Double screw press for palm oils and similar products and processing.

Abstract

The present disclosure describes embodiments of a twin-screw press for extracting vegetable oils, and a process for extracting vegetable oils and / or seeds. Particularly, the twin-screw press provides a reduction in machine cost and maintenance due to low operating torque requirements and allows an improved operation with the oil extraction being greater than the oil loss. This is a consequence of allowing lower processing temperatures and pressures due to the geometry of the screw and the gap that it has with the draining element of the press cage. This also permits reducing the possibility of material jamming or co-rotation of the cake in the press.

Description

1 / 31 Double screw press for palm oils and similar products and processing. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[001] This disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for extracting oil. In particular, it relates to screw presses for extracting vegetable oils and, more specifically, twin-screw presses. DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF THE ART

[002] US patent 6,550,376 discloses a screw press with double screws having discontinuities or interruptions in the helical thread of the screws. Furthermore, this document discloses stationary resistive teeth projecting from these interruptions into the flow of material being pressed. The two parallel and counter-rotating screw shafts are mounted horizontally within said frame, wherein said screw shafts are mounted side-by-side, parallel to the bottom of said frame, one said screw shaft having a left-hand pitch helical thread and the other said screw shaft having a right-hand pitch helical thread, said helical threads overlapping each other.This document also mentions an outlet opening for discharging solids from said screw press at said downstream end of the frame, and a filtering element for filtering the liquid from said material, wherein said filtering element encompasses a portion of the length of said screw shafts.

[003] Document CN216635517 discloses a double-screw palm oil press, comprising a housing provided with an oil extraction cavity, which is rotatably and symmetrically connected to two screws. Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, p. 7 / 44 2 / 31 The screws are coupled together, and the aforementioned box is provided with a cavity fixedly connected to a motor. The document also mentions that a lower side of the box is fixedly connected to a discharge tube, and that the discharge tube is connected to the oil extraction cavity. The lower side of the discharge tube is provided with a connecting tube, the upper side of the connecting tube is provided with a connecting groove, and the discharge tube is disposed through the connecting groove. The document mentions that this palm oil press improves the temperature inside the oil extraction cavity and can, at the same time, complete the oil extraction operation more efficiently. Furthermore, it mentions that it can perform simple filtering of the discharged material and execute a simplified operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[004] This disclosure describes embodiments of a twin-screw press for extracting vegetable oils. The twin-screw press comprises a press cage having a feed section located in a proximal zone of the press cage; a cake discharge section located in a distal zone of the press cage; and a medial section located between the feed section and the cake discharge section. Furthermore, the press cage has a drainage element located in the medial section, configured to retain a cake composed of vegetable solids and drain the vegetable oil. The twin-screw press also comprises a first screw and a second screw disposed within the press cage. Each screw includes a shaft disposed within the press cage and a helical thread disposed on the shaft. Each screw also has a distal end and a proximal end mounted in bearing housings. Moreover, the end Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 8 / 44 3 / 31 proximal and / or the distal end of each screw can be configured to be connected to a power transmission unit, with the screws interconnected. The twin-screw press may also comprise a discharge restriction device connected to the cake discharge section and configured to control the cake flow. The twin-screw press is configured to process fruits and vegetable seeds and extract liquids and oils from them. Examples of fruits and vegetable seeds include oil palm fruit, sunflower seeds, olive fruit, fruits of plants of the genus Elaeis Guineensis, Elaeis Guineensis x Elaeis Oleifera, of the genus Elaeis, as well as any other suitable fruit or seed known to a person skilled in the art, and combinations thereof.

[005] Furthermore, the twin-screw press provides a reduction in machine cost and maintenance due to low operating torque requirements and allows for improved operation, with oil extraction being greater than oil loss. This is a consequence of allowing lower processing temperatures and pressures due to the screw geometry and the space between it and the press cage drainage element. This also reduces the possibility of material jamming or cake corrotation within the press.

[006] Additionally, this disclosure describes embodiments of a process for extracting vegetable oils with a twin-screw press according to any of the embodiments described herein. The process comprises a step of feeding vegetable fruits into a feeding section of a press cage of the twin-screw press, and a step of obtaining a cake and an oil from processing the vegetable fruits along a medial section of the press cage, applying a compressive force shared with a first screw and a Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, p. 9 / 44 4 / 31 second screw that are arranged inside the press cage. The process also comprises an oil extraction step through a drainage element of the press cage; and a cake extraction step through a cake discharge section located in a distal zone of the press cage, the cake possibly comprising nuts and vegetable fruit pulp. The press can be operated in a wide temperature range, such as, but not limited to, between ambient temperature and 59 °C; between ambient temperature and 60 °C; between ambient temperature and 100 °C; between 60 °C and 100 °C; or in a combination of temperatures that allows the press to soften and extract the oil easily.

[007] In the context of this disclosure, ambient temperature should refer to a temperature range between 0 °C and 30 °C. However, it is worth noting that ambient temperature may vary depending on geographical and climatic conditions.

