DEVELOPMENT AND SIMULATION OF A NEW OIL EXTRACTION PROCESS FROM FRUIT OF MACAUBA PALM TREE

Abstract

ABSTRACTSoybean and palm are the main sources of oil in the world. However, there are other unexploited oleaginous species, such as the Macauba palm tree, which occurs naturally in several regions of Latin America, especially in Brazil. The Macauba produces an oleaginous fruit with high aggregated value, whose potential for productivity can reach 6,000 kg of oil per hectare, including two differentiated oils: unsaturated pulp and saturated kernel. Nevertheless, the extraction of both oils has been carried out in low technological ways, compared with optimized industrial processes, despite its socioeconomic and environmental benefits, considering food, pharmaceutical and biofuel purposes. The goal of this work was to propose an industrial process of oil extraction from Macauba fruit using experimental and project data information from laboratory, literature and equipment suppliers. With the consolidated route, the process simulation was successfully performed using the Aspen Plus simulator.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThis work contributes to a new agro‐industrial sector from Macauba palm trees. All the parts of the Macauba fruit provide products with economic value. The external shell and the pulp generate the pulp oil and cake. The kernel generates kernel oil and cake. The pulp oil contains 80% of unsaturated fatty acids, with 65–70% oleic acid. The kernel oil contains about 60% saturated fatty acids (40% lauric acid, 30% oleic acid). Pulp oil is strongly suggested for food or fuel purposes. Kernel oil is an expensive raw material used for food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical purposes. The cake from pulp and kernel is used as animal feed, especially because the protein content of kernel cake is 37%. Both cakes are also used as fertilizer or fuel for boilers. The hard endocarp contains a high calorific value with potential for vegetable charcoal with low ash, no sulfur and high density.