PHYSICAL REFINING PLANT OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

A. Process Description

Bleaching Deodorization

Crude Palm Oil Bleached Palm

Oil

Heat to 105ºC Deaeration

Phosphoric acid
0.04 to 0.06% Heat to 265ºC

Citric acid
0.01 to 0.02% Deacidification

Degumming
Deodorization

Bleaching earth
1.0 to 1.2% Vapour
Post-stripping scrubbing
Bleaching
r
o

Activated Carbon Fatty acid

0.2 to 0.3% Cool to 60ºC
distillate (PFAD)

Spent earth Filtration Polishing RBD palm oil

1
B. Preparation for Plant Start-up

1. Ensure that the following raw materials and chemicals are available :-
a) Crude palm oil.
b) Phosphoric acid (food grade) – to be filled in phosphoric acid tank T023.
c) Citric acid (food grade) – to be filled in citric acid tank T024.
d) Bleaching earth (optimum grade) – to be filled in bleaching earth hopper BT601.
e) Activated carbon (optimum grade) – to be filled in bleaching earth hopper BT602.
f) Demineralized water for high pressure steam boiler HT500.
g) Diesel or natural gas for high pressure steam boiler HT500.

2. Fill high pressure steam boiler HT500 with demineralized water (pH value between 9~10.5 and the
qualities of demineralized water is stated in Gekakonus operating instructions). Start the boiler in
accordance with the start-up procedure described in the operating instructions from Gekakonus.

3. Fill fatty acid receiver SCR705 with crude or RBD palm oil. Start pump P705 to circulate the oil
through vapour scrubber SCR702.

4. Put 10 micron filter bag in polishing filters F606 and F607, and 5 micron filter bag in polishing filters
F701A, F701B, F704A and F704B. Switchover the polishing filters and change the filter bag when
the pressure reaches about 2 ~ 3 barg.

5. Set 6 barg instrument air supply (dry and oil-free) for actuated valves and 4 barg for control valves.

6. Ensure that the hotwell is filled with water. Start the cooling tower fans (clean and dirty) and cooling
water pumps (clean and dirty) to supply 32°C cooling water (clean and dirty) to the plant.

7. Start 12 barg steam supply to the plant and adjust the individual steam reducing station to set the
required steam pressure for the plant equipment. Purge all steam lines to remove condensate.

8. Start vacuum system V602 in accordance with the start-up procedure described in the operating
instructions from Körting. Continue evacuation until a vacuum of about 60 torr (80 mbar) is
achieved.

9. Start vacuum system V702 in accordance with the start-up procedure described in the operating
instructions from Körting. Continue evacuation until a vacuum of about 1.5 torr (2 mbar) is achieved.

10. Fill phosphoric acid into T023 & citric acid into T024. Fill bleaching earth into bleaching earth
hopper BT601 by using the bleaching earth conveying system.

11. Set up the pipeline for startup, bypass heat recovery system.

2
C. Plant Start-up : Bleaching Section

1. Start pump P001 to feed crude oil through heat exchanger E001, bypassing heat exchanger E001A
initially. Set the desired oil flowrate by adjusting the control valve FCV001 at flowmeter FIT001.

2. Set the desired oil temperature (~ 85°C) at temperature controller TIC001. The control valve will
start modulating after the P001 is running.

3. Dynamic mixer M001A and phosphoric acid dosing pump P023 will start automatically after a time
delay. Set the desired phosphoric acid dosage at the computer (normally is 0.05~0.08%).

4. The oil flows to degumming vessel M001. Initially close the outlet valve at the bottom and open the
vent at the top. When the vessel is completely filled, open the outlet valve followed by closing the
vent. The oil flows to bleacher B602.

5. Start sparging steam supply to each tray of bleacher B602. Maintain a steam pressure of about 1.5
to 2 barg at steam header SH602.

6. Start bleaching earth dosing system DS601 when oil reaches the second tray. Set the desired
bleaching earth dosage at the computer. At the same time start high pressure steam boiler HT500
at set pressure of 30 ~ 35 barg.

7. When oil level in bleacher B602 reaches high level, start filtration of the oil through bleaching earth
filters F601/2 working alternately (see Appendix I). Initially the oil leaving the filter is returned to
bleacher B602. When the oil is clear, the oil is diverted to deaerator D701 via polishing filters
F606/7 working alternately.

D. Plant Start-up : Deodorization Section

1. When sufficient bleached oil has accumulated in deaerator D701, start pump P701 to feed bleached
oil through heat exchangers E701 then E703. Set oil flowrate by adjusting the valve at flowmeter
FIT701 meanwhile maintain high pressure boiler pressure above 20 barg.

2. The oil flows to deodorizer D702. Maintain a steam pressure of about 1.5 to 2 barg at steam header
SH702.

3. Increase pressure set point of high pressure steam boiler HT500 by monitoring oil temperature after
E703. Ensure oil temperature do not exceed 260°C.

4. Pump P705 should be running. Start water supply to heat exchanger E705. Set the desired oil
temperature (~ 60°C) at temperature controller TIC705.

5. When oil level in deodorizer D702 reaches high level, stop pump P701. Start pump P702 to
circulate the oil through heat exchanger E703, bypassing heat exchanger E702.

3
6. When sufficient bleached oil has accumulated in deaerator D701, stop the bleaching section
temporarily.

7. Continue circulation of the oil from deodorizer D702 through heat exchanger E703 until the desired
oil temperature is reached and the oil quality is acceptable. When this is achieved, divert the oil to
deaerator D701 via heat exchangers E702, E702A, E001A and E704.

