarin.

Minyak inti menjadi bahan baku minyak alkohol dan industri kosmetika. Bunga dan buahnya berupa tandan, bercabang banyak. Buahnya kecil, bila masak berwarna merah kehitaman. Daging buahnya padat. Daging dan kulit buahnya mengandung minyak. Minyaknya itu digunakan sebagai bahan minyak goreng, sabun, dan lilin. Ampasnya dimanfaatkan untuk makanan ternak. Ampas yang disebut bungkil itu digunakan sebagai salah satu bahan pembuatan makanan ayam. Tempurungnya digunakan sebagai bahan bakar dan arang.

Buah diproses dengan membuat lunak bagian daging buah dengan temperatur 90°C. Daging yang telah melunak dipaksa untuk berpisah dengan bagian inti dan cangkang dengan pressing pada mesin silinder berlubang. Daging inti dan cangkang dipisahkan dengan pemanasan dan teknik pressing. Setelah itu dialirkan ke dalam lumpur sehingga sisa cangkang akan turun ke bagian bawah lumpur.

Sisa pengolahan buah sawit sangat potensial menjadi bahan campuran makanan ternak dan difermentasikan menjadi kompos.

Sejarah perkebunan kelapa sawit

Kelapa sawit didatangkan ke Indonesia oleh pemerintah Hindia Belanda pada tahun 1848. Beberapa bijinya ditanam di Kebun Raya Bogor, sementara sisa benihnya ditanam di tepi-tepi jalan sebagai tanaman hias di Deli, Sumatera Utara pada tahun 1870-an. Pada saat yang bersamaan meningkatlah permintaan minyak nabati akibat Revolusi Industri pertengahan abad ke-19. Dari sini kemudian muncul ide membuat perkebunan kelapa sawit berdasarkan tumbuhan seleksi dari Bogor dan Deli, maka dikenallah jenis sawit "Deli Dura".

Pada tahun 1911, kelapa sawit mulai diusahakan dan dibudidayakan secara komersial dengan perintisnya di Hindia Belanda adalah Adrien Hallet, seorang Belgia, yang lalu diikuti oleh K. Schadt. Perkebunan kelapa sawit pertama berlokasi di Pantai Timur Sumatera (Deli) dan Aceh. Luas areal perkebunan mencapai 5.123 ha. Pusat pemuliaan dan penangkaran kemudian didirikan di Marihat (terkenal sebagai AVROS), Sumatera Utara dan di Rantau Panjang, Kuala Selangor, Malaya pada 1911-1912. Di Malaya, perkebunan pertama dibuka pada tahun 1917 di Ladang Tenmaran, Kuala Selangor menggunakan benih dura Deli dari Rantau Panjang. Di Afrika Barat sendiri penanaman kelapa sawit besar-besaran baru dimulai tahun 1911.

Hingga menjelang pendudukan Jepang, Hindia Belanda merupakan pemasok utama minyak sawit dunia. Semenjak pendudukan Jepang, produksi merosot hingga tinggal seperlima dari angka tahun 1940.

Usaha peningkatan pada masa Republik dilakukan dengan program Bumil (buruh-militer) yang tidak berhasil meningkatkan hasil, dan pemasok utama kemudian diambil alih Malaya (lalu Malaysia).

Baru semenjak era Orde Baru perluasan areal penanaman digalakkan, dipadukan dengan sistem PIR Perkebunan. Perluasan areal perkebunan kelapa sawit terus berlanjut akibat meningkatnya harga minyak bumi sehingga peran minyak nabati meningkat sebagai energi alternatif.

Beberapa pohon kelapa sawit yang ditanam di Kebun Botani Bogor hingga sekarang masih hidup kita bisa berwisata kesana, dengan ketinggian sekitar 12m, dan merupakan kelapa sawit tertua di Asia Tenggara yang berasal dari Afrika. Salah satu tanaman peninggalan Belanda yang bersejarah.

Technical standards biodiesel

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 06:29:00 +0000

The common international standard for biodiesel is EN 14214.

There are additional national specifications. ASTM D 6751 is the most common standard referenced in the United States and Canada. In Germany, the requirements for biodiesel are fixed in the DIN EN 14214 standard and in the UK the requirements for biodiesel is fixed in the BS EN 14214 standard, although these last two standards are essentially the same as EN 14214 and are just prefixed with the respective national standards institution codes. There are standards for three different varieties of biodiesel, which are made of different oils:

* RME (rapeseed methyl ester, according to DIN E 51606)
* PME (vegetable methyl ester, purely vegetable products, according to DIN E 51606)
* FME (fat methyl ester, vegetable and animal products, according to DIN V 51606)

The standards ensure that the following important factors in the fuel production process are satisfied:

* Complete reaction.
* Removal of glycerin.
* Removal of catalyst.
* Removal of alcohol.
* Absence of free fatty acids.
* Low sulfur content.

Basic industrial tests to determine whether the products conform to the standards typically include gas chromatography, a test that verifies only the more important of the variables above. Tests that are more complete are more expensive. Fuel meeting the quality standards is very non-toxic, with a toxicity rating (LD50) of greater than 50 mL/kg.

Kernel oil

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:19:00 +0000

World over people use massage therapy to help promote healthy skin, nourish and strengthen the body, relieve stress, reduce pain, and encourage balance and well being. Massage opens and increases the flow of energy, balancing the entire nervous system and helping to release physical and emotional disharmony. The many benefits of massage are enhanced by the use of high quality massage oil.

Apricot tree is the member of the rose family originating from Central and East Asia. The fruit, rich in vitamins is used to produce the pleasant smelling Apricot Kernel Oil. Apricot Kernel Oil is very mild natural oil, often used in baby products because of its fine gentle nature.

Apricot kernel oil is cold pressed and refined from the dried kernels of the apricot fruit. It is light in colour with pleasant nutty odor and used in manufacturer of creams, balms, lotions and cosmetics.

Sought out for its high vitamin E content and skin softening properties, apricot kernel oil is known for its ability to penetrate the skin without leaving an oily feel. Apricot kernel oil is also popular as massage oil and it used as carrier oil when used with essential oils for aromatherapy.

Rich in essential fatty acids like oleic and linoleic acid, apricot kernel oil is high in vitamin A. Since it easily penetrates the skin, it is good oil for prematurely aged, dry or irritated skin. The excellent softening and moisturizing properties is great for face, hands and hair. Vitamins A & C are good for mature dry or sensitive skin. The apricot kernel oil helps skin retain elasticity, clarity, and suppleness. Crushed Apricot Kernels are commonly used as a facial mask to soften the skin.

In addition, Apricot Kernel Oil is used as an antitussive, anti-asthmatic and to treat tumors in traditional Chinese medicine. It helps to calm the inflammation / irritation of eczema and dermatitis. When combined with an equal amount of St. John's Wort Oil, it is acts as anti-inflammatory and has a cooling effect.

Due to its moisturizing, nourishing and revitalizing properties, apricot kernel oil is widely used for massage therapy.

Face Mask Formula - A soft paste made of 2 drops each of frankincense, rose and neroli oils, 6 tsp of apricot oil, 1 tsp clear melted honey and finely ground almond makes a good moisturizing face mask.

For nourished, soft and supple skin, rub apricot kernel oil on your body daily.

Acne Fusion - Pour 1 ounce of apricot kernel oil, 12 drops of lavender essential oil, 7 drops of tea tree essential oil and 1 drop of geranium essential oil in amber coloured clean bottle. Close it tightly and roll the bottle to mix the blend. Apply a small amount of this blend to the acne affected area.

source : http://www.healthguidance.org

Anti-cancer properties of palm oil

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 06:06:00 +0000

Epidemiological data suggest a link between fat quality (i.e. types of fatty acids consumed) and cancer. Animal experiments have shown that the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially those of the n-6 series derived from vegetable seed oils, have tumor promoting effects in mammary cancer models. Thus the fatty acids of palm oil attracted initial attention with regards to their ability to inhibit and/or delay experimental carcinogenesis. It was shown almost 15 years ago that palm oil did not promote mammary carcinogenesis in a rat model, primarily because it contained far less PUFA than corn oil.

Attention then shifted to the vitamin E content of palm oil when its was noted that palm oil stripped of its vitamin E content - promoted mammary carcinogenesis - just like other unsaturated fatty acid rich lipids. Furthermore, when the vitamin E fraction from palm oil was added back to a polyunsaturated fatty acid-enriched diet, the "cancer" was inhibited. The vitamin E of palm oil, consists largely of tocotrienols, the remainder being a-tocopherol. (This fraction of palm oil is referred to as the tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) or Palm Vitee). TRF has been subsequently shown to inhibit the proliferation and growth of human breast cancer cells in vitro, whereas a-tocopherol was ineffective. The individual tocotrienols from the TRF were also found to inhibit the cancer cells. In a direct comparison between the individual isomers of tocopherols and tocotrienols, it was shown that the tocotrienols were more effective than the tocopherols.

Since these early studies there is now a reasonable and ever-growing body of scientific literature documenting the anti-cancer properties of the tocotrienols. Although various mechanisms have been postulated for how tocotrienols exert their effect (including their role in apoptosis) - the exact mechanism has yet to be detailed. Recent reports suggests that TRF's ability to inhibit cancer cell growth and promote apoptosis may be mediated via signaling pathways (e.g. caspase-8, p53). For a more detailed review of the anticancer properties of palm oil - please see (Sambanthamurthi et al, 2000)

References

2) Kritchevsky, D., Weber, M. M. and Klurfeld, D. M. (1992) Influence of different fats (soybean oil, palm olein or hydrogenated soybean oil) on chemically-induced mammary tumors in rats. Nutr. Res. 12: S175-A179.

3) Nesaretnam, K., Khor, H. T., Ganeson, J., Chong, Y. H., Sundram, K. and Gapor, A. (1992) The effect of vitamin E tocotrienols from palm oil on chemically-induced mammary carcinogenesis in female rats. Nutr. Res. 12: 63-75.

