WO2023166428A1 - An improved process of reducing oil palm empty fruit bunch (efb) - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the utility innovation, cut and threshed oil palm EFB are further reduced to fiber strands, with the assistance of a flywheel-assisted hammer-mill used as a fiberiser machine (10).

Description

An improved process of reducing oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB)

Technical Field

The present utility innovation relates generally to the processing of oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB). It specifically relates to the fiberising of cut and threshed oil palm EFB.

Background Art

According to the general common knowledge, fruitlets are stripped off oil palm fruit bunches and the empty fruit bunches (EFB) are commonly treated as wastes. Past efforts are directed to convert these wastes into useful by-product. One known practice is to use the oil palm biomass wastes as boiler fuel in the palm oil mills or biomass power plants. Cutting machines and threshing machines are employed to simply reduce these waste sizes to improve burning efficiency.

In their earlier field work, the Applicant has disclosed a hammer-mill design using high inertia multi-linked counter-balanced bars as hammers (MY-131247-A). The Applicant continues to research and experiment with the above hammer-mill in their improvement study on the process of reducing oil palm EFB biomass.

Summary of the Utility Innovation

The primary object of the present utility innovation is to further reduce EFB biomass to fiber strands in order to improve fuel-burning efficiency.

Another object of the present utility innovation is to develop and use a hammer-mill as a fiberiser machine, instead of just a shredding machine.

Still, another object of the present utility innovation is that the fiberising action is smoothly carried out mechanically over a long period of time.

Yet, another object is that the fiberising means should be able to withstand the impacts of the fiberising action.

All the above objects are realised with a fiberising means included inside a fiberising chamber of a fiberiser machine which is additionally employed after an oil palm EFB cutting machine or an oil palm EFB thresher machine (which is the utility innovation).

Other objects and features will become evident following subsequent disclosure. Brief Description of the Drawin

In order that the present utility innovation may be more readily understood, the following description is given.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an assembly of a fiberiser machine, a flywheel arrangement and a motor driving arrangement.

Figure 2 is the same view of the assembly as shown in Figure 1 , partially revealing the interior of the fiberiser machine.

Figure 3a illustrates a perspective view of a flywheel-assisted rotor equipped with rows of triangulate frames of fixed arms and circular discs along its length.

Figure 3b illustrates a partial end view of the utility innovation shown in Figure 2.

Detailed Description

As seen in Figure 1 , a hammer-mill as per MY-131247-A is used as an oil palm EFB fiberiser machine (10). It is franked between a known flywheel arrangement (20) and a known motor driving arrangement (30). These known arrangements will not be further elaborated.

It is important to note that they teach improvement features to a process of reducing oil palm EFB. Firstly, oil palm EFB biomass are cut and threshed into discrete pieces with a moisture content less than 50%. Secondly, the above discrete pieces are further reduced to fiber strands and with a moisture content much less than 50%, with the assistance of a hammer-mill used as a fiberiser machine (10).

An input opening of the fiberiser machine (10) reveals partially the inside of a fiberiser chamber (17). The fiberiser chamber (17) is essentially box-like and carries a fiberising means, further comprising a rotating matrix (12) and at least one stationary set of fixed knives (15). A rotor (11 , partially seen) carries the rotating matrix (12). One protruding end of the rotor (11 ) is connected to the known flywheel arrangement (20). The flywheel arrangement (20) will provide a smooth rotation action by maintaining the momentum of the rotor (11 ). The opposite protruding end is driven by an external motor.

As seen in Figure 2, the fiberiser machine (10) comprises essentially the rotating matrix along the length of the rotor (11). The rotor (11 ) is housed in the fiberiser chamber (17) fitted with at least one external stationary set of fixed knives (15). Any oil palm EFB biomass that comes between the gaps of the fixed knives (15) will be sheared and reduced. As threshed EFB biomass in discrete pieces (inputs) are fed into the fiberiser chamber (17), the impact of the protruded fixed arms (122) on the discrete pieces combined with the impact against the fixed knives (15) fitted externally on the fiberiser chamber (17) will disintegrate the pieces into fibre strands (output). The impacts also generate sufficient heat and air turbulence to evaporate moisture from the fiber strands. Figure 3a illustrates a perspective view of a flywheel-assisted rotor (11) disposed with rows of triangulate frames (121 ) of the fixed arms (122) mounted on adjacent circular discs (16) along its length. Protruding ends of the fixed arms (122) extend beyond the extreme perimeter of the circular discs (16). Figure 3b illustrates a partial end view of the utility innovation shown in Figure 2.

Claims

Sole Claim

Improvement to a process of reducing oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB), is characterised in which oil palm EFB biomass is first cut and threshed into discrete pieces with a moisture content less than 50%; and the above discrete pieces are further reduced to fiber strands and with a moisture content much less than 50%, with the assistance of a flywheel- assisted hammer-mill used as a fiberiser machine (10).