Assessment of Production Kernel Stone Contamination

Introduction

High stone contamination resulted in PK deduction of 30MT &25MT on Sept & Oct 2011 respectively. Possible faulty of machineries were checked (damper, cyclone & airlock). Silo Kernel quality was given hourly attention Dampers were adjusted correspond to lab sample quality. However, after silo kernel stone % still fluctuated between 0.18% - 5.04%. Due to the inconsistency of PK stone %, this survey is carried out.

November 17th

The source of Small Stone was investigated. Polishing Drum Nut

Press Cake

6.35 gram 0.62% to P.Cake Press #4 17/11/2011

6.69 gram 0.60% to P.D. Nut P. Drum 17/11/2011

12.64 gram 1.16% Before Silo 17/11/2011

Before Silo

61.05 gram 5.41% to P.Cake Press #4 17/11/2011

28.18 gram 2.43% to P.D. Nut P. Drum 17/11/2011

Press Cake

Polishing Drum Nut Nut

8.72 gram 0.73% Before Silo 17/11/2011

Before Silo

Press cake stone Avg. 2.73%, before silo stone high 1.16% &

November 18th
Press Cake Polishing Drum Nut Before Silo

2.85 gram 0.25% to P.Cake Press #4 18/11/2011

69.66 gram 6.40% to P.D. Nut P. Drum 18/11/2011

5.01 gram 0.45% Before Silo 18/11/2011

Press Cake

Polishing Drum Nut

Before Silo

4.03 gram 0.37% to P.Cake Press #6 18/11/2011

6.64 gram 0.60% to P.D. Nut P. Drum 18/11/2011

17.53 gram 1.61% Before Silo 18/11/2011

Press Cake

Polishing Drum Nut

Before Silo

19.47 gram 1.62% to P.Cake Press #5 18/11/2011

5.74 gram 0.51% to P.D. Nut P. Drum 18/11/2011

11.02 gram 1.00% Before Silo 18/11/2011

Press cake stone Avg. 0.75%, before silo stone high 1.61% &

smaller stones were carry forward from press cake to nut bin and finally to kernel silo. Polishing Drum Destoner LTDS #1 Before Silo

Press

Filtered stones from press cake

November 17th November 18th Cont.

Stones in PK were similar in size and weight if not larger comparing to kernel. (Refer to Figure 1) This resulted in difficulty of air separation. LTDS Kernel (Dry) & Hydro cyclone Kernel (Wet) were studied for stone % and found that 100% stone contamination was contributed by LTDS kernel (Dry). Wet shell was sampled and found that the stone size in wet shell was relatively small. (Refer to Figure 2) Reconfirmed hydro cyclone separation efficiency.
0.03 0.14 gram Kernel Stone

1.12 gram

1.72 gram

Wet Shell

Mini Stones

Figure 1

Figure 2

November 20th November 25th

Production kernel with low stone % is stored in bunker #2 and blended with bunker #1 for despatch. Since air separation is not reliable to tackle our present problem, mill did a trial to feed in more chipped mixtures to hydro cyclone for water separation by adjusting LTDS #2 damper. Ripple mill throughput was fixed for control convenience. LTDS #1 damper reduced, LTDS #2 damper was opened more.

LTDS losses was monitored during the trial.

Average LTDS losses significantly higher than target, during the trial mill had to sacrifice broken kernels to improve stone contamination.
Date 20-Nov 21-Nov 22-Nov 23-Nov 24-Nov LTDS1 1.01% 0.77% 1.10% 1.12% 1.52% Kernel Losses LTDS Avg. LTDS2 <2.0% 3.20% 2.11% 7.23% 4.00% 4.99% 3.05% 3.27% 2.20% 2.02% 1.77% Stone % Before Silo <0.5% 0.24% 1.26% 0.61% 0.99% 0.62%

Table 1: Hydrocyclone feed in Via LTDS #2

November 20th November 25th Cont.

