From crude oil to edible oil
Refine edible oils with Flottweg industrial centrifuges
Refined oils are an indispensable ingredient within the food industry. As high-quality oils with optimized durability and heat resistance, they play a key role in various industrial sectors. Centrifuges are an essential part of the industrial process for obtaining edible oil from crude oil. Various treatment methods are used to remove undesirable constituents and to improve the quality of the oils.
Flottweg separators enable efficient production with a high degree of purity in the end product and contribute to sustainable edible oil refining thanks to resource-saving processes.
Our centrifuges for refining edible oils:
How is the edible oil refining process carried out?
The process begins with crude oil, which is the starting product for the extraction of edible oil. This is followed by a multi-stage process aimed at removing unwanted by-products from the crude oil and improving the quality of the end product.
The first step is degumming, a process that removes proteins and phospholipids from crude oil. Degumming can be accomplished by two different methods. In addition to water degumming, this can also be carried out with acid or as a combined process in a single step.
Water degumming process
Hot water is added according to the phosphatide content of the starting material. This causes the hydratable gums to swell. This process makes it easier to isolate these from the rest of the material and remove them using a separator.
The recovered phosphatides can then be reused. They can either be used as animal feed or processed into lecithin, a valuable product. In the food industry, for example, lecithin has a wide range of applications.
Simple acid degumming process
The process of degumming is used in particular in the processing of palm oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and animal fats. This involves adding a small amount of up to 0.4 % phosphoric acid or citric acid to the oil. After a certain reaction time, water is added to the oil. This facilitates the separation of phosphatides, proteins, and other contamination, which can then be removed using a separator.
The degumming process with Flottweg centrifuges leaves the oil optimally pretreated and ready for further processing steps such as deacidification, bleaching, and deodorization.
In the next step, called deacidification (or neutralization), free fatty acids are neutralized, thus preventing the fats from imparting undesirable properties to the oil. This is a reaction with alkaline solutions, the result being the formation of soapstock and water. The reaction takes place at temperatures between 60 and 85 °C and the soapstock formed can be broken down again by applying pressure or acid. After neutralization, the oil is washed with water and dried under vacuum. Removing the free fatty acids significantly improves the quality of the fats.
The next step in the refining process is bleaching . This removes colorants and other low-volatility contaminants from the oil. This is done by heating the oil to 90–120 °C and adding bleaching earth. After a reaction time, the bleaching agent is separated from the oil and the oil contained in the bleaching earth is recovered by extraction. The bleaching process also contributes to cleaning by removing organic compounds.
The final step is steaming or deodorization, a process that removes unwanted odors, flavors, and volatile by-products from the oil. This is done by heating the oil in a vacuum boiler and injecting water vapor. After steaming, the oil is quickly cooled, pumped into a storage tank, and stored under inert gas. This process helps to remove unwanted odor and taste.
Our big players in oil refining
Flottweg decanters & separatorsFlottweg decanters and separators are the key to success in the process of refining edible oils. They follow two basic principles: maximum performance with minimum expenditure. Thanks to the high G-forces, they ensure optimum clarification of the liquid phase and thus enable the maximum extraction of high-quality pure oils.
If you would like to experience the performance of our machines first-hand, subject to availability, you can also test a trial machine.
Your advantages when refining edible oil with Flottweg centrifuges:
Highest throughput
Production costs and raw material prices are rising. To ensure that our customers can continue to offer competitive prices , Flottweg maximizes yields and reduces energy costs in order to obtain first-class edible oils .
Optimized user-friendliness
The Flottweg whey centrifuges are characterized by their intelligent design, which facilitates user-friendly operation utilizing the touch panel. The robust and maintenance-friendly system guarantees maximum machine availability.
Competent support
We support our customers with comprehensive analysis and advice. We also offer pilot tests for the precise design of the machine, commissioning at the customer’s premises as well as process optimization and integration into the overall system.
Service
Flottweg offers you reliable support, for example, through online monitoring. Thanks to our global branches, service, and sales centers, you always have a contact person close at your side.
Do you have questions about refining edible oil with Flottweg centrifuges?
Get in touch with our experts!