Method for separating components in natural oil
AssigneeEngineering & Research Associates, Inc.
InventorYongsheng Song
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Different components of natural oils are separated by forming solid complexes of components of the natural oil with a solvent, and then separating the solid complexes from the remaining liquids. The natural oil is cooled in the presence of a solvent, and at least one component of the oil forms the solid complex with the solvent. This solid complex is separated from the remaining liquid portion of the oil solution, which also contains the solvent. Additional options concentration steps can further concentrate the components left in the liquid phase.
Claims31
A method of concentrating minor components present in crude natural oil comprising:
- (a) combining the crude natural oil and a solvent and cooling the resulting mixture to below 0 degrees Centigrade at a first cooling rate of greater than 1 degree Centigrade per minute and a second cooling rate of less than 1 degree Centigrade per minute to form a primarily amorphous solid complex of the oil and solvent in a liquid oil solution;
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- (b) separating the solid complex from the liquid oil solution to form a concentrated minor component oil separate from the solid complex;
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- (c) performing a chemical extraction on the concentrated minor component oil, wherein said chemical extraction is selected from the group consisting of a saponification or an esterification reaction;
- wherein the concentrated minor component oil comprises at least (i) 22% tocols, (ii) 8% phytosterol, (iii) 7% b-carotene, (iv) 3% lutein, (v) 15% squalene, (vi) 0.5% co-enzyme Q10 and less than 50% free fatty acids by weight after a final drying step.
A method for separating different components from a crude natural oil comprising:
- (a) cooling crude natural oil in a solvent to at least −20 degrees Celsius at a rate of greater than 1 degree Centigrade per minute to form a primarily amorphous solid complex of the oil and solvent in a liquid oil solution, where the oil solution comprises the natural oil and the solvent;
- (b) separating the solid complex from the liquid oil solution;
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- (c) collecting the solid complex;
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- (d) performing a chemical extraction on the liquid oil solution, wherein said chemical extraction is selected from the group consisting of a saponification or an esterification reaction;
- wherein the liquid oil solution comprises at least (i) 7% b-carotene, (ii) 3% lutein, (iii) 15% squalene, (iv) 0.5% co-enzyme Q 10 and less than 50% free fatty acids by weight after a final drying step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.