Development of double screw press and method of controlling the parameters of the briquetting process

Paper is focused on development of new patented construction of screw briquetting machine for compacting biomass into the solid biofuel. Developed machine design is based on achieved results of comprehensive research of the complicated process of biomass densification. Patented construction provides two main goals: the elimination of axial forces, which causes increasing of bearings lifetime, and a new modular design of pressing chamber and tools with geometry based on application of the mathematical model. Research of the biomass densification pointed to the need for modular design of densification machine, where it is possible to control all significant parameters of the densification process. The goal of this paper is to present a new patented design of screw press, which satisfies all requirements for modularity and control of the parameters. It allows optimizing this process for different types of raw materials and achieving high quality production. Results of experimental research of densification process then allow the engineering design of the production machine tailor-made to the customer, while being able to minimize investment, energy and operating costs. The developed design of screw press is unique in its modularity and high reliability.

Analysis of the screw press mouthpiece parameters for 3D extrusion of peat pieces of tubular type

The results of theoretical and experimental studies on the creation of a screw press composite mouthpiece screw press for 3D-forming of peat pieces of a tubular type in the field for intensifying the process of field drying of material in a complex mechanized pit are presented. The main purpose of the study was to substantiate the geometric and design parameters of the screw press composite mouthpiece of the spread machine for the production of peat-agglomerated products of the tubular type. The parameters of the mouthpiece are selected based on the geometric characteristics of the peat pieces. An increase in moisture loss during drying of peat-agglomerated products is provided by forming a peat piece in the form of a thick-walled pipe made of a peat raw materials composed of low and high decomposition degrees in a ratio of 1:3. Additive production of polymer-fiber peat composites by extrusion allows to produce products with improved mechanical properties in comparison with non-reinforced raw materials. The vertical arrangement of the peat tubular piece on the drying field allows to increase the loading of the field area by 10 %, increase the convective heat supply to the piece and reduce the contact coefficient of the piece with the field by three times in comparison with the peat spreading of the pieces in the form of a horizontal tape. Based on the analysis of the shape and size of the agglomerated products, the design of a screw press composite mouthpiece consisting of two conditional molding zones of various configurations has been developed. The article presents a parametric analysis of the volumetric productivity of a screw press with a composite mouthpiece of a tubular type, the energy intensity of mechanical processing is determined, the degree of mechanical processing of peat raw materials is estimated with the optimization of the screw parameters for the production of agglomerated products of a tubular type.

Failure Analysis of the Short Drive Shaft in a Screw Press Machine

The screw press is a type of machine press used for extracting crude palm oil from the oil palm’s mesocarp, where its short driveshaft, a mechanical component for transmitting torque and rotation, is often found to be susceptible to failure. Since the initial damage to the short driveshafts in the shaft keyway area is associated with the frequent incidence of shaft failure, this research aimed to discover the root cause of this failure and how to prevent it using visual inspection and stress analysis methods as well as those of the fractography, metallography, chemical composition, and hardness tests. Using the descriptive method to analyse the collected data, the visual inspection and the fractography results of the research indicated that the fatigue crack failure of the short drive shaft in the palm oil screw press machine was caused by the fatigue crack initiation that was safe from stress concentration in its keyway areas. This crack initiation was followed by crack propagation as indicated in beach mark forms. Finally, the ductile fracture observed on the shaft surface was found to have resulted from the continuous rotational motion and the loading and unloading effect of the central shaft driving system.

