This chapter begins with introduction to where the research took place; Desa Kim Loong Palm Oil followed by a brief description about DKLPO and some important information about the company. This chapter will also briefs about the operation at the palm oil. In addition, the researcher will be explained about the approach used, the process involved in conducting this research, the tools used to collect the data and the staged that the researcher practiced in analyzing the data.
In implementing this study, the researcher had chosen Desa Kim Loong Palm Oil (DKLPO) Sdn. Bhd as the research place where the palm oil mill is situated at Keningau, Sabah. Hence, based form this mill, the researcher had collected all the determined data used for the researcher's study.
In addition, DKLPO is also a part of Kim Loong Resources Berhad and Koperasi Pembangunan Desa which the palm oil has been built in 2002 and later full operated in February 2003. During the early periods of this palm oil operation, the capacity is only 10 Metric Tones per Hour (MPTA) before it was upgraded till it reached 45 MTPH in year 2004. Recently, in 2009, the palm oil mill managed to operate till up to 60 MTPH.
Back to previous year in 2008, the company of Kim Loong Corporation Sdn. Bhd had made a join venture with Desa Cattle (S) Sdn. Bhd where the plan to build DKLPO was created. Therefore, the palm oil itself is able to process the 7,220 ha of palm oil plantation. Moreover, there are a lot of advantages in the aspect of economy to Kim Loong Resources Sdn. Bhd by the creation of this mill, which also offers many opportunities to Keningau's citizens.
Progressively, it is more than 6 years since DKLPO has been contributing to Kim Loong Resources Sdn. Bhd and successfully, the DKLPO had hit the Bursa Saham Kuala Lumpur main board for plantation section. Nowadays, 28000 ton FFB is running per month by the palm oil mill where the process in not refining but extracting the oil from the palm oil. Therefore, 20 hours per day is needed to run the plant operation.
3.2.1 History of DKLPO
Previously in 1967, Syarikat Kim Loong is the holding company of Kim Loong Resources Sdn. Bhd where it commenced business with an old 1,000 acre rubber plantation situated at Ulu Tiram, Johor. In 1968, the plant has done its first plantation of palm oil.
After 12 years of Ulu Tiram plantation, Syarikat Kim Loong Sdn. Bhd. had commenced the construction of palm oil mill under Kim Loong Palm Oil Sdn. Bhd in 1980. Therefore, a year later, by acquiring 1,000 acres of land in Sabah, Syarikat Kim Loong Sdn. Bhd. had expanded their business in plantation of palm oil. In addition, in advance to undertake the kernel crushing activities, Syarikat Kim Loong Sdn. Bhd had made the incorporation with Sungkit Enterprise Sdn. Bhd in 1982.
Moreover, Kim Loong Palm Oil Mills Sdn. Bhd's incorporation (Kim Loong Resources Sdn. Bhd subsidiary), had undertake the milling and relocation of palm oil mill to Kota Tinggi, Johor in 1993, where it commences the operation in 1996. Later, in 1997, the milling capacity of the Crud Palm Oil (CPO) has been expanded to 100 metric tones FFB per hour and 240 metric tones expansion per day for the Palm Kernel (PK) crushing plant.
In addition, Kim Loong Resources Sdn. Bhd. is restructuring exercise in transferring all plantation operation to the company in this year. Moreover, the join venture was done between incorporation of Desa Kim Loong Plantation Sdn. Bhd (recently known as Kim Loong-KPD Plantation Sdn. Bhd) with Koperasi Pembangunan Desa in developing palm oil plantation in Telupid, Sabah on 4,000 acres of land.
Furthermore, the year of 1998 had witnessed the join venture between Incorporation of Desa Kim Loong Sdn. Bhd with Desa Cattle (S) Sdn. Bhd in turning 17,731 acres of land in Keningau into palm oil plantation and in erecting the new palm oil mill in Sook, Keningau, Sabah. Consequently, the main board of Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange has been hit by Kim Loong Resources Berhad as one of the company listed in 2000. Moreover, under Kim Loong Evergrow Sdn. Bhd, the company had diversified the company's business by involved into bio-fertilizer business. In addition, in year 2002, the company also planned the construction of palm oil mill in Keningau where operation was commenced in February 2003.
