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Refining of oils and fats
Author(s) -
Sullivan Frank E.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/bf02541225
Subject(s) - refining (metallurgy) , refinery , process engineering , oil refinery , process (computing) , mixing (physics) , crude oil , environmental science , computer science , pulp and paper industry , waste management , engineering , petroleum engineering , materials science , metallurgy , physics , quantum mechanics , operating system
The technique of continuous refining of oils and fats has steadily improved since the first commercial installation some 30 years ago. Refining is the most important economic factor in the overall processing of an oil from the crude to the finished product. Crude oil handling, reagent selection, mixing, heating, and centrifugal separation are all critical when an attempt is made to obtain the maximum refining efficiency. The agronomist, scientist, control laboratory and operating personnel, along with the equipment manufacturers, have all aided in obtaining more efficient and economical processing methods. In a discussion of the over‐all refining process, soapstock handling must also be considered. In recent years several successful continuous soapstock acidulation plants have been installed. With this addition to a refinery, the refining operation can now truly be considered as a continuous process. Like most industrial processes, this has been an evolution from the batch system to a semicontinuous system up to the present continuous treatment of soapstock and wash water to produce a high‐purity acid oil on an economical basis. Details of the various factors in refining and aeidulation on a commercial basis, along with control methods, are discussed.