Palm Oil Mill Effluent Treatment

Case 1: POME Treatment via Tricanter, Evaporation and Paddle Drying for Animal Feed Production

In this process, POME is first treated with a Tricanter, a centrifuge that separates the effluent into three components: oil, water, and solids (sludge). This separation helps reduce the organic load in the effluent and recovers valuable by-products.

• Effluent Flow: After tricanter separation, the clarified liquid moves to an evaporator, where moisture is reduced significantly.
• EFB Press Effluent Addition: Effluent from the Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) pressing process is added to the evaporator, enriching the solid content and enhancing nutrient levels.
• Sludge Handling: The tricanter sludge, rich in organic matter, is mixed with the concentrated effluent in a paddle mixer to create a uniform slurry.
• Drying and Granulation: This slurry is then processed in a paddle dryer, which removes moisture and prepares the material for granulation. The granulated product is a nutrient-rich material ideal for use as animal feed.

This method not only treats POME efficiently but also valorizes the residues by converting them into valuable feedstock, reducing waste and promoting sustainability.

Case 2: POME Treatment with Biogas Generation and Spray Drying for Animal Feed

This approach combines biological treatment and advanced drying techniques to maximize resource recovery:

• Initial Separation: Similar to Case 1, POME passes through a Tricanter for preliminary solid-liquid separation.
• Bio Digester: The clarified effluent is fed into a bio digester where anaerobic microbes break down organic matter, producing biogas—a renewable energy source.
• Biogas Utilization: The biogas can be purified and compressed into CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) for fuel use, or converted into electricity using a gas engine, providing power for the mill or nearby facilities.
• Evaporation and ATFE: Post digestion, the effluent is concentrated using an evaporator and further treated with an ATFE (Agitated Thin Film Evaporator) to reduce moisture.
• Spray Drying and Granulation: The concentrated liquid is spray dried to produce fine powder, which is then granulated to form a consistent product for animal feed.

This case demonstrates a comprehensive solution that not only treats waste but also generates renewable energy and produces valuable animal feed products.