Scale-Up and Development of a Community Industrial Prototype for Red Palm Oil Production Using Advanced Microwave Technology
This study presents the development and evaluation of a microwave-assisted prototype for scalable red palm oil production. The prototype, equipped with industrial magnetrons delivering a combined power of 2 kW, is designed to process up to 6 kg of oil palm fruit per batch. The design, optimized usin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | AgriEngineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2624-7402/7/4/113 |
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| author | Kamonpan Wongyai Suttirak Kaewpawong Dhammanoon Srinoum Watcharin Kongsawat Kasidapa Polprasarn Vikas Rathore Mudtorlep Nisoa |
| author_facet | Kamonpan Wongyai Suttirak Kaewpawong Dhammanoon Srinoum Watcharin Kongsawat Kasidapa Polprasarn Vikas Rathore Mudtorlep Nisoa |
| author_sort | Kamonpan Wongyai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study presents the development and evaluation of a microwave-assisted prototype for scalable red palm oil production. The prototype, equipped with industrial magnetrons delivering a combined power of 2 kW, is designed to process up to 6 kg of oil palm fruit per batch. The design, optimized using COMSOL Multiphysics simulations, focused on waveguide configurations and cavity dimensions to ensure uniform energy distribution and minimize hotspots. Performance testing validated the system’s capability to deliver consistent heating across six trays and produce high-quality red palm oil. Results demonstrated a significant reduction in free fatty acid (FFA) content from 20.4% to 2.1% while retaining carotene content within the industrial standard range (558.2 ppm). The Deterioration of Bleachability Index (DOBI) showed a slight reduction but remained within acceptable limits, underscoring the prototype’s ability to maintain oil clarity and processability. Microwave heating effectively inactivated lipase enzymes, reducing FFA and enhancing oil stability, as confirmed by previous studies. The chemical-free process preserved essential nutrients, aligning with sustainability goals. This innovative system provides a scalable, energy-efficient solution for community and industrial applications, offering improved product quality with minimal environmental impact. Future work will focus on optimizing the system further and exploring its applications in broader agricultural processing contexts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-564a398b3161489686a4e778462a184c |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2624-7402 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | AgriEngineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-564a398b3161489686a4e778462a184c2025-08-20T03:14:19ZengMDPI AGAgriEngineering2624-74022025-04-017411310.3390/agriengineering7040113Scale-Up and Development of a Community Industrial Prototype for Red Palm Oil Production Using Advanced Microwave TechnologyKamonpan Wongyai0Suttirak Kaewpawong1Dhammanoon Srinoum2Watcharin Kongsawat3Kasidapa Polprasarn4Vikas Rathore5Mudtorlep Nisoa6Functional Materials and Nanotechnology Center of Excellence, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, ThailandFunctional Materials and Nanotechnology Center of Excellence, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, ThailandFunctional Materials and Nanotechnology Center of Excellence, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, ThailandFunctional Materials and Nanotechnology Center of Excellence, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, ThailandFunctional Materials and Nanotechnology Center of Excellence, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, ThailandFuturistic Science Research Center, School of Science, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, ThailandFunctional Materials and Nanotechnology Center of Excellence, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, ThailandThis study presents the development and evaluation of a microwave-assisted prototype for scalable red palm oil production. The prototype, equipped with industrial magnetrons delivering a combined power of 2 kW, is designed to process up to 6 kg of oil palm fruit per batch. The design, optimized using COMSOL Multiphysics simulations, focused on waveguide configurations and cavity dimensions to ensure uniform energy distribution and minimize hotspots. Performance testing validated the system’s capability to deliver consistent heating across six trays and produce high-quality red palm oil. Results demonstrated a significant reduction in free fatty acid (FFA) content from 20.4% to 2.1% while retaining carotene content within the industrial standard range (558.2 ppm). The Deterioration of Bleachability Index (DOBI) showed a slight reduction but remained within acceptable limits, underscoring the prototype’s ability to maintain oil clarity and processability. Microwave heating effectively inactivated lipase enzymes, reducing FFA and enhancing oil stability, as confirmed by previous studies. The chemical-free process preserved essential nutrients, aligning with sustainability goals. This innovative system provides a scalable, energy-efficient solution for community and industrial applications, offering improved product quality with minimal environmental impact. Future work will focus on optimizing the system further and exploring its applications in broader agricultural processing contexts.https://www.mdpi.com/2624-7402/7/4/113red palm oilmicrowave heatingscale upmagnetronwaveguidecarotene |
| spellingShingle | Kamonpan Wongyai Suttirak Kaewpawong Dhammanoon Srinoum Watcharin Kongsawat Kasidapa Polprasarn Vikas Rathore Mudtorlep Nisoa Scale-Up and Development of a Community Industrial Prototype for Red Palm Oil Production Using Advanced Microwave Technology AgriEngineering red palm oil microwave heating scale up magnetron waveguide carotene |
| title | Scale-Up and Development of a Community Industrial Prototype for Red Palm Oil Production Using Advanced Microwave Technology |
| title_full | Scale-Up and Development of a Community Industrial Prototype for Red Palm Oil Production Using Advanced Microwave Technology |
| title_fullStr | Scale-Up and Development of a Community Industrial Prototype for Red Palm Oil Production Using Advanced Microwave Technology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Scale-Up and Development of a Community Industrial Prototype for Red Palm Oil Production Using Advanced Microwave Technology |
| title_short | Scale-Up and Development of a Community Industrial Prototype for Red Palm Oil Production Using Advanced Microwave Technology |
| title_sort | scale up and development of a community industrial prototype for red palm oil production using advanced microwave technology |
| topic | red palm oil microwave heating scale up magnetron waveguide carotene |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2624-7402/7/4/113 |
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