Due to the nature of air separation, feed in to hydro cyclone via LTDS #2 is not effective. Before silo stone < 0.5% was not constantly achievable (refer to Table 1). Therefore, workshop started fabricating new trunking to by-pass LTDS #2 (Line 1) chipped mixtures to hydro cyclone. Previous Setup Boiler Dry Shell
Conveyer
Airlock R. Mill Airlock Airlock Chipped Conveyer Hydrocyclone Wet Kernel

1st Stage LTDS

2nd Stage LTDS

Boiler Dry Shell Conveyer

Airlock R. Mill Airlock Airlock Chipped Conveyer

Current Setup
Hydrocyclone

Wet Kernel

1st Stage LTDS

2nd Stage LTDS

Current setup using water separation entirely.

November 24th November 25th

The new trunking was ready and put into testing. (Right Picture) Necessary mechanical modifications were made. (Left Picture) During the testing, LTDS damper and hydro cyclone were adjusted according to PK quality by supervisors.

Hydro Cyclone Fine Tuning

Wet shell losses & dirt before silo were utilized as tuning parameters.
Mill running two hydro cyclone for tuning by trial & error. (Left Picture) Shell was minimized on Stage 1 & 2, while kernel minimized on Stage 3 during tuning.

Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 1

26-Nov

Wet Shell Kernel Losses <3.0% Shift A Shift B Daily Average 1.27% 1.30% 1.29%

27-Nov
28-Nov 29-Nov 1.49%

Awal Muharram
No Process 1.73% 1.61%

Stones

30-Nov

1.56%

2.01%

1.79%

Table 2: Daily Average on Wet Shell Kernel Losses

Wet Shell Kernel Losses

November 26th onward

New trunking was put to use officially, data comparison as table below,
Kernel Losses Stone % LTDS Avg. <2.0% 1.39% 1.45% 1.42% 0.69% 1.58% Before Silo <0.5% 0.92% 0.70% 0.50% 0.51% 1.16% Date 20-Nov 21-Nov 22-Nov 23-Nov 24-Nov LTDS1 1.01% 0.77% 1.10% 1.12% 1.52% Kernel Losses LTDS2 3.20% 7.23% 4.99% 3.27% 2.02% LTDS Avg. <2.0% 2.11% 4.00% 3.05% 2.20% 1.77% Stone % Before Silo <0.5% 0.24% 1.26% 0.61% 0.99% 0.62%

Date 17-Oct 18-Oct 19-Oct 20-Oct 21-Oct

LTDS1 0.97% 1.30% 0.71% 0.76% 1.10%

LTDS2 1.81% 1.60% 2.13% 0.61% 2.06%

Table 3: Mill Usual Setup

Date 26-Nov 27-Nov

Table 4: Extra Feed in to Hydro Cyclone via LTDS #2

Kernel Losses LTDS1 1.74% LTDS2 LTDS Avg. <2.0% 1.74% Stone % Before Silo <0.5% 0.00%

Awal Muharram

28-Nov
29-Nov 30-Nov 1.52% 2.30% -

No Process
1.52% 2.30% 0.00% 0.00%

Table 5: New Trunking to by-pass LTDS #2 chipped mixtures to Hydro Cyclone

Current new setup is effective to maintain before silo stone at 0% consistently. (Refer to

Future Problem Due to New Setup

# Pros & Cons

Effect

Carryover of hydro cyclone water into kernel silos

Molding and odor of production kernels. Longer kernel cooking time, risk of uncooked kernel.

Carryover of LTDS fiber to production kernel

Molding and odor of production kernels due to water carryover by LTDS fiber.

Wear and tear of hydrocyclone mechanical 3 components (cone, impeller etc.) 4 More wet shell excess

Increase maintenance cost & reduce hydrocyclone efficiency Wet shell Increased to average 1.25% from 0.65% per tonne FFB. (converts to 10MT excess wet shell processing 800 MT FFB)