SMALL-SCALE PRODUCTION OF FILTERED COCONUT OIL

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19. SMALL-SCALE PRODUCTION OF FILTERED COCONUT OIL IN SUPPORT OF THE PROMOTION
OF THE PLANT OIL STOVE IN THE PHILIPPINES
Roberto C. Guarte
A complete package of technology and equipment was developed, evaluated, and
pilot tested for sustainable small-scale production of filtered coconut oil to
support the promotion of the plant oil stove — an environment-friendly stove
that uses all types of plant oil as fuel. The sustainability of the technology
is ensured by the establishment of a plant oil production area and oil analysis
laboratory at the Plant Oil Technology Center, based at the Department of
Agricultural Engineering of the Visayas State University, the Philippines. The
plant oil production area is equipped with a high capacity weighing scale, one
hammer mill, three oil expellers, one settling tank, one filtering tank, and two
storage tanks that can process about 400−500 kg of copra daily. Except for the
weighing scale and oil expellers, all the equipment were designed and fabricated
by the project. Technology for the small-scale production of coconut virgin oil,
naturally fermented vinegar from coconut water, and laundry soap from filtered
coconut oil were also developed to increase the income potential of coconut
farmers. As a showcase of the technology, a village level oil processing centre
was established in Barangay Ciabu in Baybay, Leyte, Philippines, in cooperation
with the Local Government of Baybay and the Ciabu Primary Purpose Cooperative, a
coconut-based cooperative with about 1500 members. The processing centre is
provided with processing building, smoke-free copra dryer, and all the needed
oil production equipment found in the Plant Oil Technology Center. Using the
data available, the economic viability of the technology was determined by
conducting a financial feasibility study through the use of the Benefit-Cost
Analysis (BCA) framework that gave a net present value (NPV), internal rate of
return (IRR), and benefit-cost ratio of PhP658,534, 36%, and 1.07, respectively,
indicating the economic viability of the established coconut oil processing
line.
INTRODUCTION
A functional and efficient plant oil stove was developed, optimized, and
evaluated at the Visayas State University using the vaporizer technology
originally developed at the University of Hohenheim in Germany, through the
financial and technical support of BSH Bosch and Siemens Home Appliances Group,
which acquired the rights for the vaporizer, and with counterpart financial
support of the German Development and Investment Company. In collaboration with
some universities in Germany, the performance of the stove was optimized in the
laboratory, and field tested in 100 selected households and pilot marketed in
the island of Leyte, the Philippines. The stove is now being promoted in
selected developing countries in the world through the initiative and financial
support of BSH and other partners. Being environment-friendly, the stove is
expected to revolutionize the stove industry in the Philippines and abroad.
One of the important components in the promotion of the plant oil stove is the
sustainable supply of plant oil. In the Philippines, coconut oil, either refined
or crude, is produced only by big oil mills. The refined coconut oil, which is
an efficient fuel source for the plant oil stove, is expensive when purchased in
the market. The crude coconut oil, on the other hand, though relatively
inexpensive compared to the refined coconut oil, is not available in the retail
market because it is normally sold directly by the oil mills to large
oleochemical companies in the Philippines and abroad. Other sources of plant oil
that can be used as fuel for the stove − such as the palm oil, soybean,
sunflower, rapeseed − are available in the market but at a relatively higher
price. It is implied that the main constraint in the promotion of the plant oil
stove is the sustainable supply of plant oil in the rural and semi-urban areas
that is competitive in price with the existing fossil-based or biomass-based
fuel sources.
This project, therefore, was implemented to develop, evaluate, and pilot test a
package of technology and equipment for sustainable small-scale production of
filtered coconut oil, with a daily production of 400−500 kg of copra, the dried
coconut meat, appropriate for village level operation. The development of
various technologies and equipment was technically supported by
Small-scale Production of Filtered Coconut Oil for Plant Oil Stoves
the establishment of a plant oil processing area and plant oil analysis
laboratory within the Plant Oil Technology Center based at the Department of
Agricultural Engineering of the Visayas State University, the Philippines. Based
on an intensive literature search of available technologies for the production
of coconut oil, one Filipino copra expeller and two German oil expellers were
purchased and evaluated. The other equipment needed in the processing line were
designed, fabricated, and evaluated by the project. These include one hammer
mill, one settling tank, one filtering tank, and two storage tanks. To increase
the income potential of farmers, the project has also developed equipment for
the production of coconut-based product such as virgin oil, oil from sepal,
vinegar from coconut water, and soap from filtered crude coconut oil.
As showcase of the package of technology, a village-level coconut oil processing
centre was established in Ciabu, Baybay in the island of Leyte, the Philippines,
in cooperation with the Local Government and the Ciabu Primary Multi-purpose
Cooperative. The processing centre is operated and managed by the cooperative
with members supplying raw materials needed in the production of filtered
coconut oil. An economic analysis was conducted to evaluate the economic
viability of the whole processing coconut oil production line.
more follows...
http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/eserv/UQ:108359/n19_Guarte1_FINAL_FIXED.pdf