Comparison of Traditional and Semi-mechanized Palm Oil Processing Approaches in Nigeria; Implications on Biodiesel Production

Oil palm processing is a source of livelihood to many rural families in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. About 80% palm oil processors are smallholders who basically employ manual equipment for processing. In this study, the processes of crude palm oil (CPO) production from fresh fruit bunch were compared between semi-mechanized and traditional processors in Niger Delta Nigeria. The study found that both approaches share the same processing steps like bunch reception, fermentation before threshing, sieving and digestion whereas steps like slicing, fermentation of PPF were typical of only traditional approach. Oil drying was peculiar to only semi-mechanized mill. Though, both methods of processing result to low quality CPO, but semi-mechanized quality is slightly better. The processing duration was shorter in semi-mechanized as compared to traditional approach. The quality of CPO produced by both approaches could be a challenge during transesterification process in biodiesel production

Keywords:

Biodiesel , Crude palm oil , Renewable energy