Paper Title
Process Simulation and Optimization of Palm Oil From Spent Bleaching Earth Via Supercritical Extraction For Sustainable Development

Abstract
Vegetable oils undergo numerous refining steps to remove undesirable compounds and produce high quality, stable commercial products. Recovery of vegetable oil from spent bleaching earth is an area where ample opportunities exist for cleaner production and cost saving in the vegetable oil processing industry. Conventional oil extraction and refining processes, which involve multiple unit operations, have several disadvantages. These include complex separation steps, energy-intensive operations, the requirement for large amounts of water and hazardous chemicals and the potential of generating large quantities of wastes. Therefore, the objective of this study is to develop a process simulation and optimization for the recovery of palm oil from spent bleaching earth using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE).The methodology adopted for this study include applying experimental data to enable the development of a reliable simulation and optimization models of the supercritical fluid extraction to recover palm oil from spent bleaching earth. The result of the study shows that optimal total annual cost of US$246 million at 10 MPa and 45 oC with optimum separation pressure of 2 MPa was obtained. The simulation and optimization for obtaining palm oil from spent bleaching earth via SFE will produce comparable and better oil recovery, using a significantly intensified process that is green and sustainable. Keywords - Palm oil; Spent Bleaching Earth; Supercritical Fluid Extraction