4) Carroll, K. K., Guthries, N., Neseratnam, K., Gapor, A. and Chambers, A. F. (1995) Anti-cancer properties of tocotrienols from palm oil. In: Nutrition, Lipids, Health and Disease (Ong, A. S. H., Niki, E. and Packer, L., eds.), pp117-121. AOCS Press, Champaign, IL.

Palm Oil as Biodiesel

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:21:00 +0000

Palm oil, like other vegetable oils can and is used to create biodiesel, which can be used as a replacement fuel for gasoline, diesel and LPG in internal combustion engines. Biodiesel is promoted as a form of renewable energy that greatly reduces net emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Therefore, until recently it was being touted as a way to decrease the impact of the greenhouse effect and also the possibility of peak oil. However, recent research has confirmed that the benefits of biofuels to counter global warming will be small if not unexistent.

Also, given the many problems that are inheritly linked to oil palm cultivation, research into different sources for the production of first generation biofuels has been done. The research conducted has yielded possible replacement candidats for palm oil (as jatropha), which are considered less damaging to the environment.

However, regardless of these new innovations, biodiesel production from palm oil is still globally catching on and will continue to increase. As such, several projects have been started in a number of countries around the world. A quick review:

Malaysia
The Malaysian government is refocusing the use of palm oil to the production of biodiesel to cater to the huge demand from European countries; it has encouraged the building of biodiesel plants. This is due to the higher prices of fuel and increasing demand for alternative sources of energy in the Western world.

The plants will start operating middle of next year and produce 100,000 tonnes of biodiesel annually. Strong demand for biodiesel from Europe as well as Colombia, India, South Korea and Turkey has fueled the industry's growth as more countries seek to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.

Malaysia has already begun preparations to change from diesel to bio-fuels by 2008, including drafting legislation that will make the switch mandatory. From 2007, all diesel sold in Malaysia must contain 5% palm oil. Being the world's largest producer of crude palm oil, Malaysia intends to take advantage of the rush to find cleaner fuels.

With the growing emphasis on biodiesels presenting a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels it is important to recognise that these benefits are partly negated when forest is cleared to make room for biodiesel crops such as oil palm. NGOs are now alerting the international arena to the fact that despite thousands of square kilometres of land standing unplanted in Indonesia there is still clearance of tropical hardwood forest for palm oil plantations. Furthermore, as the remaining unprotected lowland forest dwindles, developers are looking to peat swamp for conversion, which causes a draining of the peat, which not only unlocks the carbon in the surface covering of trees, but begins an oxidation process of the carbon in the peat reserve--which can be between 5,000 to 10,000 years worth of carbon locked into the ground. Drained peat is also at very high risk of forest fire, and there is a clear record of fire being used to clear vegetation for palm oil development in Indonesia.

Australia
On 23 Nov 2006 Australia's first palm oil based biodiesel plant was opened in Darwin. When fully operational in 2007 this plant should produce 140 million litres of biodiesel annually.

Health
Palm oil, despite being the most used vegetable oil for cooking (primarily because of its huge use in industrial food preparations), is one of the most unhealthy cooking oils available (after Coconut oil). Besides via the references, this information can also be derived from the table found at the cooking oil article, which gives the percentage of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Their heavy use nonetheless in the commercial food industry can thus only be explained by its comparatively low price, being one of the cheapest vegetable or cooking oils on the market. Given the unhealthyness as a cooking oil, consumers are best to avoid it and use an alternative, more healthy, cooking oil as canola oil, soy oil, ... (see also: Cooking_oil). This should be done when they eather prepare the food themselves or when they buy prepared foods. The latter however may not be simple as palm oil is described on food labels simply as "vegetable oil", instead of "palm oil".

Red palm oil, when compared to regular palm oil however, has found to be more healthy. This is a result of several mitigating substances found in the red palm oil which slightly reduce the unhealthyness of the saturated fats, also found in the reed palm oil. These compounds are:

* betacarotenes (present in higher amounts as in regular palm oil)
* tocotrienols
* co-enzyme Q10
* squalene and ubiquinone
* Vitamin A and Vitamin E .

Palm oil and the blood cholesterol controversy
For many years now, it has been established that the primary cholesterol-elevating fatty acids are the saturated fatty acids with 12 (lauric acid), 14 (myristic acid) and 16 (palmitic acid) carbon atoms with a concomitant increase in the risk of coronary heart disease. Monounsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid is as effective in reducing serum total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels as polyunsaturated fatty acids such as alpha-linoleic acid. The World Health Organization in its report states there is convincing evidence that palmitic oil consumption contributes to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Research in the US and Europe support the WHO report.

In a response to the report, the Malaysian Palm Oil Promotion Council cited a study in China comparing palm, soybean, peanut oils and lard (all of which contain saturated fat) showing that palm oil increased the levels of good cholesterol and reduced the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood (Dr. Koh Chu-Sing, Malaysian Palm Oil Promotion Council, citing Zhang, et al, 1995, 1997, 2006).

An older study by Hornstra in 1990 also supported the claims of the Malaysian Palm Oil Promotion Council.

A study by the Departments of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science and Medicine, University of Alberta showed palmitic acid to have no hypercholesterolaemic effect if intake of linoleic acid was greater than 4.5% of energy, but that if the diet contained trans fatty acids, LDL cholesterol increases and HDL cholesterol decreases.

The studies supporting the Malaysian Palm Oil Promotion Council only addressed the issue of the effect of palm oil on blood cholesterol levels and not its total effect regarding cardiovascular diseases.

Ecological impacts of oil palm

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:20:00 +0000

Indonesia and Malaysia have, concomitant with the destruction of enormous tracts of tropical rainforest, some of the world's longest lists of threatened wildlife. Of the more than 400 land mammal species of Indonesia, 15 are critically endangered and another 125 threatened. Of Malaysia's nearly 300 land mammal species, 6 are critically endangered and 41 threatened. The numbers of threatened species climb higher when terrestrial reptiles, amphibians, and birds are included. Moreover, certain animals, such as the orangutan, are only found in these countries; when their rainforest habitat vanishes, so will they.

Five mammals exemplify the impending disaster: the Sumatran tiger, Sumatran and Bornean orangutans, Asian elephant, and Sumatran rhinoceros. Each of those species is endangered, with the three eponymous Sumatran species critically endangered. They once flourished in precisely those areas where rainforests have since been cleared for oil palm.

Oil palm plantations, along with logging, fires, and other factors, destroy rainforest habitat, hinder migration patterns, and block travel corridors. Roads and plantations fragment the rainforest, facilitate encroaching settlements, and make animals accessible to illegal hunting and poaching. If they enter plantations while searching for food outside the rainforest, animals may be killed by workers. They are also at risk when plantation companies set forest fires to clear land for oil palm; some fires burn out of control, demolishing much larger areas than anticipated.

Plantations also pollute the soil and water with pesticides and untreated palm oil-mill effluent, cause soil erosion and increased sedimentation in rivers, and cause air pollution due to forest fires.

The demand for palm oil is forecast to double by 2020. To achieve that production increase, 1,160 new square miles will have to be planted every year for 20 years. Indonesia has 26,300 square miles more forest land officially allocated for new oil palm plantations; Malaysia has almost 3,000 square miles more. The expected thousands of square miles of new plantings on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo could kill off the remaining orangutans, rhinos, and tigers.

Technical standards biodiesel

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:18:00 +0000

Applications Biodiesel

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:13:00 +0000

Biodiesel can be used in pure form (B100) or may be blended with petroleum diesel at any concentration in most modern diesel engines. Biodiesel will degrade natural rubber gaskets and hoses in vehicles (mostly found in vehicles manufactured before 1992), although these tend to wear out naturally and most likely will have already been replaced with FKM, which is nonreactive to biodiesel. However, this is more likely to occur where methanol used to catalyse the transesterification process has not been properly removed afterwards.

Biodiesel's higher lubricity index compared to petrodiesel is an advantage and can contribute to longer fuel injector life. Biodiesel is a better solvent than petrodiesel, and has been known to break down deposits of residue in the fuel lines of vehicles that have previously been run on petrodiesel. As a result, fuel filters and injectors may become clogged with particulates if a quick transition to pure biodiesel is made, as biodiesel “cleans” the engine in the process. Therefore, it is recommended to change the fuel filter within 600–800 miles after first switching to a biodiesel blend.

Use
Pure, non-blended biodiesel can be poured straight into the tank of any diesel vehicle. As with normal diesel, low-temperature biodiesel is sold during winter months to prevent viscosity problems. Some older diesel engines still have natural rubber parts which will be affected by biodiesel, but in practice these rubber parts should have been replaced long ago. Biodiesel is used by millions of car owners in Europe (particularly Germany).

Research sponsored by petroleum producers has found petroleum diesel better for car engines than biodiesel. This has been disputed by independent bodies, including for example the Volkswagen environmental awareness division, who note that biodiesel reduces engine wear. Pure biodiesel produced 'at home' is in use by thousands of drivers who have not experienced failure, however, the fact remains that biodiesel has been widely available at gas stations for less than a decade, and will hence carry more risk than older fuels. Biodiesel sold publicly is held to high standards set by national standards bodies.

Gelling
The temperature at which pure (B100) biodiesel starts to gel varies significantly and depends upon the mix of esters and therefore the feedstock oil used to produce the biodiesel. For example, biodiesel produced from low erucic acid varieties of canola seed (RME) starts to gel at approximately −10 °C (14 °F). Biodiesel produced from tallow tends to gel at around +16 °C (68 °F). As of 2006, there are a very limited number of products that will significantly lower the gel point of straight biodiesel. A number of studies have shown that winter operation is possible with biodiesel blended with other fuel oils including #2 low sulfur diesel fuel and #1 diesel / kerosene. The exact blend depends on the operating environment: successful operations have run using a 65% LS #2, 30% K #1, and 5% bio blend. Other areas have run a 70% Low Sulfur #2, 20% Kerosene #1, and 10% bio blend or an 80% K#1, and 20% biodiesel blend. According to the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% petrodiesel) does not need any treatment in addition to what is already taken with petrodiesel.

