Strategies for decreasing the pour point and cloud point of palm oil products

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to improve the low-temperature performance of palm oil products, with emphasis on non-food uses, and to find some additives (synthesized or commercially available) suitable to reduce the pour point and cloud point values of palm oil products. The samples studied in this research include palm olein (PO), super olein (SO), palm oil methyl esters (POME), palm kernel oil methyl esters (PKOME), a blend of POME and PO at a 2:1 ratio (POMEPO), a blend of POME and SO at a 2:1 ratio (POMESO), a blend of PKOME and PO at a 2:1 ratio (PKOMEPO) and a blend of PKOME and SO at a 2:1 ratio (PKOMESO). Among the additives studied in this research were Tween-80, dihydroxy fatty acid (DHFA), acrylated polyester pre-polymer, palm-based polyol (PP), a blend of DHFA and PP at a 1:1 ratio (DHFAPP), an additive synthesized using DHFA and ethyl hexanol (DHFAEH), and castor oil ricinoleate. All the additives used showed satisfactory results, with more significant reductions of pour point and cloud point values observed for POME, PKOME, POMEPO, POMESO and PKOMESO samples. The biggest reduction of the pour point value in this research was about 7.5°C (by addition of 1.0% DHFA to POMEPO), while the biggest reduction of the cloud point value was about 10.5°C (by addition of 1.0% DHFA + 1.0% PP to POME). The significant reductions in pour point and cloud point values of POME, PKOME, POMEPO, POMESO and PKOMESO by the additives used indicate that the additives might be able to improve the low-temperature properties of palm oil products, for instance biodiesel. © 2005 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.