Crude Oil Treatment and Refining

Oil obtained from extraction is known as crude vegetable oil. This Crude vegetable oil is not necessarily suitable for direct consumption because it can contain phospholipids or gums, free fatty acids, pigments, moisture, trace metals and other minor components. Refining removes or reduces undesirable components while producing an oil with the required quality, appearance, flavour, stability and performance.

Degumming

Phospholipids and other gum-forming materials are removed from crude oil by De-gumming. Water or other treatment systems may be used depending on the refining route. The objective is to improve oil quality and prepare it for subsequent refining stages.

Neutralization or Physical Refining

Free fatty acids can be reduced through different refining approaches. In chemical refining, free fatty acids are neutralized, generally using an alkaline treatment, producing a soapstock stream that is subsequently separated. In physical refining, free fatty acids are removed during a high-temperature deodorisation process. The appropriate route depends on the type and quality of crude oil and the plant's process design.

Bleaching

Bleaching is primarily a purification and colour-improvement operation. Adsorbent materials such as bleaching earth can remove pigments and certain other impurities from the oil. The treated oil is then separated from the spent bleaching material through filtration.

Deodorization

Deodorisation is a high-temperature, vacuum-based process that removes volatile compounds responsible for undesirable odours and flavours. It is an important final refining stage for many edible oils.

Winterization or Dewaxing

Waxes can cause haze or cloudiness in oil at lower temperatures. Where required, winterisation or dewaxing removes these components to produce an oil with the desired clarity and cold stability.

Final Filtration and Polishing

Final filtration or polishing of the refined oil is performed before it is transferred to finished-oil storage. At this stage, quality parameters are checked to ensure that the oil meets the required specifications.

Edible Oil Refinery equipment from Plant Technologies International  includes: 

* Complete Refinery Plants

* Neutralization Systems

* Bleaching Systems

* Deodorization Systems

* Oil Filling & Packing Lines

* Storage Tank Farms

* Process Automation