Feasibility aspect in utilizing spent bleaching earth waste for briquette, fertilizer and oil recovery

Spent bleaching earth (SBE) is a bleaching agent used in the refining process for crude palm oil, was previously classified as hazardous and toxic waste because it contains oil residues that reach 20 – 40%. The potential for SBE waste is very high, reaching 4.8 million tons per year, which makes its utilization very important. Due to the large amount of SBE potential waste and its oil content, this waste can be utilized in recovery oil, fertilizers, and briquettes. There have been many SBE utilization studies on a laboratory scale but not equipped with appropriate feasibility aspects for its application in industry. The aim of this study were to obtain technical and economic parameters in utilization of SBE waste. Literature study and mass-energy balance calculation were conducted to obtain basis design operating parameters and production capacity of each utilization. Then, economic analysis with chemical plant cashflow method were calculated to obtain internal rate of return, pay-out time and benefit/cost (B/C) ratio. From this study, it is shown that utilization waste SBE for briquette, fertilizer and oil recovery was feasible with the highest B/C ratio 1.81 for briquette.