Analysis Of Oil Losses at Press Station In PT. Palmina Utama

The press station is the main station for quoting oil from the pulp of palm oil (CPO). In the screw press, there are several things that need to be considered in order to determine the success of the extraction process, namely the percentage level of oil losses which is one of the benchmarks for the success of extraction at the press station. Some things that can affect the percentage level of oil losses at the press station are the amount of pressure on the press machine and the level of chopping blades in the digester. This observation is carried out by direct observation method at PT. Palmina Utama, using a purposive sampling method.samples taken for the analysis of oil losses at this press station are in the form of fiber, the persentage value of oil losses is determined by exstraction using soxhlet with n-hexane solvent. Samples for analysis were taken from five press machines at the press station in the form of fiber and taken three times each at three points, namely the left side, the middle side and the right side with an interval of two hours, then the samples were mixed and weighed as much as nine to ten gram. The highest oil losses in February were 4.48% and the lowest losses during February were 4.105%. Based on statistical analysis, that F-Count is smaller than F-table 5% and 1%. Thus, pressure does not affect at the percentage of oil losses.

Review of Two Mechanical Separation Technologies for the Sustainable Management of Agricultural Phosphorus in Nutrient-Vulnerable Zones

This work reviews two mechanical separation technologies (screw press and decanting centrifuge) which could be used in the dairy, beef, pig and anaerobic digestion sectors in nutrient-vulnerable zones in order to improve the sustainability of manure and anaerobic digestate management by decreasing agricultural phosphorus loss and reducing environmental impact on water quality. Capital and operating costs, separation efficiency and throughput, and management and processing of separated fractions, including transport costs, environmental impacts and the biosecurity of separated solids for export, were considered. Of the two technologies reviewed, screw press separation is a more cost-effective option (5-fold cheaper per tonne of feedstock) when lower amounts of export of phosphorus off farm are acceptable. For farms and those with anaerobic digesters managing larger volumes of manure/digestate, screw press separation is possible. However if higher levels of phosphorus removal are required, the use of decanting centrifugation is a viable option. Centralised processing facilities could also make use of decanting centrifuge technology to act as processing hubs for local farms within a distance that makes it economical for transport of manure/treated manure to/from the processor (the maximum distance for economical transport of raw manure and separated solids is approximately 70 km and 84 km, respectively). Both separation technologies could be integrated into agricultural manure and digestate management systems in order to provide a more sustainable approach to managing agricultural phosphorus loss and its associated impact on water quality. Screw press and decanting centrifuge separation could reduce phosphorous loss to water bodies by 34% and from 30 to 93%, respectively.

Constraints to utilization of improved processing technologies among cassava processors in Oyo State, Nigeria

This study investigated the constraints associated with utilization of improved processing technologies among cassava processors in Oyo State, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from a random sample of 176 respondents. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The findings were that most (56.8%) of the respondents had a positive attitude towards utilization of mechanical grater, screw press hydraulic and Hammer mill technologies. However, inadequate funds, lack of technical know-how, lack of information, high cost of purchase and inadequate engineers for the improved processing technologies were identified as severe constraints militating against utilization of improved processing technologies. Significant relationship was established between these constraints and utilization of the improved processing technologies. It is recommended that government 1) builds factories that will lower the cost of the technologies; and 2) ensures that research institutes, departments of Agricultural engineering in universities and polytechnics and adult education programs in the community are adequately funded to promote knowledge of the technologies.RésuméCette étude a examiné les contraintes associées à l’usage des technologies traitantes améliorées parmi les traitants du manioc dans l’état d’Oyo au Nigeria. Un questionnaire structuré fut utilisé pour la collecte de données provenant de 176 enquêtés hasardement sélectionnés du champ d’étude. Les données ainsi collectées furent analysées par moyen de statistiques descriptives (telles que le comptage de fréquence, le pourcentage et la moyenne) ainsi que les statistiques inferentielles. La Corrélation du Moment Produit de Pearson (CMPP) fut employée pour déterminer la relation entre contraintes et usage des technologies traitantes améliorées parmi les traitants du manioc dans le champ d’étude. Les résultats de l’étude ont démontré que l’âge moyen d’enquêtés était de 41.23 ans et que plus d’un quart d’enquêtés (33.0%) avaient six à dix ans d’expérience dans le traitement du manioc. De surcroit, les résultats ont révélé que la plupart d’enquêtés (56.8%) avaient une attitude favorable envers l’usage des technologies traitantes améliorées de rappe mécanique, presse-vis hydraulique et moulin-marteau. Des fonds inadéquats, le manque du savoir-faire technique, le manque d’information, le coût élevé d’achat, et les ingénieurs inadéquats concernant les technologies traitantes améliorées ont été identifiés par les enquêtés comme sérieuses contraintes militant contre l’usage des technologies traitantes améliorées. Une relation significative existait aussi entre contraintes (r=-0.189, p=0.012) auxquelles les enquêtés font face et leur usage des technologies traitantes améliorées. L’étude a recommandé que le gouvernement construise les usines ou industries où les technologies traitantes améliorées seraient fabriquées à coût bas, que les instituts de recherche et département d’ingénierie agronome dans les universités et écoles polytechniques soient financés adéquatement, ainsi que les programmes d’alphabétisation d’adultes dans les communautés de traitants du manioc pour surmonter le défi d’analphabétisation et la saisie du savoir-faire technique concernant les opérations technologies. Tout ceci va renchérir l’usage effectif des technologies traitantes améliorées parmi les traitants du manioc dans le champ d’étude—une chose qui, en long terme, pourra se traduire en haute productivité, augmentation de revenus, et conditions de vie en mieux.