Some people modify their vehicles to permit the use of biodiesel without mixing and without the possibility of gelling at low temperatures. This practice is similar to the one used for running straight vegetable oil. They install a second fuel tank (some models of trucks have two tanks already). This second fuel tank is insulated and a heating coil using engine coolant is run through the tank. There is then a temperature sensor installed to notify the driver when the fuel is warm enough to burn, the driver then switches which tank the engine is drawing from.

Biodiesel may contain small but problematic quantities of water. Although it is hydrophobic (non-miscible with water molecules), it is said to be, at the same time, hygroscopic to the point of attracting water molecules from atmospheric moisture; in addition, there may be water that is residual to processing or resulting from storage tank condensation. The presence of water is a problem because:

Water reduces the heat of combustion of the bulk fuel. This means more smoke, harder starting, less power.
Water causes corrosion of vital fuel system components: fuel pumps, injector pumps, fuel lines, etc.
Water freezes to form ice crystals near 0 °C (32 °F). These crystals provide sites for nucleation and accelerate the gelling of the residual fuel.
Water accelerates the growth of microbe colonies, which can plug up a fuel system. Biodiesel users who have heated fuel tanks therefore face a year-round microbe problem.

Previously, the amount of water contaminating biodiesel has been difficult to measure by taking samples, since water and oil separate. However, it is now possible to measure the water content using water in oil sensors.

Heating applications
Biodiesel can also be used as a heating fuel in domestic and commercial boilers. A technical research paper published in the UK by the Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering entitled "Biodiesel Heating Oil: Sustainable Heating for the future" by Andrew J. Robertson describes laboratory research and field trials project using pure biodiesel and biodiesel blends as a heating fuel in oil fired boilers. During the Biodiesel Expo 2006 in the UK, Andrew J. Robertson presented his biodiesel heating oil research from his technical paper and suggested that B20 biodiesel could reduce UK household CO2 emissions by 1.5 million tonnes per year and would only require around 330,000 hectares of arable land for the required biodiesel for the UK heating oil sector. The paper also suggests that existing oil boilers can easily and cheaply be converted to biodiesel if B20 biodiesel is used.

Elaeis Product Information

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:05:00 +0000

Palm oil has been used as both a food and a medicine for thousands of years. It was prized by the pharaohs of ancient Egypt as a sacrad food. In tropical Africa and Southeast Asia it is an integral part of a healthy diet just as olive oil is in the Mediterranean. Palm oil possesses excellent cooking properties. It is more heat stable than other vegetable oils and imparts in foods and baked goods superior taste, texture, and quality. Palm oil is one of the world's healthiest oils. As a natural vegetable oil, it contains no trans fatty acids or cholesterol. It is currently being used by doctors and government agencies to treat specific illnesses and improve nutritional status. Recent medical studies have shown that palm oil, particularly virgin (red) palm oil, can protect against many common healthy problems.

Palm oil is the most important food oil in the world in terms of the human diet. Wherever red palm fruit is used the people are generally in better health and there is generally no vitamin A deficiency. The fruit of the red palm is really a wonderful foodstuff

Elaeis Organic Virgin Red Palm Fruit Oil

Elaeis Virgin Red Palm Oil 100% Certified Organic is a sustainable, healthy product of optimal freshness, quality and purity.

Quality
Elaeis Organic Virgin Red Palm Oil is 100% Certified Organic by the Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA). Organic Certification guarantees that No pesticides, chemicals or artificial fertilizers are used in the growing, production, packaging and storage of the oil, making it a truly pristine and healthy product.

Elaeis Organic Virgin Red Palm Oil is Non refined, Bleached or Deodorized. It is completely Free of GMO ingredients, contains No Trans Fat, contains No Cholesterol and is a Non Hydrogenated Oil.

Freshness
Elaeis Organic Virgin Red Palm Oil is a unique product in that it is processed by a patented method called “Fresh Press”. “Fresh Press” means that Elaeis Virgin Red Palm Oil is processed up to 10 times faster than standard palm fruit oil to ensure the preservation of the oils natural goodness and quality. Expeller pressing, the chosen method of extraction used to protect the freshness and quality of edible oils, is used to extract the oil from the palm fruit.

Indonesian Palm Oil Conference and Price

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:44:00 +0000

Date & Venue

Indonesian Palm Oil Conference and Price Outlook 2009 will be held on 3 – 4 December 2008 at the Bali International Convention Center Westin Resort, Nusa Dua, Bali.

The Program

There are four main activities to be held at the Indonesian Palm Oil Conference and Price Outlook 2009, which are available for corporate as well as for individual participants: the Conference, Exhibition, Golf Tournament and Sponsorship.

* Conference

Distinguished speakers from UK, Germany, India, China, Malaysia as well as Indonesia, representing world renowned palm oil and vegetable oil experts, important consumers and main producers, will present their views and prediction for the palm oil market and price development in the future.

* Exhibition

Limited numbers of exhibition booths are available for corporate, associations and institutions. With more than six hundred participants from various countries, the exhibition will undoubtedly become an excellent opportunity to create public awareness and positive image as well as meeting your stakeholders.

* Social Function

As an icebreaker and get away from a restless day after the conference, social function will be held as a medium for all conference participants to get together and develop business networks in a more relaxed environment. A selection of snacks and beverages along with light entertainment will be set up to enhance the friendly and fun atmosphere.

* GAPKI Golf Tournament

With the spirit of working hard and play hard, a golf tournament will be held the day before the Conference at the New Kuta Golf and Ocean View (Kawasan Pecatu Indah Resort). This is also an excellent opportunity to get to better acquaint yourself with other participants in a scenic course, while appealing door prizes are provided for the golf participants.

* Sponsorship

With the present of participants coming from all sectors of palm oil industry from more than 12 countries, as well as an integrated publicity and promotion designed by GAPKI, your corporate identity will be exposed and noticeable widely by participating as sponsors. Please contact the Secretariat for further details.

Come and join this prestigious conference and feel the magic of the island of gods!

See you in Bali!

http://www.gapki.org

CPO price to rise

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:00:00 +0000

A world leading vegetable oil manufacturer predicts the price of crude palm oil (CPO) will rise throughout the year and into 2009 on consistently growing supply and demand.

Director of India's Godrej International Limited, Dorab E. Mistry, said the price of CPO would increase from the current US$1,181 (Rp 11 million) per ton to $1,243 by the end of June and that the price would continue to rise through the end of 2008.

"At some stage between September 2008 and February 2009, bleached and deodorized Palm Oil (a product of CPO) will go to up to $1,398," Dorab said after the closing of the world palm oil summit and exhibition in Jakarta on Friday.

As of last month, the average international price of CPO was $1,158 per ton. In 2007, the price averaged $780 per ton, or nearly double 2006's $477 per ton.

Dorab said worldwide CPO production would rise by 4 million tons this year as the commodity continued to attract new investors, and that a September production peak would see prices rise further.

He said Indonesia, the world's largest CPO producer, would account for at least 85 percent of global production next year, while this year the country accounts for 45.2 percent, with Malaysia the second largest with 42 percent.

He said China and India would continue to increase demand for the product. China's CPO imports grew 26 percent in the first quarter of 2008 and India's by 17 percent in the same period.

"The demand from Europe and the U.S., meanwhile, will be driven by a growing need for biodiesel, which will grow from 1 million to 1.5 million tons this year," he said, adding that his predictions depended on increasing CPO prices, which another expert said were set to collapse.

James Fry, managing director of LMC International Ltd., said CPO prices would fall on a decline in the price of crude oil, which he also predicted.

"Much of the demand for biodiesel is tied to fuel prices via biodiesel incentives... such as the U.S.' $1 per gallon credit," James said, referring to a U.S. policy on subsidizing biodiesel producers at a rate of $1 per gallon of vegetable oil blended with fossil fuels.

James said fuel prices would then decrease due to ample oil reserves.

The United States recently boosted its reserves from 540 million barrels to 702.7 million barrels. In May, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries promised to increase production by 300,000 barrels per day.

http://www.thejakartapost.com

CPO prices

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:56:00 +0000

The average price of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) next year is expected to stay at US$360 per ton due to higher global demand. CPO is seen to be healthier than other edible oils and is needed for biodiesel as an alternative to fossil fuel, local association said.

""Based on the 10-year cycle, CPO prices should have reached their decade-long peak last year and should fall drastically this year and next year. Apparently, this will not be the case for now,"" Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association (Gapki) chairman Derom Bangun said on Tuesday.

CPO prices reached their decade-long peak to average $430 per ton last year, while the average price over the first six months of this year was $360 per ton, Derom told reporters on the sidelines of a workshop titled ""Preventing and tackling forest and cultivated land fires"".

Derom said increasing global demand would enable Indonesia's CPO exports to rise to 9.6 million tons this year from last year's 8.7 million tons.

He was optimistic that demand for CPO would increase as consumers would turn to palm oil-based food products as other hydrogenated edible oils, such as soybean, sunflower and canolla oils, contained Trans Fatty Acid (TFA), believed to be bad for the heart.

""Starting Jan. 1, 2006, the U.S. will require every food manufacturer to state TFA level in each of their products,"" Derom said, adding that once the U.S. applied such a policy, other countries would eventually follow suit.

Moreover, global oil prices, which are hovering near $70 per barrel, have prompted higher demand for edible oils as biofuel and biodiesel to serve as alternatives to pricey fossil fuels, he said.

