Oil Refining

TECHNOILOGY manufactures complete refining lines capable of processing any type of oils and fats. The various sections composing the plant are designed and manufactured according to the most advanced technologies and provide maximum flexibility.
We particularly care about pollution reduction and low energy consumption by using the most innovative technologies and components available on the market.

Degumming and Neutralizing

Crude oils are neutralized either by chemical or physical means.
In the first case the fatty acids are converted into soap with caustic soda whereas in the second case they are steam stripped.

Hot Neutralizing

Process is fully continuous and automated with all in-line controls and continuous measurement of the oil loss in the soapstock.
The plant is designed for utmost versatility, trouble-free operation and for coping with feedstock from the most different sources and with the widest range of acidity.
The plant is composed of the following main sections:

Cold Neutralizing

This plant has been designed mostly to process sunflower and corn oils. It allows to perform Alkali Neutralizing and Winterizing in a single step only. The process is fully automatic and continuous. It guarantees a 0° stability for 24 hours maximum.

Bleaching and Filtering

The design of TECHNOILOGY continuous Bleaching plant is based on state-of-the-art technology to minimize the requirements of energy and bleaching earths, floor area and labor, and to obtain a final color that fully satisfies the market standards. This result is achieved by a continuous and accurate proportioning of the oil and bleaching earths, and a special bleacher design.
Oil / earths mixing can be made through live steam or mechanical agitation to have a better intimate contact between oil and bleaching earths.

The Bleaching plant can be combined with Dry Degumming prior to Physical Refining.

Winterizing

As an alternative to Winterizing combined with Neutralizing, TECHNOILOGY has developed a Winterizing system that allows to process almost any type of oil according to the most suitable cooling curve and under the most favorable conditions of temperature, time and agitation. The latter factors are of primary importance for the formation and nature of crystals and for this reason a filter aid has to be used.

Fully automatic horizontal filters are provided for the removal of the solid phase from the crystallized mass. This process guarantees a stability at 0° for 48 hours maximum.

Deodorizing / Physical Refining

MAIN ADVANTAGES:

– continuous operation or batch operation quick feedstock changeover with no substantial loss of operating time and with no risk of cross contamination;
– very efficient mixing with oil and sparging steam thanks to special mammoth pumps;
– low energy requirement;
– heat recovery up to 80%;
– heating and cooling of oil made under vacuum;
– no pollution problems thanks to a structured packing vapor scrubber which allows to discharge the condensed water practically fat-free.
Due to their characteristics, some oils and fats – such as palm, palm kernel, coconuts oils, tallow, etc. – can be deacidified and deodorized in a single step. In some cases, this can be achieved after a very efficient Degumming with sunflower, soybean, rapeseed, corn oils, etc.
This process has the following advantages vs. Chemical refining:
– combined Neutralizing and Deodorizing thanks to a structured packing section
– direct production of distilled fatty acids instead of soapstock
– higher yield as no neutral oil is lost in the soapstock

Cold Condensing for Vacuum System

For the Deodorizing and Physical Refining unit, TECHNOILOGY has developed a unique system where the use of surface condenser and chilled water dramatically reduce the water and steam consumption and consequently improve the quality and reduce the quantity of the discharged water. Process is very simple and doesn’t need the costly system normally used with ammonia direct expansion.

Chemical Treatment for 3-MCPD and GE removal

TECHNOILOGY developed a special technology capable of drastically reducing 3-MCPD and GE in vegetable oils used for infant formula and food grade products.
Our special chemical reaction is specifically designed to mitigate 3-MCPD in processed oils, mainly palm oil, lauric oils and EIE-CIE product but also soft oils. Starting from a 3-MCPD level of 1 – 6 ppm we can guarantee an output around 0.25 – 0.35 ppm level.
The special chemical reaction step is followed by a washing & drying step. The product is then sent to post bleaching & post deodorizing section to lower the GE level down to 0.1 – 0.2 ppm.