Abstract

MORENO SADER, Kariana; PULIDO, Jeffrey León  and  GONZALEZ-DELGADO, Ángel. Evaluation of dual crude palm and kernel oil production in North Colombia via computer-aided exergy analysis. Rev. ion [online]. 2021, vol.34, n.2, pp.31-41.  Epub July 27, 2021. ISSN 0120-100X.  https://doi.org/10.18273/revion.v34n2-2021003.

Palm production chains in Colombia have some unsatisfied demands that affect their competitiveness. Specific demands include efficiency in energy use. Therefore, in the present report, an exergy análisis for the dual crude palm and kernel oil production process was carried out to determine the main energy sinks and suggest technological improvements that allow better use of energy. For this study, the process was initially simulated in the Aspen Plus ® software, where the chemical and physical exergies of the species and streams involved were quantified. The process irreversibilities, the exergy loss, the exergy of waste, and the exergy of utilities were calculated for each stage and the whole process. An overall exergy efficiency of 18% was achieved, while the highest process irreversibilities contribution was due to the destroyed exergy with the waste in the threshing stage. To increasing the global exergy efficiency of dual crude palm and kernel oil production, it is proposed the evaluation of palm rachis use to obtain biofuels and/or high-value products.

Keywords : Exergy analysis; Computer-aided Process engineering; Palm oil; Kernel oil.

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