WET SEPARATION OF PALM KERNEL AND SHELL MIXTURE USING LATERITE AND ANTHILL SLURRY.

Abstract

Palm kernel, one of the end products of oil palm fruits processing is recovered by cracking of the palm nuts which is first dried to aid efficient kernel recovery. The possibility of separating oil palm kernel and shell mixture using media other than kaolin in wet separation was investigated in this study. The separation efficiency of laterite was compared with that of anthill. The effect of media type, pH, specific gravity, slurry viscosity on the efficiency of separation were investigated. The media/water percentages of 0, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 and 80% w/v were prepared in bowls for each media at a time and used to separate the cracked nut (palm kernel and shell mixture). The soil particle size distribution showed that laterite contains 40.3% clay while anthill contains 20.3%. The laterite and anthill slurry shows that the specific gravity and the viscosity increases with increase in media percentage while the pH decreases. Optimum kernel recovery percentages (%Kr) of 99.3 and 99.6% was observed at 30 and 35% ratio respectively for laterite and %Kr of 98.9 and 98.4% at 45 and 50% ratio for the anthill slurry. Among the media used, laterite was found to be comparable to clay at a medium-to-water percentages of 30 and 35% giving optimum efficiency. Thus, it is recommended laterite can be used for wet separation when compared to anthill.