[008] Any of the twin-screw press configurations described here, and the process employing them, allows for a reduction in the power required, a decrease in the rate of palm nut breakage during the pressing phase, and consequently, a significant reduction in the presence of lauric acid in palm oil production. Furthermore, the twin-screw press allows for a reduction or even elimination of the use of added fluids, which must subsequently be removed from the produced oil, as well as a reduction in the oil content in the press cake fiber (i.e., oil loss). Moreover, the twin-screw press configurations described here offer an advantage in the palm oil extraction process, since the screws with shafts, arranged in an interpenetrating arrangement, allow for the removal of fibers from the palm fruit nuts by friction, preventing the nut from breaking. Thus, the twin-screw press benefits a process of Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 10 / 44 5 / 31 Palm kernel oil (PKO) extraction, which uses whole oil palm nuts as raw material.

[009] The process allows the extraction of vegetable oils from fruits and seeds of vegetables. Examples of fruits and seeds of vegetables include palm fruit, sunflower seeds, olive fruit, fruits of plants of the genus Elaeis Guineensis, Elaeis Guineensis x Elaeis Oleifera Elaeis, any other suitable fruit or seed known to a person skilled in the art, and combinations thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[010] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an embodiment of the twin screw press (1) described herein, showing a cutaway section showing a screw and details of a press cage. This figure also includes a detailed top view of the twin screws, showing details of their helical threads.

[011] FIG. 2 shows a top view of an embodiment of the double screw press described herein, and a detail of the double screws. This figure also includes a detailed view of the screws.

[012] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of a medial section of a press cage of an embodiment of the double screw press described herein. The press cage has resistive teeth (32) configured to fit into the spaces (24) between helical thread sections of each screw. This figure also includes a detailed view of the resistive teeth (32).

[013] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the medial section of the press cage shown in FIG. 3, and detailed views of the drainage element (15).

[014] FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of the distal section of the press cage shown in FIG. 3, and detailed views of an embodiment of a restraint device. Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 11 / 44 6 / 31 discharge (7) located in a cake discharge section of the press cage.

[015] FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of an embodiment of the twin screw press, including a detailed view of an adjustment element (9) located in the press cage.

[016] FIG. 7 shows a top view of an embodiment of the twin screw press with a twin output shaft gearbox. This figure also includes a detailed view of the screws (2, 3). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[017] This disclosure describes embodiments of a twin screw press (1) for extracting vegetable oils and liquids from fruits and / or seeds of vegetables.

[018] The term “vegetable oils,” as used in this document, encompasses a wide variety of lipid-based substances derived from botanical sources. This includes, but is not limited to, oils extracted from any part of a plant, such as leaves, stems, roots, flowers, as well as fruits and seeds. Furthermore, the term “vegetable oil” should be interpreted as including not only conventional cold-pressed and hot-pressed oils, but also refined, unrefined oils, essential oils, absolutes, oleoresins, and phytosterols extracted by means of a twin-screw press (1). Additionally, the term extends to encompass bio-oils or bio-liquids derived from algal, fungal, or microbial sources, reflecting the breadth of vegetative sources.The extraction methods considered under this term may involve mechanical pressing, solvent extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, enzymatic methods, or any other technique that produces an oil or oil-like substance from plant material. Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 12 / 44 7 / 31

[019] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the twin screw press (1) comprises a press cage (10) having a feed section (11) located in a proximal zone (12) of the press cage (10); a cake discharge section (13) located in a distal zone of the press cage (10); and a medial section (14) located between the feed section (11) and the cake discharge section (13).

[020] The press cage (10) may also comprise sieves and drainage elements positioned within the feed section (11) and along the medial section (14). In addition, with reference to FIG. 4, the press cage (10) has a drainage element (15) located in the medial section (14), configured to retain a cake composed of vegetable solids and drain the vegetable oil. The twin screw press (1) further comprises a first screw (2) and a second screw (3) (not shown) disposed within the press cage (10) (shown in Figures 1 or 2).

[021] With reference to the embodiment of FIG. 1, each screw (2, 3) includes a shaft (21) disposed within the press cage (10) and a helical thread (22) disposed on the shaft (21); a distal end (4) mounted in a bearing housing (16). In addition, each screw (2, 3) has a proximal end (5) configured to be connected to a motor (27), to which the screws (2, 3) are connected. Optionally, the distal end (4) of the screws (2, 3) is also configured to be connected to a power transmission unit (6).

[022] The twin screw press (1) may further comprise a discharge restriction device (7) connected to the cake discharge section (13) and configured to control the cake flow. Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 13 / 44 8 / 31

[023] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the screws (2, 3) can be connected to a feed portion (26) which can be a double output shaft gearbox, providing multiple variations in the mechanical configuration of the screws (2, 3). It should be noted that, in the single output shaft gearbox or double output shaft gearbox configuration, it can optionally be connected to a motor (27).