""Several European countries have started to provide tax incentives for industries importing edible oil, which is cleaner and help conserves the environment,"" he said.

He added a number of firms had shown an interest in importing more palm oil.

Commenting on India's latest move to cut the benchmark import price for CPO and palmolein, Derom said he expected Indonesia's exports to increase by 10 percent from an average of 200,000 tons per month.

Indonesia last year exported 2.7 million tons of CPO and palmolein, of which 1.9 million tons was CPO.

India, Asia's second largest vegetable oil importer, cut its benchmark CPO import price by $26 a ton to $397 and crude palmolein import price by $18 a ton to $414, the Solvent Extractors' Association of India said earlier.

The cut will effectively lower import duties on the product making shipments cheaper from Indonesia and Malaysia, the world's biggest producers of the cooking oil.

Output from the two countries is expected to make up about 85 percent of this year's global palm oil production.

http://www.thejakartapost.com

ELAEIS GUINEENSIS

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:34:00 +0000

Synonym

Elaeis melanococca.

Common name
Obé palm, African oil palm, Corojo de Guinea, Palma Africana, Palma de aceite, Palma oleaginosa Africana, You zong, Macaw fat, Palmier à huile, Palmier à huile d'Afrique, Ölpalme, Steinfrüchte, wild oil palm.

Family
Palmae (Arecaceae).

Overview
A solitary palm with an erect stem growing up to 55' tall; it has an irregular set of leaflets.
Leaves are pinnate, 4 - 5 m long, bearing 50-60 lanceolate pointed segments.
Although it is ringed; there are no spines except for short spines on the leaf base and within the fruit bunch; it also lacks a crown shaft.
The cream colored male - and female inflorescences come from among the leaves. They are densely packed with the fruit - bunches.
The fruit takes about six months to mature from the pollination to maturity.
The weight varies from a few pounds to about 220 pound, according to age and situation.
However, in adults plantations mean weights are 22 - to 66 lb.
There is also a great variety of hermaphrodite or mixed inflorescences formed.
The fruit, a sessile drupe, is black when green, orange-red when ripe. The fruits are like plums, 1-1½" long, avoid in shape and reddish of color.
In Surinam it is grown commercially for the production of palm kernel oil.
The palm oil (a high acidity oil) is extracted from the mesocarp, while the kernel oil (prime oil) comes from the inside of the seeds.
The oil is rich in carotene and can be used as a substitute for cod liver oil in correcting Vitamin A deficiency.
The oils are used for manufacturing of edible oil and margarine, while the fatty acids are used in the manufacturing of soap.
The oil is today also utilized in the production of biodiesel since it has the highest oil content of any fruit.
Palm kernel oil extracted from the kernel, contains about 50% oil.
There are many other nutritional effects of palm oil; palm oil causes a progressive decrease in plasma cholesterol, anti-Thrombotic shows a reduced tendency for blood to clot.
Palm oil is a natural source of Vitamin E (tocopherols, and tocotrienols).

Medicinal applications
The oil is used against headaches and rheumatism.
It is also used as a diuretic and anodyne.

Hardiness
USDA zone 9B - 11.

Propagation
Seeds.

Culture
Full sun, well drained, clay - to poor soils; needs high humidity.
Can withstand short spells if light frost.
The seeds can take up to six month to germinate; it may help to crack, the seeds to speed-up germination.

http://www.tropilab.com/obe.html

What is Palm Oil Biodiesel?

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:12:00 +0000

Palm Oil Biodiesel is an environmentally- friendly, renewable energy source that could also produce cost savings for taxpayers and private businesses and is produced from palm trees.

The Palm Oil that is "harvested" and produced from palm trees is referred to as "Crude Palm Oil." The crude palm oil is then shipped to be refined by a palm oil refinery. The output is then referred to as Refined Palm Oil which is then suitable to be used as a biodiesel fuel, or blended with petroleum diesel.

Palm oil with an estimated global (annual) production of 25-27 million tons, is the second most produced oil in the world. By country, the leading producers of palm oil are Malaysia (13 million tons) and Indonesia (10 million tons), and together they have provided about 80% to 90% of the world's palm oil.

Approximately 80% (21-23 million tons) of the global production of palm oil is exported to other countries. Malaysia exports about 12 million tons annually and Indonesia exports about 7 million tons annually to the major importers of palm oil, which include; India, China and the European Union.

More about Palm Oil

Crude Palm Oil and Refined Palm Oil are the most traded vegetable oil in the world today. Palm oils have been as a dietary nutrient for nearly five thousand years. Palm oil is harvested from the mesocarp of the Elaeis guineensis fruit, through a refining process that includes; cooking, mashing and pressing. In this process, the seeds are separated and after cracking and removing the shell, the kernel can be processed to yield palm kernel oil and palm kernel cake.

Palm trees are "unisexual" in that they have male and female flowers within the tree. The female flowers bears fruit known as "fresh fruit bunches" or "FFB." Each palm tree is capable of bearing about 10 to 12 bunches per year. Each FFB averages 1000 to 3000 fruits with weights varying between 40 to 70 pounds.

Crude palm oil - also referred to as "CPO" comes from the mesocarp (the fleshy portion of the fruit wall) and depending on the variety and age of the palm. The CPO to bunch ratio is about 25 to 28 percent.

Refined palm oil - after crude palm oil is refined, it is then referred to as Refined Palm Oil, and can then be used in a number of applications, including as a substitute for petroleum diesel - which is known as Palm Oil Biodiesel. Additionally, Palm Oil Biodiesel can be blended with petroleum diesel. What is Canola Biodiesel?

Canola biodiesel is an environmentally- friendly, renewable energy source that could also produce cost savings for taxpayers and private businesses and is produced from farmers that grow canola.

Biodiesel produced from canola and rapeseed oil is superior to soy biodiesel. Especially due to the widely varying price fluctuations of soybeans. And because the feedstock (the oil produced from the fuel crop, such as soybeans, rapeseed or canola) to make biodiesel makes up about 80% of the cost for 100 % biodiesel, basic economics dictate that the feedstock be obtained from the least-cost source, which is going to be either canola or rapeseed.

Initial research conducted by the University of Saskatchewan and the AAFC Saskatoon Research Centre has found that each ton of renewable biodiesel fuel saves five times its weight in diesel fuel. As well, engines using biodiesel demonstrate wear rates as much as 50% lower than those using regular commercial fuels – effectively doubling engine life.

Canola is a member of the Brassica Family, which includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, mustard, radish, and turnip. It is a variant of the crop rapeseed. Grown for its seed, the seed is crushed for the oil contained within. After the oil is extracted, the by-product is a protein-richmeal used by the intensive livestock industry.

Canola is a very small seed, which means sowing depth must be controlled. The current sowing practice is to cover the seed lightly with soil, which provides more protection from drying out after germination.

Canola is generally sown in autumn and develops over winter, with flowers emerging in the spring and is harvested early summer. With a growing period of around 180-200 days climatic effects such as sudden heat waves can reduce yields and hot dry conditions can limit its oil content. Summer weather ensures low moisture (less than 6%) at harvest. Carry-in stocks of canola are minimal because of a lack of on-farm storage. Canola is a good rotational crop, acting as a break crop for cereal root diseases. However for disease-related reasons, a rotation period of 3-5 years is required for canola crops. of iodine in grams absorbed per 100 ml of oil is then the IV. The higher the IV, the more unsaturated (the greater the number of double bonds available) is the oil and the higher the potential to ‘gum up’ when used as a fuel in an engine. Though some oils have a low IV and are suitable without any further processing other than extraction and filtering, the majority of vegetable and animal oils have an IV which does not permit their use as a neat fuel.

Generally speaking, an IV of less than about 25 is required if the neat oil is to be used in unmodified diesel engines and this severely limited the types of oil that can be used.

The IV can be easily reduced by hydrogenation of the oil (reacting the oil with hydrogen), the hydrogen breaking the double bond and converting the fat or oil into a more saturated oil and reducing the tendency of the oil to polymerise. However this process also tends to increase the melting point of the oil and converts the oil into margarine. Only coconut oil has an IV low enough to be used without any special precautions in a unmodified diesel engine. However with a melting point of 25°C, the use of coconut oil in cooler areas would obviously lead to problems.

Linseed oil could be mixed with petroleum diesel at a ratio of up to 1:8 to give an equivalent IV in the mid-twenties. Likewise coconut oil can be thinned with diesel or kerosene to render it less viscous in cooler climates. Obviously the solubility of the oil in petroleum also needs to be taken into account. Another method is to emulsify the oil or fat with ethanol. Most vegetable oils are a mixture of different esters such as oleic acid (main constituent of olive oil), ricinoleic acid (main constituent of castor oil), linoleic acid (main constituents of linseed oil), palmitic acid (main constituent of palm kernel oil) and so on. In an analogous way to that in which crude oil is refined to make a useable automotive fuel, canola oil needs to be transesterified to make an automotive fuel that is useable in unmodified diesel engines.

When the oil is processed in a transesterfication process, the various fatty acids react with the alcohol to form a mixture of lighter esters and glycerol. The name of the specific fuel is called after the plant (or animal) source plus the alcohol. Made from rapeseed oil and methanol, the biodiesel is called Rape Methyl Ester (RME), from canola oil and ethanol, Canola Ethyl Ester (CEE), and from used McDonald’s cooking oil and ethanol or methanol, ("McDiesel").

http://www.cogeneration.net/palm_oil_biodiesel.htm

What is biodiesel ?

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:08:00 +0000

Biodiesel is an environmentally- friendly, renewable energy source that could also produce cost savings for taxpayers and private businesses and is produced from farmers that grow various fuel crops.

What is B2 Biodiesel?