In addition, Kim Loong Resources Berhad together with Palm Nutraceuticals Sdn. Bhd. had involved into the Supply and Installation Contract in 2003. By the year of 2004, both companies had joined venture and signed Join Venture Agreement in undertaking projects which involving Kim Loong Technologies Sdn. Bhd cooperates with Palm Nutraceuticals Sdn. Bhd in extracting CPO from wet palm fibre. In addition, Kim Loong Resources Sdn. Bhd. has expanded the palm oil operation at Sook, Keningau from 10 MTPH to 45 MTPH of FBB. On the other hand, in the same year, the company also did the join venture with Al-Yatama Berhad in developing 27,720 acres of land in Kota Tinggi, Johor.
In Year 2005, Kim Loong Resources Berhad had completed the issuance of 64,050,000 new ordinary shares together with 42,700,000 detachable free warrants pursuant to a right issue exercise. They had also undertaken a biogas plant in Kota Tinggi mill in 2006 as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project under the Kyoto Protocol of the UNFCCC or, also known as United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Then in the following year, they undergo CDM project in Keningau Mill.
3.2.2 Product / Service
Desa Kim Loong Palm Oil Sdn Bhd product is the Oil from the palm oil fruit and the oil from the palm oil kernel. This is mainly known as Crude Palm Kernel Oil (CPKO) and Crude Palm Oil (CPO).
In this mill, they only do the process to extract the oil from the palm oil. The crude oil produce is then sending to be refining in a refinery mill such as the IOI refinery mill in Sandakan Sabah.
3.2.3 Type of Business
Desa Kim Loong Palm Oil Sdn Bhd business' type is Plantation business as what has been stated in the Bursa Saham Kuala Lumpur (BSKL). They involve in processing the Palm oil fruits into crude palm oil and crude palm kernel oil. Then, they will sell their product to IOI refinery mill in Sandakan for further process.
3.2.4 Human Resources
Desa Kim Loong Palm Oil Sdn Bhd has around 100 workers which working on shift A, Shift B and daytime workers. As the mill is run 24 hours, there is a need to have a different shift of worker, So 2 different shift known as shift A and shift B was created. Shift A and shift B workers is workers that do the processing in the factory, while the daytime workers is workers such as the office workers, machine mechanics and the automobile mechanics.
In the part of hiring workers, Desa Kim Loong Palm Oil Sdn Bhd did hire locals and foreigners. All their workers were hired in the head quarters at Keningau Sabah. Once hired, the person will undergo health check and then they will be given the worker's insurance so that they could get injury payment if any accident happens to them during the working time.
3.2.5 Plant Operation
DKLPO is operating with production rate of 60 tons FFB per hour with plant running time of 20 hour per day. Average fresh water usage of this mill is been calculated as 131.65 m3 per hour. Instead of the production, the wastewater produced by this mill per day is 1139 m3/day. This plant has been running with average of 28000 tons of FFB per month.
3.3 DKLPO Conventional Lagoon and Treatment System
In this palm oil mill, there are several ponds constructed in order to hold and treat the POME directly with biological treatment. In this mill, ponds and digester tanks are included in the treatment facilities. Such as Closed Tank Digester, Cooling Pond, Acid Pond, Anaerobic Pond, Aerobic Pond 1 & 2 and Polishing Pond.
3.3.1 Closed Tank Digester
An anaerobic digester is a system who receives and treats manure with naturally occurring organisms biologically where the oxygen free system is completely closed. However, there are two or three palm oil mills reported to have development in the application of closed anaerobic tank digester method (Chua & Gian, 1986 cited in: S.L Tong & A. Bakar Jaafar, 2004).
The biogas generated is captured and directed to flaring or used as boiler fuel or for power generation. The treated effluent from the anaerobic digesters may be discharged for land application or further treated by aerobic / facultative or extended aeration system to meet the effluent discharge standard of the Department of Environment.
In order to make closed tank digester system operates successfully, the system must be excellent in these aspects; more cost effective, reliable and significant diminution in volatile solids characterization, production of methane rich biogas and discharge an effluent with a smaller amount odor, pathogenic organisms and weed seeds than was present in the incoming waste. Therefore, to make sure the system is productively used, there must be no additives or additional organisms are needed.
3.3.2 Cooling Pond
It is artificial or natural ponds or lakes that use to recool the POME and to recover the palm oil that may come out through from the factory process together with the POME.
