SYNOPSIS

Automation in a palm oil mill involves monitoring and regulating the operations of the various processing machinery remotely. The automated machinery systems in a mill may include Automated FFB (fresh fruit bunch) loading ramp, Automated FFB cage handling systems, Automated Sterilizer Process Control System, Automated Back Pressure Receiver system, Automated SFB (sterilized fruit bunch) handling system, and Automated Digester Level Control system. The current Sterilizer technology systems come complete with automated machinery systems from FFB reception to SFB handling. The technical features and performance of the different available sterilizer technology systems are briefly evaluated and compared.  Control systems are used in various waste treatment technology systems, such as POME (palm oil mill effluent) polishing plant and biogas digester plant, to monitor and optimize the biological treatment processes. The latest DOE (Department of Environment) requirement is the installation of a suitable Continuous Emission Monitoring System in all new mills.  Control Systems are used to operate the machinery systems of an automated EFB-POME co-compost plant.  


BIODATA OF SPEAKER

Ir.  Ooi Ho Seng  graduated from the University of Malaya with a Bachelor of Engineering degree (Mechanical) in 1972 and a Master in Engineering Science degree in 1975.  Ir Ooi carried out research in machinery design and development for Mechanisation and Automation of agricultural crop production and post harvest processing including infield transportation of FFB in MARDI (Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute) from 1974 to 2005. He  is a Director of SGT Konsult Sdn Bhd and O3 Solutions Sdn Bhd and has been actively involved in the selection of machinery and automation systems for palm oil mills as well as for mill wastes treatment plants since 2007. Ir Ooi has served the Agricultural & Food Engineering Technical Division (AFETD)  in various capacities from 2000 to present and has served the IEM Membership drive and Promotion Sub-Committee since 2011.