Pure biodiesel or B100 Biodiesel, is a non-toxic, biodegradable, renewable, carbon-neutral, sulfur-free, home-grown fuel that replaces petroleum diesel. When blended with equal parts of B100 biodiesel, creates B50 biodiesel, or 50% biodiesel and 50% petroleum diesel. Therefore, B2 Biodiesel, is comprised of a "blend" of 2% Biodiesel and 98% petroleum diesel.

What is B5 Biodiesel?

Pure biodiesel or B100 Biodiesel, is a non-toxic, biodegradable, renewable, carbon-neutral, sulfur-free, home-grown fuel that replaces petroleum diesel. When blended with equal parts of B100 biodiesel, creates B50 biodiesel, or 50% biodiesel and 50% petroleum diesel. Therefore, B5 Biodiesel, is comprised of a "blend" of 5% Biodiesel and 95% petroleum diesel.

What is B10 Biodiesel?

Pure biodiesel or B100 Biodiesel, is a non-toxic, biodegradable, renewable, carbon-neutral, sulfur-free, domestic fuel that when blended with 9 parts petroleum diesel to one part biodiesel creates B10 biodiesel, or 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel.

What is B20 Biodiesel?

B20 Biodiesel is one the most popular biodiesel blends presently available thoughout much of the U.S., Canada and Europe. Pure biodiesel or B100 Biodiesel, is a non-toxic, biodegradable, renewable, carbon-neutral, sulfur-free, domestic fuel that when mixed with four parts petroleum diesel to one part biodiesel creates B20 biodiesel, or 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel.

What is B50 Biodiesel?

Pure biodiesel or B100 Biodiesel, is a non-toxic, biodegradable, renewable, carbon-neutral, sulfur-free, domestic petroleum diesel when blended with equal parts of B100 biodiesel creates B50 biodiesel, or 50% biodiesel and 50% petroleum diesel.

What is B95 Biodiesel?

Pure biodiesel or B100 Biodiesel, is a non-toxic, biodegradable, renewable, carbon-neutral, sulfur-free, home-grown fuel that replaces petroleum diesel. When blended with equal parts of B100 biodiesel, creates B50 biodiesel, or 50% biodiesel and 50% petroleum diesel. Therefore, B95 Biodiesel, is comprised of a "blend" of 95% Biodiesel and 5% petroleum diesel.

What is B99 Biodiesel?

Pure biodiesel or B100 Biodiesel, is a non-toxic, biodegradable, renewable, carbon-neutral, sulfur-free, home-grown fuel that replaces petroleum diesel. When blended with equal parts of B100 biodiesel, creates B50 biodiesel, or 50% biodiesel and 50% petroleum diesel. Therefore, B99 Biodiesel, is comprised of a "blend" of 99% Biodiesel and 1% petroleum diesel.

What is B100 Biodiesel?

Pure biodiesel is referred to as B100 Biodiesel, which is a non-toxic, biodegradable, renewable, carbon-neutral, sulfur-free, domestically "grown" biofuel. B100 Biodiesel is refined from many American-grown fuel/energy crops such as soybeans, canola, rapeseed and even palm trees.

Can B20 Biodiesel cause, or prevent problems for my diesel engine?

This depends on the age of the car. Biodiesel is a solvent and may affect some seals, gaskets, and adhesives, particularly those made before 1993 and those made from natural or nitrile rubber. Most diesel engines manufactured after 1994 have been constructed with gaskets and seals that are biodiesel resistant. Earlier engine models or rebuilds may use older gasket and seal materials and present a risk of swelling, leaking, or failure. Fuel pumps may contain rubber valves that may fail. B20 Biodiesel cleans dirty engine deposits, which may result in you needing an initial fuel filter change. B20 Biodiesel fuel is being widely used in various areas around the United States and Canada. Its production and distribution is expanding rapidly throughout the U.S. and Canada. Now that B20 Biodiesel has been gaining wide-spread distribution and popularity, questions are being asked for which some of the more common questions are answered below.

Does B20 Biodiesel perform as well as regular petroleum diesel?

Yes! In most cases you will not be unable to tell the difference between the two fuels, although some notice the diesel exhaust lightening in color due to the reduced emissions. B20 Biodiesel can be used in existing engines and fuel injection equipment with little impact to operating performance. In more than 30 million miles of in-field demonstrations, B20 has produced similar fuel consumption, horsepower, torque, and haulage rates as conventional diesel fuel. B20 Biodiesel also has superior lubricity, which helps prevent engine wear, plus it has a higher cetane number than U.S. diesel fuel, which classifies B20 as a premium grade fuel.

How does B20 Biodiesel fuel get shipped and distributed?

B20 Biodiesel is shipped throughout the U.S. and Canada as B100 Biodiesel. Once it arrives in at our partner company's bulk fuel facilities, it is mixed in various ratios of between 20%-80% with petroleum diesel. To produce B20 Biodiesel, we blend one part of B100 Biodiesel with 4 parts of petroleum diesel. The blended B20 Biodiesel is then delivered to our fuel users and public sales points throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Can I use B20 Biodiesel during the winter and long periods of cold weather?

Yes! In fact, B20 Biodiesel has almost the same cold weather properties as regular petroleum diesel. B20 Biodiesel is used throughout the U.S. National Parks Services, including cold-weather climates such as Yellowstone National Park, without any problems or complaints.

source:http://www.cogeneration.net/palm_oil_biodiesel.htm

How about Margarine

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 22:13:00 +0000

Margarines were originally developed in 1869 as an alternative to butter, which was in short supply and expensive. The first margarines were made from animal fats, but today most margarine is formulated with vegetable oils. The product range now includes table margarines, bakery margarines, specialized puff pastry margarine, and has recently been extended to various "low calorie" spreads, which essentially contain much higher levels of water and lower levels of fat than those legally required in margarine.

1. Why is margarine the country’s most popular tablespread?

Americans eat more than twice as much margarine products as they do butter. The reason could be margarine’s taste, versatility, spreadability or reasonable price -- but more healthful eating is the most important reason. Because health experts recommend a diet lower in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol to reduce the risk of heart disease, margarine consumption has become a key part of dietary recommendations made by leading health organizations.

2. Why are margarine products sensible alternatives to butter?

Margarine products are a wise alternative for consumers who want a tasty tablespread that offers nutritional advantages over butter. In addition, margarine products contain no cholesterol and 0-2 grams of saturated fat Many margarine products are much lower in total fat and calories than butter. Not only are margarine products a good source of vitamins A and E, they also contain mono- and poly-unsaturated fats as well as linoleic and linolenic acids, both of which are essential fatty acids.

3. Is it better to eat butter than margarine because of the trans fat? *

No. Although some margarines contain more trans fat than butter, the total of trans and saturated fat (the LDL-C raising fats) is always less than the total for butter. The total for butter is much higher because of all the saturated fat that it contains. The chart below shows you the comparisons of the content of these types of fats in butter and in some margarines. It is usually better to eat the softer or liquid margarines that contain lower amounts of saturated and trans fats. Also, nonstick cooking spray may be substituted for other fats when "greasing" the pan. The following information is from the most recently available 1995 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and FDA data. Since that time, the margarine industry has reformulated many margarine products to reduce the total fat, saturated fat and trans fat content.

4. How can consumers be assured that it’s OK to eat margarine?

Consumers should listen to the advice of leading health authorities such as the American Heart Association, the National Cholesterol Education Program, the U.S. Surgeon General and the American Dietetic Association – all of these organizations stress the need to reduce total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet. For heart health, leading health groups recommend margarine over butter because margarine has no cholesterol and much less saturated fat, and many margarine products have less total fat, trans fat and calories as well. These organizations also stress that consumers are still eating way too much saturated fat, and that should be the primary focus of any diet designed to reduce heart disease risk.

5. What is the bottom line on trans fat and margarine?

When it comes to overall nutrition, even the more traditional margarine products (those that have 60% or more oil) have a better nutritional profile than butter (even when trans fat is added to the amount of saturated fat). This can be illustrated if one were to add up the amount of trans fat and the amount of saturated fat in each of these products. Even if trans fats do act similarly to saturated fat, margarine wins nutritionally each and every time, and the reduced-fat, low-fat and fat-free margarine products also provide consumers the opportunity to reduce saturated fat and trans fat even further.

source: http://www.choosemargarine.com/faq.html

Biomass Energy

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:37:00 +0000

Biomass is matter usually thought of as garbage. Some of it is just stuff lying around -- dead trees, tree branches, yard clippings, left-over crops, wood chips (like in the picture to the right), and bark and sawdust from lumber mills. It can even include used tires and livestock manure.

Your trash, paper products that can't be recycled into other paper products, and other household waste are normally sent to the dump. Your trash contains some types of biomass that can be reused. Recycling biomass for fuel and other uses cuts down on the need for "landfills" to hold garbage.

This stuff nobody seems to want can be used to produce electricity, heat, compost material or fuels. Composting material is decayed plant or food products mixed together in a compost pile and spread to help plants grow.

California produces more than 60 million bone dry tons of biomass each year. Of this total, five million bone dry tons is now burned to make electricity. This is biomass from lumber mill wastes, urban wood waste, forest and agricultural residues and other feed stocks.

If all of it was used, the 60 million tons of biomass in California could make close to 2,000 megawatts of electricity for California's growing population and economy. That's enough energy to make electricity for about two million homes!

How biomass works is very simple. The waste wood, tree branches and other scraps are gathered together in big trucks. The trucks bring the waste from factories and from farms to a biomass power plant. Here the biomass is dumped into huge hoppers. This is then fed into a furnace where it is burned. The heat is used to boil water in the boiler, and the energy in the steam is used to turn turbines and generators.

Biomass can also be tapped right at the landfill with burning waster products. When garbage decomposes, it gives off methane gas. Pipelines are put into the landfills and the methane gas can be collected. It is then used in power plants to make electricity. This type of biomass is called landfill gas.

A similar thing can be done at animal feed lots. In places where lots of animals are raised, the animals - like cattle, cows and even chickens - produce manure. When manure decomposes, it also gives off methane gas similar to garbage. This gas can be burned right at the farm to make energy to run the farm.

