System and process for removing toxic chemicals from vegetable oils
By using functionalized adsorbents such as activated carbon, silica gel, zeolite or kaolin to form chemical bonds with toxic chemicals, the problem of removing 3-MCPD and GE in vegetable oils in the prior art is solved, and efficient removal is achieved without affecting oil quality and increasing costs.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202280102099.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-12-02
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-04
AI Technical Summary
The prior art is difficult to effectively remove toxic chemicals 3-monochloroprop-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) and glycidyl esters (GE) formed in vegetable oils, and changing refining conditions or equipment can affect oil quality and increase costs.
Adsorbents functionalized with silane coupling agents, such as activated carbon, silica gel, zeolite or kaolin, are used to form chemical bonds to bind to toxic chemicals, thereby separating and removing 3-MCPD and GE from vegetable oil at high temperatures.
Efficient removal of toxic chemicals at high temperatures, maintaining oil quality, and reducing additional treatment costs and waste generation.
Smart Images
Figure CN120265739A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention generally relates to oil processing, and more particularly, to processes and systems for removing toxic chemicals from vegetable oils. Background Art
[0002] 3 - Monochloropropane - 1,2 - diol (3 - MCPD) and glycidyl esters (GE) are two known nephrotoxic chemicals that are typically formed when vegetable oils are heated at high temperatures, such as in frying using vegetable oils and in oil refining processes. Additionally, there are indications that higher temperatures and longer processing in oil refining processes may lead to increased concentrations of these chemicals in refined oils. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ingestion of 3 - MCPD and GE by rodents can cause irreversible and severe kidney cancer. To date, reducing 3 - MCPD in vegetable oil processing plants mainly requires changes to refining facilities, which not only require changes to equipment operators but also to refining conditions (temperature and pressure) and processing steps, resulting in additional costs.
[0003] Alternative methods have been considered to reduce the formation of these undesirable chemicals, especially in oil refining processes, as it has been reported that changing or modifying the oil deodorization process or system may have an impact on the overall quality of the resulting oil in addition to generating additional waste.
[0004] Therefore, the reduction of these toxic chemicals remains a challenge for oil manufacturers. Summary of the Invention
[0005] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for removing toxic chemicals from refined bleached deodorized oil (RBDPO), comprising: a treatment section including an adsorbent for removing toxic chemicals from RBDPO; a regeneration section for separating the treated RBDPO from the adsorbent so as to regenerate the adsorbent; wherein the adsorbent comprises a material functionalized with a silane coupling agent such that when toxic chemicals from RBDPO contact the adsorbent, a chemical bond is formed between the toxic chemicals and the adsorbent, thereby enabling separation of the toxic chemicals from RBDPO and subsequent removal of the toxic chemicals from RBDPO.
[0006] In one embodiment, the functionalized material is activated carbon, silica gel, zeolite, or kaolin.
[0007] In another embodiment, the toxic chemicals include 3 - Monochloropropane - 1,2 - diol (3 - MCPD) and glycidyl esters (GE).
[0008] In yet another embodiment, the silane coupling agent is (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) or [1-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl]trimethoxysilane (AAPTS).
[0009] In one embodiment, the adsorbent is coated on the screen filter in the treatment section. Generally, the screen filter includes a polydopamine intermediate.
[0010] In one embodiment, the adsorbent is lipophilic.
[0011] In another aspect, the present invention provides a process for removing toxic chemicals from refined bleached deodorized oil (RBDPO) in an oil refining system, comprising: a treatment step including an adsorbent for removing toxic chemicals from RBDPO; a regeneration step for separating the treated RBDPO from the adsorbent so as to regenerate the adsorbent; wherein the adsorbent comprises a material functionalized with a silane coupling agent such that when the toxic chemicals from RBDPO contact the adsorbent, a chemical bond is formed between the toxic chemicals and the adsorbent, thereby enabling the removal of toxic chemicals from RBDPO.
[0012] In one embodiment, the treatment step includes introducing RBDPO into a filtration column including a screen coated with the adsorbent. Typically, the adsorbent comprises activated carbon, silica gel, zeolite, or kaolin functionalized with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) or [1-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl]trimethoxysilane (AAPTS).
[0013] Advantageously, the toxic chemicals include 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) and glycidyl esters (GE).
[0014] Advantageously, the adsorbent is capable of withstanding a high oil processing temperature of up to 250 °C.
[0015] In another embodiment, the regeneration step further includes removing the toxic chemicals from the adsorbent by desorption.
