MDF Production by Palm Tree Waste

In some countries, there are rich palm tree resource, how to make the palm tree and its waste to be high value product and earn benefit?

Actually you can make the palm tree to be MDF(Medium density fiberboard) and Chipboard. these wood panel can be made for furniture, decoration, construction, packing and other application. 

The Potencial Advantages of Palm Wastes

Abundant raw material sources: The palm oil industry (such as oil palm fruit bunches, empty fruit bunches, trunks, leaves, etc.) generates a large amount of waste every year, especially in Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America, which can be a sustainable source of raw materials.

Environmental benefits: The use of waste to reduce pollution caused by incineration or landfilling is in line with the trend of circular economy.

Fiber characteristics: Palm waste (such as strings, trunks) contains a certain amount of cellulose fibers, which can meet the basic requirements of MDF production after proper treatment.

Technical feasibility

Fiber extraction and processing:

Necessary for degreasing: Oil palm waste (if string) contains residual grease, which needs to be removed by washing or chemical treatment, otherwise it will affect the bonding effect of adhesives (such as urea formaldehyde resin).

Fiber separation: 

It is necessary to decompose palm waste into fibers by hot grinding or chemical-mechanical methods, and process parameters (e.g., temperature, pressure) may need to be adjusted to suit the fiber structure.

Adhesive compatibility: 

The lipophilicity of palm fiber may require a change to a hydrophobic adhesive (such as PMDI) or the addition of a coupling agent to improve bond strength.

Plate performance optimization:

Palm fiber is short and brittle, and it may be necessary to mix wood fiber (such as rubber wood) or add reinforcement materials (such as straw) to improve the strength and durability of the board.

The hot pressing process (time, temperature) needs to be adjusted to avoid uneven density or delamination due to fiber characteristics

The Important Step for Making Palm waste to be MDF

(1) degreasing treatment

The root of the problem:

A large amount of oil (5%-15%) remains in oil palm waste (such as empty fruit string EFB, fruit shell), which will seriously interfere with the penetration and curing of adhesives (such as urea formaldehyde resin), resulting in poor binding strength and increased water absorption in the plate.

Technical difficulties:

High efficiency degreasing: It needs to be processed by solvent (such as ethanol) or high temperature steam, but it is expensive and can damage the fiber structure.

Residue control: incomplete degreasing will form a weak area inside the plate, requiring precise control of process parameters (such as temperature, time).

(2) fiber separation and modification

The root of the problem:

The palm fiber (especially the leaves and fruit shell) has high silicon content, short fiber and brittle fiber, and the traditional hot grinding method is easy to produce too much fine powder and reduce the fiber interweaving ability.

Technical difficulties:

Equipment wear: High silicon content accelerates hot mill disk wear, requiring frequent replacement or use of special alloy materials.

Fiber quality: It is necessary to adjust the heat grinding pressure, temperature or add a chemical softener (such as NaOH) to obtain the fiber with the right length-diameter ratio

Why is fiber preparation the most difficult step?

Irreversible effect: If the fiber degreasing or separation is not complete, the subsequent bonding and hot pressing are difficult to make up, which directly leads to the substandard strength of the plate.

Cost sensitive: High input of degreasing and fiber modification equipment (such as corrosion resistant hot mills) can be difficult for smes to afford.

Technical threshold: The process needs to be customized for different types of palm waste (e.g., string vs trunk) and is highly experience-dependent.

But now the Germany brand has designed a Refiner to produce the fiber from palm waste, so now by Palm waste to make MDF is not a problem. 

China manufacturer of MDF making machine

We are China professoinal factory and manufacturer of MDF making machine, OSB making machine, Chipboard making machine, and Plywood making machine. 

As diferent raw materials, panel size and thickness, production capacity, and other factors, our team can design and offer a suitable production line for you. 

We have high technology lathes, professional engineers with rich experience, and we have technology department to design machines as different conditions

If you want to produce MDF, OSB, Chipboard, or Plywood, welcome contact us

Mark: +86 18769900191

Ali: +86 15805496117

Lucy: +86 18954906501

Email: osbmdfmachinery@gmail.com