Using biomass can help reduce global warming compared to a fossil fuel-powered plant. Plants use and store carbon dioxide (CO2) when they grow. CO2 stored in the plant is released when the plant material is burned or decays. By replanting the crops, the new plants can use the CO2 produced by the burned plants. So using biomass and replanting helps close the carbon dioxide cycle. However, if the crops are not replanted, then biomass can emit carbon dioxide that will contribute toward global warming.

So, the use of biomass can be environmentally friendly because the biomass is reduced, recycled and then reused. It is also a renewable resource because plants to make biomass can be grown over and over.

Today, new ways of using biomass are still being discovered. One way is to produce ethanol, a liquid alcohol fuel. Ethanol can be used in special types of cars that are made for using alcohol fuel instead of gasoline. The alcohol can also be combined with gasoline. This reduces our dependence on oil - a non-renewable fossil fuel.

source: http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter10.html

Biomass

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:26:00 +0000

Biomass refers to living and recently dead biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production. Most commonly, biomass refers to plant matter grown to generate electricity or produce biofuel, but it also includes plant or animal matter used for production of fibers, chemicals or heat. Biomass may also include biodegradable wastes that can be burnt as fuel. It excludes organic material which has been transformed by geological processes into substances such as coal or petroleum.

Industrial biomass can be grown from numerous types of plants, including miscanthus, switchgrass, hemp, corn, poplar, willow, sorghum, sugarcane, and a variety of tree species, ranging from eucalyptus to oil palm (palm oil). The particular plant used is usually not very important to the end products, but it does affect the processing of the raw material. Production of biomass is a growing industry as interest in sustainable fuel sources is growing.

Although fossil fuels have their origin in ancient biomass, they are not considered biomass by the generally accepted definition because they contain carbon that has been "out" of the carbon cycle for a very long time. Their combustion therefore disturbs the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere.

Plastics from biomass, like some recently developed to dissolve in seawater, are made the same way as petroleum-based plastics, are actually cheaper to manufacture and meet or exceed most performance standards. But they lack the same water resistance or longevity as conventional plastics.

Biomass is part of the carbon cycle. Carbon from the atmosphere is converted into biological matter by photosynthesis. On death or combustion the carbon goes back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2). This happens over a relatively short timescale and plant matter used as a fuel can be constantly replaced by planting for new growth. Therefore a reasonably stable level of atmospheric carbon results from its use as a fuel. It is accepted that the amount of carbon stored in dry wood is approximately 50% by weight.

Though biomass is a renewable fuel, and is sometimes called a "carbon neutral" fuel, its use can still contribute to global warming. This happens when the natural carbon equilibrium is disturbed; for example by deforestation or urbanization of green sites. When biomass is used as a fuel, as a replacement for fossil fuels, it still puts the same amount of CO2 into the atmosphere. However, when biomass is used for energy production it is widely considered carbon neutral, or a net reducer of greenhouse gasses because of the offset of methane that would have otherwise entered the atmosphere. The carbon in biomass material, which makes up approximately fifty percent of its dry-matter content, is already part of the atmospheric carbon cycle. Biomass absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere during its growing lifetime. After its life, the carbon in biomass recycles to the atmosphere as a mixture of CO2 and methane (CH4), depending on the ultimate fate of the biomass material. CH4 converts to CO2 in the atmosphere, completing the cycle. In contrast to biomass carbon, the carbon in fossil fuels is locked away in geological storage forever, unless extracted. The use of fossil fuels removes carbon from long-term storage, and adds it to the stock of carbon in the atmospheric cycle.

Energy produced from biomass residues displaces the production of an equivalent amount of energy from fossil fuels, leaving the fossil carbon in storage. It also shifts the composition of the recycled carbon emissions associated with the disposal of the biomass residues from a mixture of CO2 and CH4, to almost exclusively CO2. In the absence of energy production applications, biomass residue carbon would be recycled to the atmosphere through some combination of rotting (biodegradation) and open burning. Rotting produces a mixture of up to fifty percent CH4, while open burning produces five to ten percent CH4. Controlled combustion in a power plant converts virtually all of the carbon in the biomass to CO2. Because CH4 is a much stronger greenhouse gas than CO2, shifting CH4 emissions to CO2 by converting biomass residues to energy significantly reduces the greenhouse warming potential of the recycled carbon associated with other fates or disposal of the biomass residues.

The existing commercial biomass power generating industry in the United States, which consists of approximately 1,700 MW (megawatts) of operating capacity actively supplying power to the grid, produces about 0.5 percent of the U.S. electricity supply. This level of biomass power generation avoids approximately 11 million tons per year of CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion. It also avoids approximately two million tons per year of CH4 emissions from the biomass residues that, in the absence of energy production, would otherwise be disposed of by burial (in landfills, in disposal piles, or by the plowing under of agricultural residues), by spreading, and by open burning. The avoided CH4 emissions associated with biomass energy production have a greenhouse warming potential that is more than 20 times greater than that of the avoided fossil-fuel CO2 emissions. Biomass power production is at least five times more effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions than any other greenhouse-gas-neutral power-production technology, such as other renewables and nuclear.

Currently, the New Hope Power Partnership, owned by Florida Crystals Corporation, is the largest biomass power plant in North America. The 140 MWH facility uses sugar cane fiber (bagasse) and recycled urban wood as fuel to generate enough power for its large milling and refining operations as well as to supply renewable electricity for nearly 60,000 homes. The facility reduces dependence on oil by more than one million barrels per year, and by recycling sugar cane and wood waste, preserves landfill space in urban communities in Florida.

Despite harvesting, biomass crops may sequester (trap) carbon. So for example soil organic carbon has been observed to be greater in switchgrass stands than in cultivated cropland soil, especially at depths below 12 inches.[9] The grass sequesters the carbon in its increased root biomass. But the perennial grass may need to be allowed to grow for several years before increases are measurable.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomass

About Biodiesel

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:41:00 +0000

In response to the recent passage of Minnesota’s bill requiring 2% biodiesel in all diesel fuels starting as early as July 1, 2005, the National Biodiesel Board convened a Cold Flow Consortium. The Consortium was tasked with investigating the blending of biodiesel into diesel fuel at temperatures similar to those experienced in the Minnesota winter, with the objective of defining parameters for successfully preparing homogeneous single-phase blends. The Consortium was composed of fuel providers, marketers, blenders, and other interested parties. Each member had an equal voice in the Consortium.

Scope
This study was designed to accurately determine the temperature where biodiesel and No. 1 and No. 2 diesel could be blended at 2 volume percent (2%) biodiesel, while meeting standards for blend precision and homogeneity. The approach taken was to fabricate a small scale blending system to simulate splash and proportional blending. The system has the capability to blend biodiesel at different rates with different grades of diesel fuel at different temperatures. This study focused on preparing 2% biodiesel (B2) blends exclusively. The blending system was self-contained to include tanks, pumps, motors, and necessary appurtenances. The system included the ability to heat and/or cool the biodiesel as needed and cool the diesel as needed.

Experimental Apparatus
The test unit was designed to be totally portable to allow for future testing at various locations. The design of the test skid was specifically sized for testing B2 as mandated in the state of Minnesota. The test skid included an environmental chilling chamber, capable of cooling fuel to near -60ºF in a reasonably short period of time. A photograph of the blending unit is in Figure 1. Each process and test was recorded manually and with video equipment along with the blending equipment records of volume amounts. To assist in recording the results of these tests, the finished product tank included interior lighting, viewing ports, and sample ports. The finished product tank was manufactured of a clear material to offer the best possible opportunity for evaluating the formation of crystals. The design for the first series of testing simulated splash blending into a clear blending container maintained at ambient temperature. A process and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) of this test bench configuration is contained in Appendix A. For proportional blending, a flow loop was created to allow the fuels to circulate through the piping while inside the cooling chamber. The piping loop included a filter and differential pressure across
the filter was employed to monitor fuel viscosity changes and determine if the fuels were plugging the filters or strainers. Large increases in viscosity or filter plugging would indicate the formation of wax or biodiesel crystals.

Test Procedures
Sequential Blending into Visible Container. These tests simulated splash blending. Four scenarios were tested:

Cold No. 1 diesel was loaded into the container. The first type of biodiesel was added to the top to create a B2 blend. This procedure was repeated for each type of biodiesel.
Cold No. 2 diesel was loaded into the container. The first type of biodiesel was added to the top to create a B2 blend. This procedure was repeated for each type of biodiesel.
Biodiesel was loaded into the container first. The No. 1 diesel fuel was loaded on top to create the B2 blend. This scenario was repeated for each type of biodiesel.
Biodiesel was loaded into the container first. The No. 2 diesel fuel was loaded on top to create the B2 blend. This scenario was repeated for each type of biodiesel.

Proportional Blending. The biodiesel and diesel fuels were blended through proportional blending. To accomplish this, four gallons of cold No. 1 or No. 2 diesel fuel were circulated through the filters and the pressure drop across the filters measured. Biodiesel was then proportionally blended at 2% and any change in the filter pressure drop monitored. This procedure was repeated with each of the three biodiesels.

Test Fuels
A local truck rack operator provided the diesel fuels for this project. The fuels were unadditized commercial grades of No. 1 and No. 2 diesel fuels. The certificates of analysis are in Appendix D and E, respectively. The biodiesels were soy-, yellow grease-, and tallow-derived fuels. The certificates of analysis are in Appendices F, G, and H, respectively. West Central Soy provided the soy biodiesel. Rothsay/Laurenco provided the yellow grease and tallow biodiesels. The biodiesels were sent to a test facility to measure the cloud and pour points of the neat biodiesels and the B2 blends. Because the unadditized diesel fuel (Appendices D and E) was not available, a typical no. 2 diesel was used to make the blends for cloud point and pour point determination.

source : http://www.biodiesel.org

Expo 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 12:29:00 +0000

Expo 2008 is an international exposition held from 14 June to 14 September 2008 coordinated by the Bureau of International Expositions, the organization that is responsible for sanctioning World's Fairs, held in Zaragoza, Spain, with the topic of "Water and sustainable development". The event is being placed in a meander of the river Ebro.