The traditional cooling ponds used by Natural Resources and Mines (NRM) consists of a one-layer grid of copper piping which is situated on the bottom of a pond approximately 2 meters deep. The copper grid is rested on concrete blocks to enable sufficient expansion of the copper metal due to heating.
Figure 3.1 : Traditional Cooling Pond Design (Department of Natural Resources and Mines, 2002)
The figure shows the example of the traditional cooling pond design that has been set up. The basic aim of the cooling pond is to receive the water emitted from the bore, usually for temperatures ranging anywhere from 50OC to 80OC, and then cool the water to below 45OC. The reason for this is to ensure long life of the polyethylene pipe used to transport the bore water around a property.
3.3.3 Acid Pond
Acid pond function is to be place to preserve the effluent in order to give space to organic acids in charge for the digestion of POME before it been sent to digester tanks.
Organic acids by the two-stage fermentation was carried out in a study where POME was used as substrate for volatile fatty acids (VFA) production by continuous anaerobic treatment using a locally fabricated 50 L continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). The highest VFA obtained was at 15 g/L at pH 6.5, 30OC, 100 rpm, sludge to POME ratio 1 : 1, HRT 4 days, without sludge recycle.
The highest BOD removal corresponded with the high production of organic acids. The organic acids produced from POME were then recovered and purified using acidification and evaporation techniques. A clarified concentrated VFA comprised of 45 g/L acetic, 20 g/L propionic and 22 g/L butyric acids were obtained with a recovery yield of 76%.
3.3.4 Anaerobic Pond
Anaerobic pond is a system which is mostly used to treat wastewater, for it can digest high amount of solids and is an economical system.
Generally, palm oil mill effluent treatment plants (ETPs) are operated on two-phase anaerobic digestion process followed by extended aeration process. This two-phase anaerobic process gives excellent pollutant destruction efficiency of above 95% while extended aeration ensures that the final pollutant levels in the effluent are within the stipulated limits set by the Department of Environment (DOE).
In the anaerobic digestion process, the raw POME is first converted into volatile fatty acids by acid forming bacteria. The volatile acids are then converted into methane and carbon dioxide.
Anaerobic pond has particular disadvantages such as long hydraulic retention time of 45-60 days, solids accumulation that deactivate the activated sludge and also large land requirement. In this case, pretreatment of POME is carried out in order to remove the suspended solids and residual oil before anaerobic treatment.
Flocculation, solvent extraction, multi digestion pond, adsorption and membrane separation process are the usual pretreatment systems. For high total solid concentration effluent, single pretreatment process is not appropriate to solve the problems of anaerobic pond. In order to achieve the optimum total solid concentration of POME before it flows through the anaerobic pond, the combination of various types of pretreatment technologies are used. In this research, the flocculation treatment is applied between multi digestion pond, acidification pond and anaerobic pond.
There are advantages of anaerobic digestion system are the better biodegradation efficiencies is allowed by long solid retention times. In addition, the aerobic process is loading in a minimum quantity which ensured by the additional settling of liquor. Furthermore, by using the anaerobic digestion system, both two system phases will allow high control of digester environmental conditions. Moreover, the capability in coping with full effluent load is much higher by using this system.
For anaerobic treatment, there are no secondary treatment is necessary if the treated effluent is used for irrigation. On the other hand, if the final effluent is release to a river or to maintain it as more environment friendly, secondary treatment in the form of an aerobic treatment step is required after anaerobic treatment.
3.3.5 Aerobic Pond 1 & 2
Differs from anaerobic pond, the aerobic pond is presenting the oxygen throughout the pond used where the system uses aerobic decomposition in every biological activity.
However, there are some reasons why this system is not used by most of the company. The aerobic system are more likely to host anaerobic bacteria because of the system cannot functions well without some presence of aeration type which will leads to oxygen lacking at the pond's lower portions. This activity gives a clear explanation on why mud at the pond's bottom is smells likely sulphur when it was stirred. Therefore, the pond should be built in very shallow condition in order to prevent the aerobic decomposition mix with any unwanted aeration.
Various aerobic treatment systems for palm oil null wastewater are readily available. The common system is the aerobic pond system with only few paln oil nulls using the more advanced activated sludge system (Environment Advisory Assistance for Industry, 1997).