[0016] In another aspect, the present invention provides an adsorbent for removing toxic chemicals from refined bleached deodorized palm oil (RBDPO) produced in an oil refining process, comprising activated carbon, silica gel, zeolite, or kaolin functionalized with a silane coupling agent, wherein a chemical bond is formed when the toxic chemicals contact the adsorbent, thereby enabling the separation of the toxic chemicals from RBDPO and subsequent removal of the toxic chemicals from RBDPO.
[0017] Advantageously, the toxic chemicals include 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) and glycidyl esters (GE). Description of the Drawings
[0018] The present invention will be better understood by reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:
[0019] Figure 1 There is provided a schematic illustration, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, of a toxic chemical adsorbed onto a functionalized screen; and
[0020] Figure 2 There is shown an example of a toxic chemical removal system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description
[0021] In accordance with the above Summary of the Invention, the following description of a number of specific and alternative embodiments is provided to understand the inventive features of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. Some details may not be described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention. For ease of reference, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings when referring to the same or similar features.
[0022] Embodiments of the present invention are described by way of example. As will be recognized, the present invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and several details can be modified in various respects, all without departing from the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that the drawings include a schematic description of how to implement the process according to the preferred embodiment. Necessary pumps, valves, and other standard equipment or components may not be shown as they are known in the art.
[0023] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a process for removing toxic chemicals from vegetable oil in the presence of an adsorbent, the adsorbent being thus modified to be selective for toxic chemicals that are typically produced when heating vegetable oil at high temperature or during an oil refining process, where the refining process typically requires high temperature to convert or transform the oil into a useful product. These toxic chemicals include 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) and glycidyl esters (GE).
[0024] More specifically, the present invention provides a process for removing toxic chemicals from refined bleached deodorized oil (RBDPO), comprising: a treatment step including an adsorbent for removing toxic chemicals from RBDPO; and a regeneration step for separating the treated RBDPO from the adsorbent, thereby regenerating the adsorbent. In this embodiment, the adsorbent comprises a material functionalized with a silane coupling agent such that when a toxic chemical from RBDPO contacts the functionalized adsorbent, a chemical bond is formed between the toxic chemical and the coupling agent, thereby separating the toxic chemical from RBDPO and subsequently enabling the removal of the toxic chemical from RBDPO.
[0025] The adsorbent includes a modified material with responsive surface chemistry that has high selectivity for 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) and glycidyl esters (GE). In one embodiment, the adsorbent includes activated carbon, silica gel, zeolite, or kaolin having a surface functionalized with a silane coupling agent to form an adsorption network, thereby creating a binding surface for toxic chemicals. Examples of silane coupling agents are (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) or [1-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl]trimethoxysilane (AAPTS).
[0026] Once in contact with the RBDPO containing the chemicals, the functionalized surface forms chemical bonds with 3-MCPD and GE, as Figure 1 shown. The chemical bonds thus separate these chemicals from the RBDPO and subsequently remove the chemicals from the RBDPO.
[0027] The present invention also provides a system for removing toxic chemicals from vegetable oil, comprising: an oil refining section for producing refined bleached deodorized oil (RBDPO); a treatment section for removing toxic chemicals from the RBDPO; and a regeneration section for separating the treated RBDPO from the adsorbent, thereby regenerating the adsorbent.
[0028] An example of the treatment section according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 2 . The RBDPO can be contained in a storage tank (30), where an inlet (31) feeds the RBDPO stream into an adsorption tower (32) including a filter screen coated with or provided with a functionalized adsorbent layer. The RBDPO feed stream flows perpendicular to the screen and thus passes through the functionalized screen by gravity. In this process, due to the presence of polar functional groups (i.e., hydroxyl, amino, or carboxyl groups) formed on the surface of the functionalized material of the adsorbent, the toxic chemicals are separated from the RBDPO by physical adsorption or chemical adsorption. As a result, the toxic chemicals are intercepted by the functionalized screen, while the treated RBDPO is directed to a designated collection tank (33). The adsorbent is lipophilic so that the RBDPO can flow through the functionalized screen with minimal resistance. The lipophilic characteristics of the modified or functionalized material and its potential binding action with toxic chemicals thus make the removal of toxic chemicals, which is usually more complex when using conventional oil-removing adsorbents or materials, more convenient.