Zaragoza, host city for the International Exposition, is the administrative and financial capital of the autonomous community of Aragon and the fifth largest Spanish city in inhabitants (660,000), behind Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville. Zaragoza was elected the host city of Expo 2008 on December 16, 2004 by the BIE, beating Thessaloniki (Greece) and Trieste (Italy).

The exhibition’s most emblematic buildings are the Water Tower, a 80-metre-high transparent building designed by Enrique de Teresa to evoke a drop of water, Zaha Hadid's Bridge Pavilion and the river aquarium. The exposition site also hosts several spectacles, including a daily parade by Cirque du Soleil called The Awakening of the Serpent.

Aside from the countries, non-government organizations and private companies also take part in Expo 2008, always with the idea of water and sustainable development. The Expo 2008 host committee has estimated that this event could generate 135 million euros in receipts for admission to the exhibition centre.

Biofuels by Country

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:24:00 +0000

Biofuels by country

Recognizing the importance of implementing bioenergy, there are international organizations such as IEA Bioenergy, established in 1978 by the OECD International Energy Agency (IEA), with the aim of improving cooperation and information exchange between countries that have national programs in bioenergy research, development and deployment. The U.N. International Biofuels Forum is formed by Brazil, China, India, South Africa, the United States and the European Commission. The world leaders in biofuel development and use are Brazil, United States, France, Sweden and Germany.

Israel

IC Green Energy, a subsidiary of Israel Corp., aims by 2012 to process 4-5% of the global biofuel market (~4 million tons). It is focused solely on non-edible feedstock such as Jatropha, Castor, cellulosic biomass and algae.[27] In June 2008, Tel Aviv-based Seambiotic and Seattle-based Inventure Chemical announced a joint venture to use CO2 emissions-fed algae to make ethanol and biodiesel at a biofuel plant in Israel.

China

In China, the government is making E10 blends mandatory in five provinces that account for 16% of the nation's passenger cars. In Southeast Asia, Thailand has mandated an ambitious 10% ethanol mix in gasoline starting in 2007. For similar reasons, the palm oil industry plans to supply an increasing portion of national diesel fuel requirements in Malaysia and Indonesia. In Canada, the government aims for 45% of the country’s gasoline consumption to contain 10% ethanol by 2010.

India
Biofuels in India

In India, a bioethanol program calls for E5 blends throughout most of the country targeting to raise this requirement to E10 and then E20.

Europe

The European Union in its biofuels directive (updated 2006) has set the goal that for 2010 that each member state should achieve at least 5.75% biofuel usage of all used traffic fuel. By 2020 the figure should be 10%. As of January 2008 these aims are being reconsidered in light of certain environmental and social concerns associated with biofuels such as rising food prices and deforestation.

France

France is the second largest biofuel consumer among the EU States in 2006. According to the Ministry of Industry, France's consumption increased by 62.7% to reach 682,000 toe (i.e. 1.6% of French fuel consumption). Biodiesel represents the largest share of this (78%, far ahead of bioethanol with 22%). The unquestionable biodiesel leader in Europe is the French company Diester Industrie. In bioethanol, the French agro-industrial group Téréos is increasing its production capacities. Germany itself remained the largest European biofuel consumer, with a consumption estimate of 2.8 million tons of biodiesel (equivalent to 2,408,000 toe), 0.71 million ton of vegetable oil (628.492 toe) and 0.48 million ton of bioethanol (307,200 toe).

Germany

The biggest biodiesel German company is ADM Ölmühle Hamburg AG, which is a subsidiary of the American group Archer Daniels Midland Company. Among the other large German producers, MUW (Mitteldeutsche Umesterungswerke GmbH & Co KG) and EOP Biodiesel AG. A major contender in terms of bioethanol production is the German sugar corporation, Südzucker.

Spain

The Spanish group Abengoa, via its American subsidiary Abengoa Bioenergy, is the European leader in production of bioethanol.

Sweden
Biofuel in Sweden

The government in Sweden has together with BIL Sweden, the national association for the automobile industry, that are the automakers in Sweden started the work to end oil dependency. One-fifth of cars in Stockholm can run on alternative fuels, mostly ethanol fuel. Also Stockholm will introduce a fleet of Swedish-made hybrid ethanol-electric buses. In 2005, oil phase-out in Sweden by 2020 was announced.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) (announced 2005) is the requirement that by 2010 5% of all road vehicle fuel is renewable. In 2008 a critical report by the Royal Society stated that biofuels risk failing to deliver significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from transport and could even be environmentally damaging unless the Government puts the right policies in place.

Brazil
Biofuel in Brazil

In Brazil, the government hopes to build on the success of the Proálcool ethanol program by expanding the production of biodiesel which must contain 2% biodiesel by 2008, increasing to 5% by 2013.

Colombia

Colombia mandates the use of 10% ethanol in all gasoline sold in cities with populations exceeding 500,000. In Venezuela, the state oil company is supporting the construction of 15 sugar cane distilleries over the next five years, as the government introduces a E10 (10% ethanol) blending mandate.

USA
Biofuel in the United States

In 2006, the United States president George W. Bush said in a State of the Union speech that the US is "addicted to oil" and should replace 75% of imported oil by 2025 by alternative sources of energy including biofuels.

Bioalcohol

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:47:00 +0000

Biologically produced alcohols, most commonly ethanol, and less commonly propanol and butanol, are produced by the action of microorganisms and enzymes through the fermentation of sugars or starches (easiest), or cellulose (which is more difficult). Biobutanol (also called biogasoline) is often claimed to provide a direct replacement for gasoline, because it can be used directly in a gasoline engine (in a similar way to biodiesel in diesel engines).

Butanol is formed by ABE fermentation (acetone, butanol, ethanol) and experimental modifications of the process show potentially high net energy gains with butanol as the only liquid product. Butanol will produce more energy and allegedly can be burned "straight" in existing gasoline engines (without modification to the engine or car), and is less corrosive and less water soluble than ethanol, and could be distributed via existing infrastructures. DuPont and BP are working together to help develop Butanol.

Ethanol fuel is the most common biofuel worldwide, particularly in Brazil. Alcohol fuels are produced by fermentation of sugars derived from wheat, corn, sugar beets, sugar cane, molasses and any sugar or starch that alcoholic beverages can be made from (like potato and fruit waste, etc.). The ethanol production methods used are enzyme digestion (to release sugars from stored starches, fermentation of the sugars, distillation and drying. The distillation process requires significant energy input for heat (often unsustainable natural gas fossil fuel, but cellulosic biomass such as bagasse, the waste left after sugar cane is pressed to extract its juice, can also be used more sustainably).

Ethanol can be used in petrol engines as a replacement for gasoline; it can be mixed with gasoline to any percentage. Most existing automobile petrol engines can run on blends of up to 15% bioethanol with petroleum/gasoline. Gasoline with ethanol added has higher octane, which means that your engine can typically burn hotter and more efficiently. In high altitude (thin air) locations, some states mandate a mix of gasoline and ethanol as a winter oxidizer to reduce atmospheric pollution emissions.

Ethanol fuel has less BTU energy content, which means it takes more fuel (volume and mass) to go the same distance. More-expensive premium fuels contain less, or no, ethanol. In high-compression engines, less ethanol, slower-burning premium fuel is required to avoid harmful pre-ignition (knocking). Very-expensive aviation gasoline (Avgas) is 100 octane made from 100% petroleum. The high price of zero-ethanol Avgas does not include federal-and-state road-use taxes.

Ethanol is very corrosive to fuel systems, rubber hoses-and-gaskets, aluminum, and combustion chambers. It is therefore illegal to use fuels containing alcohol in aircraft (although at least one model of ethanol-powered aircraft has been developed, the Embraer EMB 202 Ipanema). Ethanol is incompatible with marine fiberglass fuel tanks (it makes them leak). For higher ethanol percentage blends, and 100% ethanol vehicles, engine modifications are required.

Corrosive ethanol cannot be transported in petroleum pipelines, so more-expensive over-the-road stainless-steel tank trucks increase the cost and energy consumption required to deliver ethanol to the customer at the pump.

In the current alcohol-from-corn production model in the United States, considering the total energy consumed by farm equipment, cultivation, planting, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides made from petroleum, irrigation systems, harvesting, transport of feedstock to processing plants, fermentation, distillation, drying, transport to fuel terminals and retail pumps, and lower ethanol fuel energy content, the net energy content value added and delivered to consumers is very small. And, the net benefit (all things considered) does little to reduce un-sustainable imported oil and fossil fuels required to produce the ethanol.

Many car manufacturers are now producing flexible-fuel vehicles (FFV's), which can safely run on any combination of bioethanol and petrol, up to 100% bioethanol. They dynamically sense exhaust oxygen content, and adjust the engine's computer systems, spark, and fuel injection accordingly. This adds initial cost and ongoing increased vehicle maintenance. Efficiency falls and pollution emissions increase when FFV system maintenance is needed (regardless of the 0%-to-100% ethanol mix being used), but not performed (as with all vehicles). FFV internal combustion engines are becoming increasingly complex, as are multiple-propulsion-system FFV hybrid vehicles, which impacts cost, maintenance, reliability, and useful lifetime longevity.

Alcohol mixes with both petroleum and with water, so ethanol fuels are often diluted after the drying process by absorbing environmental moisture from the atmosphere. Water in alcohol-mix fuels reduces efficiency, makes engines harder to start, causes intermittent operation (sputtering), and oxidizes aluminum (carburetors) and steel components (rust).

