Let’s get in detail of how this substance is really made and what is the actual process of getting Palm Fatty Acid Distillate (PFAD) biodiesel. In the process of palm oil making, a by-product is obtained which is known as Palm Fatty Acid Distillate. 

It is in solid-state at normal room temperature, due to its impurities it is brownish in color. It has a high FFA content which makes it non-edible to humans and cannot be consumed in any way.  

Palm Fatty Acid distillate uses include that it is used for the production of biodiesel. It has a density of 879 kg/m and a viscosity of 3.97 mm/s. PFAD is readily available and is an excellent low-cost source of feedstock; it is always traded at a discount to RBD palm oil.

Palm fatty acid distillate was firstly produced using an economical process using a Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR). It can also be produced using batch production which is proven to have higher product purity as compared to continuous production. 

As we had discussed earlier that Palm Fatty Acid Distillate is obtained as a byproduct in the refining of crude palm oil. 

Palm Fatty Acid Distillate Specifications

It is mostly composed of Free Fatty Acids which makes up the major part of Palm Fatty Acid Distillate that is 81%, it also contains small amounts of glycerides up to 14%, squalene makes up to 1%, and many other elements such as vitamin E, squalene and phytosterols which are mostly value-added products and can be easily extracted from PFAD.

Palm Fatty Acid Distillate price varies according to regions, but due to its increasing applications, it is in high demand. One of the leading suppliers of Palm Fatty Acid Distillate is Tradeasia International. As of now the price of Palm Fatty Acid Distillate is RMB 3524.19 / MTs according to China’s currency and measures.

PFAD actually gets a lower price than Palm Oil and due to this reason, palm oil producers tend to produce PDAF at a small level as compared to Palm Oil. But since it is a byproduct it will be eventually produced and there’s no getting rid of it. In fact, this PDAF which is produced during the production of palm oil has been proven to be a good biofuel. 

Palm Kernel Fatty Acid Distillate is produced by splitting and distilling Palm Kernel Oil. Palm Kernel Fatty Acid has a melting point of above  25 ºC. It appears white at room temperature having a distinctive smell and opaque.

It has a broader variety of applications. It is used in soaps, bath goods, household as well as cleaning products for industry. It acts as a surfactant, cleansing agent as well as emulsifier. It makes an excellent conditioning bath soap due to the presence of lauric content.

Palm Kernel Fatty Acid and its esters are also used both as a lubricant and in the manufacture of intermediates for textile industries.