Ultimate Guide to Palm Kernel Oil Processing Machines: Types & How They Work

Palm kernel oil is extracted from the kernels of oil palm fruits and is a critical edible and industrial oil. At Henan Glory, we've developed this ultimate guide to palm kernel oil processing machines because we recognize that only the right machinery can turn palm kernels into consistent, high-quality oil—boosting profitability for your operations. Now, let's walk you through the core types of these machines, how they work, and the significant advantages they bring to your operations.

Palm Kernel Shell Separation Machines

Palm nut cracker and shell separator machine

The first step in palm kernel oil processing is separating palm kernels from shells effectively, typically achieved by a nut grading screen and palm nut cracker working in tandem.

The nut grading screen sorts kernels by size to group uniform-dimension kernels together. This step is critical for optimizing the performance of the subsequent palm nut cracker. With uniformly sized kernels, the gap and pressure of the palm nut cracker can be fine-tuned to maximize whole kernel yield and minimize breakage.

Graded kernels are fed into the palm nut cracker. The palm nut cracker uses impact, extrusion, or shearing to crush hard shells and release kernels, resulting in a mixture of kernels and shell fragments.

Kernel-shell separation is achieved through either dry or wet processes:

Dry separation (small-to-medium scale): This method uses cyclones and air separation columns to separate lighter shell fragments from heavier kernels based on differences in specific gravity. It offers low energy consumption and simple operation.

Wet separation (large-scale plants): This process uses a CaCO₃ slurry during kernel recovery. It leverages buoyancy differences to achieve high-precision separation and higher recovery rates, making it ideal for high-throughput production environments where kernel integrity is a priority.

Palm Kernel Pretreatment Machines

Once separated, the hard palm kernels require crushing to enhance pressing efficiency. Our double roll crusher is powered by dual motors, which uniformly crush kernels into 4–6 fragments. This reduces strain on the oil press, extends equipment lifespan, and increases oil yield.

Palm kernel drum-type cooker

The crushed kernels are conditioned in a drum-style cooker. Our drum-style cooker precisely regulates temperature, humidity, and agitation to optimize the moisture content of the palm kernels, modify their cellular structure, and reduce oil viscosity. This facilitates easier oil extraction during pressing.

Palm Kernel Pressing and Oil Filtration

Palm kernel oil press

Our palm kernel oil press features a screw design with a circular array press chamber. It features intuitive operation, high wear resistance, and easy maintenance, and incorporates a streamlined two-stage pressing process. By controlling the material’s residence time in the press chamber, the machine prevents gelatinization and blockage due to overpressure, ensuring consistent pressing efficiency and oil quality. Its main components are forged from 45# steel, while critical parts are made from cast iron or ductile iron to enhance overall structural stability.

Key components of our palm kernel oil press undergo forging and oil quenching treatments. This process involves heating metal workpieces to a specific temperature and then quenching them in coolant. This enhances the hardness and wear resistance of the components, enabling the machine to maintain consistent performance during long-term, high-intensity operation. The oil press is equipped with a four-stage motor to ensure steady power output and smooth operation throughout the pressing process.

Crude palm kernel oil is pumped to a plate filter to remove impurities and residual moisture. The filtered palm kernel oil achieves higher purity and an extended shelf life.

At Henan Glory, we design custom palm kernel oil processing solutions tailored to your production scale, budget, and specific objectives. Ready to upgrade your palm kernel oil processing machines or launch a new project? Contact us to get a customized quote!