Even dry ethanol has roughly one-third lower energy content per unit of volume compared to gasoline, so larger / heavier fuel tanks are required to travel the same distance, or more fuel stops are required. With large current un-sustainable, non-scalable subsidies, ethanol fuel still costs much more per unit of distance traveled than current high gasoline prices in the United States.

Methanol is currently produced from natural gas, a non-renewable fossil fuel. It can also be produced from biomass as biomethanol. The methanol economy is an interesting alternative to the hydrogen economy, compared to today's hydrogen produced from natural gas, but not hydrogen production directly from water and state-of-the-art clean solar thermal energy processes.

Biodiesel (3)

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:46:00 +0000

PROCESS TECHNOLOGY

Designed for Versatility

Put our versatile, robust biodiesel technology at the heart of your enterprise to produce consistently high quality fuel at a competitive price. Since 1996 we have provided our customers with efficient and appropriately scaled technology to convert a multitude of fats, oils and greases, virgin and waste, into 100% high quality ASTM specification biodiesel. Our combination of real world production experience and robust process technology have made us a premier provider of biodiesel process systems and equipment to companies seeking to weather the ups and downs of volatile feedstock and fuel markets, while delivering the quality and consistency their customers demand. Get acquainted with the complete set of technology features and benefits only Pacific Bidodiesel offers to ensure success for your biodiesel enterprise.

Proven Experience for a Competitive Edge

The greening of America and rising petroleum costs are spurring rapid growth for the biodiesel industry. As your proven partner, Pacific Biodiesel not only assures successful establishment of your operation, but gives you a competitive edge. Our decade of experience building and operating biodiesel plants insures that we will design and build for you the right size plant, with the right equipment, installed and brought on line on time and within budget. Since 1996, Pacific Biodiesel has owned and operated biodiesel plants utilizing multiple feedstocks including used cooking oil, yellow grease, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, and tallow. From the beginning, we have shared our technology and experience with customers in the United States and abroad. Our participation ranges from providing basic process systems to delivering turn-key biodiesel production facilities complete with management oversight and ongoing operational support. No other technology provider in the industry delivers this range of services, equipment, or support. The competence behind our commitment to plant owners and operators is firmly rooted in our own operational experience.

Water-free Processing for State-of-the-Art Technology

Through extensive research, Pacific Biodiesel Technologies has developed a unique biodiesel refining technology that uses no water and provides consistently high fuel quality. Our dry refining process is superior to water wash and ion exchange resin processes in both cost and efficiency at removing a multitude of trace contaminants which can negatively affect oxidative stability and cold weather performance. This process is standard in our biodiesel systems, and can be retrofit to any existing biodiesel plant.

Multi-Feedstock Flexibility for Changing Markets

To maximize profitability, biodiesel plants must be able to respond to market fluctuations in the price and availability of various feedstocks, with the flexibility to quickly transition from one feedstock to another. We provide a robust and adaptable process technology to meet these goals. Other plant manufacturers claim “multi-feedstock capability,” but glaze over the critical details such as specifying which feedstocks are supported, in what proportions, and what are the resulting yields. Some companies will claim that used oils and greases can be used in their process, but they employ inappropriate process chemistry that can result in losses in efficiency that can exceed 30%. Pacific Biodiesel’s unique reaction technologies allow the use of up to 15% FFA feedstock without loss of yield. Our process is also designed to handle contaminants commonly found in used and unrefined oils and fats, but which competitors fail to mention as diminishing production factors.These include moisture, insoluble and inorganic impurities, excess unsaponifiable matter, and phospholipids. We have been processing used and unrefined oils and fats for more than a decade. No one provides more robust solutions for using multiple feedstocks to adapt to challenging market changes.

Superior Fuel Quality for End-user Satisfaction

We guarantee that our process plants will meet ASTM standards using a multitude of feedstocks. Pacific Biodiesel’s robust process chemistry and three-stage product refining produce a fuel with quality that is second to none. Our multi-stage reaction efficiently converts fatty acids and glycerides to methyl esters, while our vacuum distillation and dry refining steps remove trace amounts of water, methanol and minor impurities to yield a fuel with exceptional quality and a long shelf life.

Quality Equipment for the Long Haul

As producers, we understand the importance of avoiding downtime to make repairs. In biodiesel production, Inferior equipment is the primary cause. Our process equipment is constructed of stainless steel and with specially design elastomers for superior longevity and lower maintenance costs. The quality of our equipment in materials and manufacturing is backed by a blanket one-year warranty, with a five-year warranty on all process vessels. Extended warrantees are also available. One of the biggest mistakes a producer can make is choosing equipment that was not designed or built for a long service life under rigorous conditions. The use of low grade materials, including plastic vessel and pipe, not only falls short of profitable performance, but is unsafe. The use of lower quality components and wear parts in competitors’ systems ignore the long-term maintenance and replacement costs.

Designed for Safety

Careful attention to safe operating practices is pervasive in the design of Pacific Biodiesel Technologies equipment. We apply the principles of intrinsically safe design whenever possible, and closely follow NFPA, ASME, and UL codes for all vessels, piping systems and electrical equipment. Pacific Biodiesel Technologies is committed to designing, engineering, and fabricating systems that enhance the safety and ergonomics of its biodiesel plants.

High Yield Efficiency for the Bottom Line

By employing precise reaction chemistry and proprietary ester and byproduct refining technologies, our process delivers the highest possible yield from any feedstock used. Many technology providers skirt the issue of yield losses inherent to traditional process chemistry, particularly the lack of proper equipment to treat and recover crude ester and byproduct streams. Our process is designed to recycle every drop of feedstock diverted in the production process and sized to ensure consistent output even through feedstock transitions.

Complete Methanol Recovery for Reduced Costs

A comprehensive approach to methanol recovery is essential to ensuring a competitive edge. Some technology providers claim to offer methanol recovery technology, but limit the process to recycling methanol from the biodiesel refining step, while the crude byproducts (glycerin) remain untreated. Their process actually results in a loss of methanol and produces a hazardous waste stream. Other biodiesel producers have turned to “off the shelf” distillation units, or to suppliers of methanol recovery equipment to other industries, often with poor results. Pacific Biodiesel Technologies’ process equipment recovers all excess methanol, and is specifically designed for the biodiesel production process. Careful attention is paid to specifying equipment and creating conditions that maintain high product quality during evaporation and distillation. The use of our three-step recovery system keeps methanol consumption to the theoretical minimum while producing high quality co-products.

85% Glycerin Purity for Increased Revenue

Pacific Biodiesel Technologies’ proprietary byproduct refining technology allows the recovery of 85%+ pure glycerin from the crude byproduct stream. The resulting glycerin is suitable for use as animal feed, is upgradeable to USP quality, or can be used in a multitude of other areas. Also, recycling excess methanol and feedstock residues into the process improves yield and lowers operating costs.

Reduced Environmental Footprint for Sustainability

A small environmental footprint is an essential aspect of a sustainable biodiesel facility. Our processes come standard with vapor recovery to eliminate fugitive emissions. The use of our proprietary dry refining process eliminates the use of water and creates a non-hazardous solid from product impurities. Methanol recovery from all process streams keeps methanol consumption to a minimum. Our facilities may be equipped with state-of-the-art cooling tower and boiler water treatment options to eliminate chemical use in these areas, also.

referense biodiesel.com

Biodiesel (2)

noreply@blogger.com (Plantations) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:35:00 +0000

WHAT IS BIODIESEL

Biodiesel is a clean burning renewable fuel made using natural vegetable oils and fats.
Biodiesel is made through a chemical process which converts oils and fats of natural origin into fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). Biodiesel IS NOT vegetable oil.
Biodiesel is intended to be used as a replacement for petroleum diesel fuel, or can be blended with petroleum diesel fuel in any proportion.
Biodiesel does not require modifications to a diesel engine to be used.
Biodiesel has reduced exhaust emissions compared to petroleum diesel fuel.
Biodiesel has lower toxicity compared to petroleum diesel fuel.
Biodiesel is safer to handle compared to petroleum diesel fuel.
Biodiesel quality is governed by ASTM D 6751 quality parameters.
Biodiesel is biodegradable.

What is NOT Biodiesel

Look Carefully! Many companies and groups improperly use the word biodiesel to describe diesel fuel replacement products they have developed. This creates significant confusion for consumers looking to purchase and use biodiesel. Some of these alternatives have not been properly tested and could lead to damage to vehicles. Below is some information to help distinguish real biodiesel from imposters.
What biodiesel IS NOT:

Biodiesel is not vegetable oil.
Biodiesel is not vegetable oil diluted with solvents, i.e. diesel fuel or alcohols.
Biodiesel is not vegetable oil with “special additives” to make it run better.
Biodiesel is not vegetable oil refined through a conventional oil refinery process.
Biodiesel is not vegetable oil refined through thermal depolymerization (renewable diesel).
Biodiesel is not a fuel that requires costly modifications to your diesel engine (straight vegetable oil).
Biodiesel is not crude methyl esters which have not been refined or minimally refined.

Unlike biodiesel, none of the fluids listed above have undergone renewable fuel certification, emissions or toxicity testing, or long-term reliability testing in engines and vehicles.

How to Make Sure You are Getting Biodiesel

In order to be called biodiesel and receive certain tax credits specifically intended for biodiesel:

Biodiesel must be produced from naturally occurring fats and oils using transesterification.
Biodiesel must be composed of fatty acid methyl esters.
Biodiesel must be refined to remove all trace impurities.
Biodiesel must meet the ASTM standard D6751-07b “Specification for Biodiesel (B100)”.

If a fuel product does not meet these requirements it IS NOT biodiesel, and does not quality for tax credits relating to biodiesel. The most important thing to ask your fuel provider is if the biodiesel is ASTM certified.