8. Start water supply to heat exchanger E704. Set the desired oil temperature (90~95°C) at
temperature controller TIC704.

9. Start pump P701 to feed bleached oil through heat exchangers E702 and E703. Start the bleaching
section again and feed crude oil through heat exchangers E001A and bypass E001 and close the
manual steam valve for E001.

10. Divert RBD oil to RBD storage via polishing filters F703/4 working alternately once the flow of P701
and P702 are stable. Set the desired oil temperature (~65°C) at temperature controller TIC704.

E. Interlock Systems

1. Bleacher B602 :-
 Above high level, pump P001 will stop with time delay normally is 5 ~10 minutes.
 5 min after high level is off, pump P001 will restart.

2. Slop tank T741 :-

 Above high level HLA741, valve AV741 will open and pump P741 will start.
 Below low level LLA741, valve AV741 will close and pump P741 will stop.

3. Fatty acid receiver SCR705 :-

 Above high level HLA705, valve AV705-1 will open.
 Below low level LLA705, valve AV705-1 will close.

4. Chemical dosing systems :-

 When pump P001 is running, phosphoric acid dosing pump P023, dynamic mixer M001A and
bleaching earth dosing system DS601 will start automatically after a time delay.
 When B602 reach high level alarm with time delay, pump P001 will stop automatically.
Phosphoric acid dosing pump P023, dynamic mixer M001A and bleaching earth dosing system
DS601 will stop as well if P001 is stopped.
 Pump P001 will restart after the high level alarm of B602 is in-activated. Phosphoric acid dosing
pump P023, dynamic mixer M001A and bleaching earth dosing system DS601 will start
automatically after a time delay.

4
F. Plant Shutdown : Bleaching Section

1. Stop pump P001, phosphoric acid dosing pump P023 and dynamic mixer M001A.

2. Drain the oil in degumming vessel M001 by opening the drain valve.

3. Stop bleaching earth dosing system DS601 and steam supply to the internal heating coil of
bleacher B602.

4. Drain the oil in bleacher B602 by opening the drain valve tray by tray starting from the top tray.

5. When oil level in bleacher B602 reaches low level, stop sparging steam supply and start
restfiltration of the oil through bleaching earth filters F601/2 (see Appendix I).

6. Shutdown vacuum system V602 in accordance with the shutdown procedure described in the
operating instructions from Körting.

G. Plant Shutdown : Deodorization Section

1. When deaerator D701 is at low level, stop discharge of RBD oil to storage tank.

2. Circulate the oil from deodorizer D702 to deaerator D701. After about 60 to 90 min, check oil quality
at deaerator D701. If quality of oil is acceptable then switch off firing at high pressure steam boiler
HT500 and continue to circulate oil from deaerator D701 to deodorizer D702. Stop sparging steam
supply.

3. When the oil temperature after heat exchanger E703 reaches about 65°C, divert the oil to the
storage tank via polishing filters F703/4. Stop pump P701.

4. Drain the oil in deodorizer D702 by opening the drain valve tray by tray starting from the top tray.

5. When deodorizer D702 is empty, stop pump P702.

6. Stop pump P705 and water supply to heat exchangers E704 and E705.

7. Continue running vacuum system V702 until deodorizer D702 has cooled down sufficiently
(normally vessel temperature 60~65°C), then shut down the vacuum system in accordance with the
shutdown procedure described in the operating instructions from Körting.

5
H. Power Failure

1. When there is a power failure, all pumps and motors will stop and all actuated valves will close.

2. Maintain vacuum in bleacher B602 and deodorizer D702 by closing all steam valves and water
valves to vacuum systems V602 and V702. Minimize the air leakage for whole system, this is to
prevent oil oxidation and packing burning.

3. When power supply is resumed, start pumps and motors that were running before the power failure.
Actuated valves will return automatically to the position before the power failure.

4. Open steam valves and water valves to vacuum systems V602 and V702.

6
Appendix I : Process Sequence for Bleaching Earth Filters F601/F602

1. Filtration Process (described for Filter F601) Legend : 1 = valve open / pump running

Condition for

V1.10

V1.11

V1.12

V1.13
A&B

P602
V1.1

V1.2

V1.3

V1.4

V1.6

V1.7

V1.8

V1.9
Step changeover to
next step

Filter F602 starts

Ready 1 emptying &
PSL601 = on
Vacuum 1 Timer TF1
Filling 1 1 1 LSH601 = on
Backrun 1 1 1 Timer TF8

Filtration 1 1 1 Timer TF2, or

PSH601 = on

Emptying 1 1 1 1 Timer TF13, or

HLA602 = on
Emptying 2 1 1 1 LSL601 = on
Drying 1 1 Timer TF3
Postempty 1 1 Timer TF4
Ventilation 1 PSL601= on
Cleaning 1/0 1 Timer TF5
Ready 1 Wait

2. Restfiltration Process (described for Filter F601) Legend : 1 = valve open / pump running
Condition for
V1.10

V1.11

V1.12

V1.13
A&B

P602
V1.1

V1.2

V1.3

V1.4

V1.6

V1.7

V1.8

V1.9

Step changeover to
next step

Filter F602 starts

Ready 1 emptying &
PSL601 = on
Vacuum 1 Timer TF1
Filling 1 1 1 LSH601= on

Restfiltration 1 1 1 Timer TF9, or

PSH601 = on
Emptying 1 1 1 LSL601 = on
Drying 1 1 Timer TF3
Postempty 1 1 Timer TF4
Ventilation 1 PSL601 = on
Cleaning 1/0 1 Timer TF5
Ready 1 Stop