Vegetable Oil Refining

Vegetable Oil Refining

Vegetable oil refining means removal of gums, waxes, phosphatides and free fatty acid (F. F.A.) from the oil; to impart uniform colour by removal of colouring pigments and to get rid of unpleasant smell from the oil by removal of odiferous matter. The oils which is thus treated for removal of gums, free fatty acids, colouring matter and odour is refined oil.

Vegetable oil and fat resources are indispensable to mankind as a source of nutrient and industrial raw materials. Crude vegetable oil obtained from various oil milling plants is further refined before use for edible purposes.

Vegetable oil can be used as feedstock for oil refining. There it can be transformed into fuel by hydrocracking (which breaks big molecules into smaller ones using hydrogen) or hydrogenation (which adds hydrogen to molecules).

Vegetable Oil Refining Method

Generally speaking, Physical Refining & Chemical Refining are the two popular vegetable oil refining method in oil refining field. Physical refining means removing gum in oil during process of degumming in special method and removing FFA in process of deodorizing by steam. Chemical refining, however, means removing FFA in a chemical way ( Acid-base neutralization). Gum and soap foot produced is separated by centrifuges.

Vegetable Oil Refining - Chemical Refining

The chemical refining is a means of removing FFA in a chemical way (acid-base neutralization). Gum and soapstock is separated out by centrifuges.

Features of Chemical Refining 

• Fine adaptability and less requirements to crude the oil quality.
• Consistent oil product is guaranteed.
• Compared with the physical refining,less clay is added.