[0029] The adsorbent-coated screen is thermally stable and thus capable of operating at any high temperature of the oil after the deodorization process, i.e., up to 250 °C in one embodiment. In one embodiment, the adsorbent can be coated on a stainless steel 304 mesh through a polydopamine intermediate, thereby eliminating the secondary process step of removing the adsorbent through post-adsorption treatment in the conventional process.
[0030] In the regeneration stage, the adsorbent is regenerated by desorbing and subsequently removing the chemical substances to produce a regenerated adsorbent.
[0031] On the other hand, the present invention further provides an adsorbent for removing toxic chemical substances from refined, bleached, and deodorized vegetable oil (RBDPO) produced in an oil refining process, comprising activated carbon, silica gel, zeolite, or kaolin functionalized with a silane coupling agent, wherein a chemical bond is formed when the toxic chemical substances contact the functionalized adsorbent, thereby enabling the separation of the toxic chemical substances from the RBDPO and subsequently removing the toxic chemical substances from the RBDPO. The adsorbent can be used in different configurations, such as a packed bed column or prepared in a free suspension form.
[0032] The adsorbent can be easily regenerated in an aqueous solution, and the oil recovery rate can be maximized up to 99%. It is capable of removing the toxic chemical substances 3-MCPD and GE, regardless of their concentration in the RBDPO, thereby minimizing the analysis of the raw materials in the refining, bleaching, and deodorizing process.
[0033] Although the present invention has been described as required according to the preferred embodiments and specific operating ranges and conditions, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described.
Claims
1. A system for removing toxic chemicals from refined bleached deodorized oil (RBDPO), the system comprising: A treatment section including an adsorbent for removing toxic chemicals from RBDPO; A regeneration section for separating the treated RBDPO from the adsorbent so as to regenerate the adsorbent; Wherein the adsorbent comprises a material functionalized with a silane coupling agent such that when a toxic chemical from RBDPO contacts the functionalized adsorbent, a chemical bond is formed between the toxic chemical and the adsorbent, thereby enabling separation of the toxic chemical from RBDPO and subsequent removal of the toxic chemical from RBDPO.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the functionalized material is activated carbon, zeolite, silica gel, or kaolin.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the toxic chemicals include 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) and glycidyl ester (GE).
4. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the silane coupling agent is (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) or [1-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl]trimethoxysilane (AAPTS).
5. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the adsorbent is coated on a screen filter in the treatment section.
6. The system according to claim 5, wherein, The screen filter includes a polydopamine intermediate.
7. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the adsorbent is lipophilic.
8. A process for removing toxic chemicals from refined bleached deodorized oil (RBDPO), comprising: A treatment step including an adsorbent for removing toxic chemicals from RBDPO; A regeneration step for separating the treated RBDPO from the adsorbent so as to regenerate the adsorbent; Wherein the adsorbent comprises a material functionalized with a silane coupling agent such that when a toxic chemical from RBDPO contacts the adsorbent, a chemical bond is formed between the toxic chemical and the adsorbent, thereby enabling removal of the toxic chemical from RBDPO.
9. The process according to claim 8, wherein the treatment step includes introducing RBDPO into a filtration column including a screen coated with an adsorbent.
10. The process according to claim 8, wherein the adsorbent material is activated carbon, kaolin, zeolite, or silica gel functionalized with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) or [1-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl]trimethoxysilane (AAPTS).
11. The process according to claim 8, wherein the toxic chemicals include 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) and glycidyl ester (GE).
12. The process according to claim 8, wherein the regeneration step further includes removing the toxic chemicals from the adsorbent by desorption.
13. The process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the adsorbent is capable of withstanding a high oil processing temperature of up to 250 °C.
14. An adsorbent for removing toxic chemicals from refined, bleached, and deodorized palm oil (RBDPO), which comprises activated carbon, silica gel, zeolite, or kaolin functionalized with a silane coupling agent, wherein when the toxic chemicals contact the adsorbent, chemical bonds are formed, enabling the separation of the toxic chemicals from the RBDPO and subsequent removal of the toxic chemicals from the RBDPO.
15. The adsorbent according to claim 14, wherein the adsorbent comprises activated carbon, silica gel, zeolite, or kaolin.
16. The adsorbent according to claim 14, wherein the toxic chemicals comprise 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) and glycidyl ester (GE).
17. The adsorbent according to claim 14, wherein an adsorption network is formed between the silane coupling agent and the activated carbon, silica gel, zeolite, or kaolin of the adsorbent, thereby creating a surface for chemical bonding between the toxic chemicals and the adsorbent.