Different aerobic pond systems, which vary in the type of the oxygen supply system (aeration system and the design loading tales. are facultative ponds (maturation ponds). oxidation ponds. aerated lagoons and polishing ponds. Facultative ponds, oxidation ponds and polishing ponds established oxygen supply by photosynthetic activities of algae and plants and by absorption of oxygen from the atmosphere.
However, aerated lagoons are artificially aerated. The high temperature of the pond content does enhance the biochemical reactions, resulting in increased substrate removal even at the lower solubility of oxygen in water at increased temperature (Environment Advisory Assistance for Industry, 1997). The effective hydraulic retention time (HRT) of anaerobic and facultative anaerobic systems is 45 and 20 days, respectively.
A shallower depth of approximately 0.5-1 m is required for aerobic ponds, with an HRT of 14 days. The POME is pumped at a very low rate of 0.2 to 0.35 kg BOD/m3 day of organic loading. In between the different stages of the ponding system, no pumping is required, as the treated POME will flow using gravity or a sideways tee-type subsurface draw-off system.
In reducing the BOD content, the anaerobic liquor needs to be aerated in the extended system of aerobic. In order to provide oxygen to the ponds, the floating aerators must make sure that the suspension of the pod contents and the completion of mixing. During the process, the level of the beneficial micro-organisms will be increased in order to make sure the pollutants will be hasten converted into energy, carbon dioxide and water. In ensuring the production of fair clean supernatant, the settlement of aerobic suspension is allowed. In addition, the high competence of BOD removal and low solid yield is the benefits of using extended aerobics system.
3.3.6 Polishing Pond
Also known as finishing pond, like discharge point of the effluent. One way of protecting the surrounding environment is by adding a finishing pond. It prepares the water to go out into the world. In this case, the water goes to the estate as the indirect fertilizer for the plants.
Polishing ponds established oxygen supply by photosynthetic activities of algae and plants and by absorption of oxygen from the atmosphere. Since the polishing ponds relying on the biological process, they have much shorter detention of period compare to the stabilization pond. In addition, polishing ponds only remains the water for one to three days only. On the other hand, longer detention period will cause the incensement suspended solids which concentrates in the effluent. Moreover, the polishing ponds is usually operates at 5 to 10 feet depth which makes the polishing ponds deeper than another types of ponds.
3.4 Systematic Approach for Water Minimization
Water minimization alternatives evaluation
Technical evaluation
Economical evaluation
Reliability, indirect impact on process / product quality
Water minimization alternatives selection
Water minimization project implementation / measuring of success
Search of water minimization alternatives on the basis of studies, experiences, heuristic rules
Search of water minimization alternatives on the basis of mathematical programming, conceptual approach & computer optimization
Management support acquisition, goal determination and work schedule
Assessment Phase (Desa Kim Loong Palm Oil Mill)
Water / wastewater system balances
(b)
(c)
(a)
The recognized need for water minimization
(a)
Limited availability of fresh water
Economic consideration
Regulatory consideration
(b) Company & Process Data
(c)
Water & Wastewater system data :-
Fresh water use.
Water treatment capability & cost
Figures 3.2 : Flow Chart of Systematic Approach for Water minimization
In this research, the researcher had used systematic approach for water minimization where in the first stage; the researcher had recognized the need of water minimization (refer to Figure 2.3). Therefore, to recognize the need of water minimization, the researcher had considered these factors such as the availability of limited fresh water, economic consideration and regulatory consideration. After considering these essential factors in a very first stage, the researcher had confirmed that the management supports the acquisition, goal determination and work schedule at the next stage. This stage is a very important as the researcher had to make sure that the management of assessment place gave their full cooperation toward this research.
At the next stage, the researcher had determined the assessment phase at Desa Kim Long Palm Oil Mill Company. Hence, during the assessment phase, the researcher had managed to collect the data needed such as water and wastewater system data where the researcher collects the data of fresh water usage and the capability water treatment and how much the treatment will cost the company.
Initially, the systematic approach had introduced two different approach for water minimization which are heuristic approach and mathematical programming approach in order to find the most appropriate alternatives for water minimization. However, in this research, the researcher had chose to use only one approach which is the heuristic approach where the search of water minimization alternatives are basically from the researcher experience, studies and heuristic rule. Therefore, as the figure shown, the researcher had searched for water minimization alternatives from his basis of experiences, studies and the heuristic rule.