Drainage in a Screw Press and Utilization of the Recovered Fibres after Thermo-Hydrolytic Disintegration of Waste Fibreboards

A thermo-hydrolytic disintegration process qualifies as a promising option for recycling the waste MDF and preserving the fibrous morphology of the recovered lignocellulosic fibre material. This study aims to include a drainage process between the thermo-hydrolytic disintegration and the further utilization of the recovered fibres (RF) obtained using a screw press for removing the disintegration water (DW). In this context, the chemical properties of the RF (pH, nitrogen content, formaldehyde emissions) and the DW (pH, formaldehyde, reducing sugars and equivalents and nitrogen contents) were analyzed. Moreover, the RF material was utilized to produce recycled MDF panels, solely containing the RF (100%) and hence supplanting 50% of the virgin fibres (VF). The recycled MDF portrayed significant reductions in the internal bond strength (IB), and flexural properties (MOR, MOE): in the case of MDF made from 100% recycled fibres, about half the strength was reduced, and in the case of MDF made from 50% recycled fibres, the strength was reduced by 20-25%. The Thickness swelling (TS) of the recycled MDF panels was similar, while the water uptake (WA) was higher than that of the original MDF. The recycled MDF panels also exhibited a higher content of formaldehyde and emission. The findings recommend the application of a screw press process for prompter drainage of the RF and to utilize the RF obtained in combination with the VF to achieve adequate mechanical properties rather than using the RF separately for the manufacturing of the recycled MDF panels.

OIL LOSSES PADA FIBRE FROM PRESS CAKE DI PT. AMP PLANTATION UNIT POM

PT.AMP Plantation Unit POM yang merupakan salah satu perusahaan dalam mengolah tandan buah segar yang berada di Desa Tapian Kandis, Kabupaten Agam, Sumatra Barat. Proses press, merupakan tahapan penting didalam tahapan produksi untuk memperoleh CPO. Proses ini memisahkan minyak dari daging buah, fibre dan nut dengan pengendalian standar kualitas berdasarkan oil losses. Hasil persentase beberapa parameter oil losses pada 20 Juli–19 September 2020 memperlihatkan bahwa fibre from press cake memiliki persentase paling tinggi yaitu 38,01% sedangkan persentase parameter paling rendah adalah shell of nut from press cake yaitu 2,84%. Oleh karena itu diperlukannya tindakan dari perusahaan dalam meminimalisir terjadinya oil losses pada fibre from press cake yaitu untuk analis laboratorium akan melakukan pengecekan setiap 2 jam sekali dengan menggunakan alat Nir Foss. Beberapa tindakan yang dilakukan operator pressing adalah memeriksa Digester, memeriksa panel elektrik, memeriksa Screw Press dan memastikan ke operator sterilizer lama perebusan tandan buah segar.