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US 11,993,758 B2Granted
Tunable processes for the continuous refining of edible oils and fats
AssigneeChemtor, LP
InventorRana K. Mohamed
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for purifying edible oils includes a plurality of microchannel fiber reactors arranged in series. The edible oils may be first neutralized with an alkali solution and then washed with water to thereby remove impurities such as free fatty acids, mono- and diacylglycerols, phospholipids, glycolipids, trace metals, and unsaponifiable matter. The system allows for continuous, high-yield production of improved quality edible oils.
Claims13
A method for purifying an edible oil, comprising:
- simultaneously introducing the edible oil comprising at least one impurity and an aqueous reactant solution into a first end of a first microchannel fiber reactor, the first microchannel fiber reactor having a plurality of fibers disposed therein;
- collecting reaction products from a reaction between the edible oil and the aqueous reactant solution in a first separator positioned proximate a second end of the first microchannel fiber reactor opposite the first end thereof, the reaction products comprising a neutralized oil and an aqueous effluent, the aqueous effluent comprising at least a portion of the at least one impurity;
- separately removing the neutralized oil and the aqueous effluent from the first separator;
- simultaneously introducing the neutralized oil and water into a first end of a second microchannel fiber reactor, the second microchannel fiber reactor having a plurality of fibers disposed therein;
- collecting wash reaction products from a reaction between the neutralized oil and water in a second separator positioned proximate a second end of the second microchannel fiber reactor opposite the first end thereof, the wash reaction products comprising a washed oil and a second aqueous effluent, the second aqueous effluent comprising water and at least one compound from the neutralized oil;
- wherein the wash reaction products further comprise a first pure edible oil and the wash reaction products form three distinct layers in the second separator.
3 more elements
A method for purifying an edible oil, comprising:
- simultaneously introducing the edible oil comprising at least one impurity and an aqueous reactant solution into a first end of a first microchannel fiber reactor, the first microchannel fiber reactor having a plurality of fibers disposed therein;
- collecting reaction products from a reaction between the edible oil and the aqueous reactant solution in a first separator positioned proximate a second end of the first microchannel fiber reactor opposite the first end thereof, the reaction products comprising a neutralized oil and an aqueous effluent, the aqueous effluent comprising at least a portion of the at least one impurity;
- separately removing the neutralized oil and the aqueous effluent from the first separator;
- simultaneously introducing the neutralized oil and water into a first end of a second microchannel fiber reactor, the second microchannel fiber reactor having a plurality of fibers disposed therein;
- collecting wash reaction products from a reaction between the neutralized oil and water in a second separator positioned proximate a second end of the second microchannel fiber reactor opposite the first end thereof, the wash reaction products comprising a washed oil and a second aqueous effluent, the second aqueous effluent comprising water and at least one compound from the neutralized oil;
- wherein a weight ratio of free fatty acids in the washed oil to free fatty acids in the edible oil is less than 0.2.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.