Hence, the evaluation had been done after the researcher had found the alternative of water minimization based of these three aspects; technical evaluation, economical evaluation and reliability, indirect impact on process quality. Therefore, the researcher had confirmed that the alternative that had been chosen fits the three aspects that had been stated earlier. Vice versa, the researcher had to do again the process of searching the alternatives and do the evaluation of the new alternative found. The researcher had completed the process of implementation selecting the water minimization alternative.
3.5 Data Collection Tools
In this research, the data is determined by using manual calculation with simple equations. For example, the overhead tank been measured its circumference by measuring tape. Moreover, to get the volume of the water used by the overhead tank, the water feed pipe must be closed. Therefore, the water used can be seen by indicator outside the tank. The pipe must be closed for up to 5 minutes.
Since there are no flow meters in the Mill function properly, all the data collection has to calculate manually by calculator and simple equations. We required some workers there to help us while us collecting the data.
For Boiler, the pipe from overhead tank to domestic and hot water tank have been closed. Then, we mark the initial level of the level indicator. Next, we let the indicator moves freely up to 5 minutes then mark the last position of the indicator level.
Before that, overhead tank's circumference been measured. Then, the area of the overhead tank calculated. After that, the volume water used for the Boiler determined.
3.5.1 Calculation Sample
For example, we take Boiler in this calculation. The overhead tank with circumference of 18.86 meter and level of the overhead tank is 0.125 meter in 5 minutes.
Area for overhead tank :-
18.86
2 x ï°
C = 2 x ï° x r
r =
r = 3.00 meter
A = ï°r2
A = ï° x (3)2
A = 28.27 m2
Height of the indicator level :-
5 minutes = 0.125 m
1 minute = 0.025 m
1 hour = 1.5 m
Water volume used to Boiler :-
V = A x height of the indicator level
V = 28.27 m2 x 1.5 mh-1
V = 42.41 m3/h
3.6 Research Process
Research Place Selection
Get permission from DKLPO Management
Mill Process Flow Observation
The identification of water footprint in the Mill
Implementation of water footprint assessment:
Calculate water usage by each equipment
Analysis of the data determined : Mass balance
Water Minimization Solution
Figure 3.3: The Research Process
Figure 3.3 has shown the process conducted where the flow chart illustrates the whole process conducted in this research. In the first stage, the researcher had selected the research place at Desa Kim Loong Palm Oil (DKLPO) at Keningau, Sabah. Therefore, to implement the study at DKLPO, the researcher had gained the permission from the DKLPO management.
In the essential early stages of the research, the research had to study and do the observation of the mill process flow. Hence, the researcher indentified the water foot print in the mill where this stage of process is a very important to this study in order to give the researcher the exact situation of the issue before moving to the next stage of the research process. After the identification of water foot print process, the researcher implemented the water foot print assessment where the researcher had calculated the water usage by each equipment in the mill.
In the next stage, the researcher did the mass balance after the data analyzed determined at the previous stage of the process. Finally, at the final stage of the research process, the researcher had suggested and found ways in water minimization at the palm oil mill.
3.7 Data Analysis
In this research, there are three different stages conducted in data analysis. The stages are shown in Figure 3.4 below:
Stage 1: Data Calculation
Stage 2: Data Interpretation
Stage 3: Results Presentation and Discussions
Figure 3.4: Data Analysis Stages
3.7.1 Stage 1: Data Calculation
In the first stage, the researcher had done the data calculation. During this stage, the researcher manually did the calculation using simple equation. The purpose of this calculation is to determine the water usage by every equipment involved in mill operations. In this stage, the researcher also done the mass balance on the data determined.
3.7.2 Stage 2: Data Interpretation
In this stage, the researcher interpreted the data by making statements about the analyzed collected data. Moreover, in this stage, the researcher able to see more detail picture of the data collected by gathering all the data to make statements of findings in this research.
3.7.3 Stage 3: Results Presentation and Discussions
In this final stage, the researcher had prepared the data collected and presented the findings of this research after completed the data analysis to make a conclusion of this study. In addition, the researcher also discussed the findings in this stage.
3.8 Conclusion
This research has taken four weeks period to observe the operation in the palm oil mill. In addition, within the period, the researcher also collected the data needed for completing this study. This chapter has concluded all the elements needed for data analysis and results presentation. Moreover, this chapter had already briefly discussed about the approach used by the researcher in finding an exact effective solution for the water minimization that could be used in the palm oil mill in the future.