[024] Any of the embodiments described herein of the twin screw press (1), as well as the processes that use it, allow a substantial reduction in operating power requirements, minimization of palm kernel breakage during processing and significantly higher oil extraction rates compared with single screw presses.

[025] Additionally, for palm oil extraction, the twin-screw press (1) described herein reduces the rate of breakage of oil palm nuts during the pressing phase. This, consequently, eliminates the presence of lauric acid in the production of palm oils. These advantages are recognized by the fact that the screws (2, 3) are interconnected in an interpenetrating arrangement and have, in one embodiment, a transmission unit with a single output shaft gearbox, or a double output shaft gearbox. Furthermore, the helical screw (22) is configured to maintain a space relative to the drainage element (15), preventing damage to the nuts of vegetable fruits, such as oil palm fruits. The helical screw (22) constitutes the helical surface, in the shape of a corkscrew, that surrounds the shaft (21) of a screw (2, 3), similarly to the threads of a rod.

[026] In some embodiments of the twin screw press (1) described herein, the shaft (21) may have a cross-section Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 14 / 44 9 / 31 constant transverse. In other embodiments, the shaft (21) may have a conical shape. Preferably, the conical shaft (21) has a larger cross-section near the cake discharge section (13) of the press cage (10).

[027] Furthermore, the twin screw press (1) enables a significant reduction or even elimination of the use of added fluids, which must subsequently be removed from the produced oil, as well as a reduction in the oil content in the press cake fiber (i.e., oil loss). In addition, the embodiments described here of the twin screw press (1), and the corresponding single output shaft gearbox or double output shaft gearbox, provide an advantage in the case of the palm oil extraction process, since the screws (2, 3), with shafts (21) and arranged in an interpenetrating arrangement, allow the removal of fibers from the oil palm nuts by friction, preventing the nuts from breaking and preserving the quality of the palm kernel oil (PKO).

[028] Furthermore, the twin screw press (1) provides a reduction in machine cost and maintenance due to low operating torque requirements and allows improved operation, with oil extraction with less oil loss. This is a consequence of allowing lower processing temperatures and pressures due to the geometry of the screws (2, 3) and the space with the drain element (15) of the press cage (10). This also reduces the possibility of material jamming or co-rotation with the screws.

[029] With reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 7, the press cage (10) includes a feeding section (11), a cake discharge section (13) and a medial section (14) located between the feeding section (11) and the cake discharge section (13). A bulk flow of fruits and / or vegetable seeds is received in the feeding section (11). Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 15 / 44 10 / 31 to be processed in the twin screw press (1). The feeding section (11) may comprise a hopper which includes an oil drainage sieve at its base (not shown) and provides a pre-drained bulk flow of fruits and / or vegetable seeds. The press cage (10) may further comprise a housing (34) connected to the structure (37) or frame of the twin screw press (1) and arranged around the drainage element (15). The housing (34) holds the extracted oil and liquids within the press cage (10). The housing (34) may further comprise a liquid collection section (35) configured to receive the oil and / or liquids extracted from the fruits and / or vegetable seeds. The liquid collection section (35) is connected to a lower edge of the housing (34). In addition, the liquid collection section (35) may comprise a liquid discharge outlet configured to be connected to a fluid pipe.The liquid discharge outlet preferably includes a pipe connection (36) configured to connect the liquid collection section (35) to a fluid pipe.

[030] With reference to FIG. 2, regarding the first screw (2) and the second screw (3), each screw (2, 3) has a feed portion (26), located in the feed section (11) of the press cage (10). The feed portion (26) of each screw (2, 3) may have a constant pitch in the helical thread (22) and may also have a constant shaft diameter (21). In this embodiment, the conical shape of the shaft (21) may extend from a medial portion towards a distal portion of the screws (2, 3). This allows for a uniform distribution of the fruits and / or vegetable seeds and the gradual application of the pressure necessary to crush the pulp from the cake and squeeze out the oil and / or liquids, without overheating the fruits and / or vegetable seeds. Furthermore, in the case of oil palm fruits, this prevents the nuts from breaking. Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 16 / 44 11 / 31

[031] With reference to FIGS. 4 and 6, the drainage element (15) of the press cage (10) is configured to retain insoluble solids and cake and drain the vegetable oil. To facilitate this function, the press cage (10) may comprise additional sieves and drainage elements positioned along the main drainage element (15). The drainage element (15) may have a tubular shape, extending parallel to the screws (2, 3). The drainage element (15) may include a wedge wire screen or perforated screens that configure a filtering sieve. In different embodiments, the drainage element (15) includes a slotted screen made from a wedge wire screen, a perforated screen, a wire mesh or a combination thereof. In addition, the drainage element (15) may include mesh layers that form an additional filtering sieve mounted below and between the screws (2, 3).

[032] With reference to FIG. 1, the screws (2, 3) have a distal end (4) mounted in a bearing housing (16) and a proximal end (5) connected to a power transmission unit (6). The power transmission unit (6) may be a single output shaft gearbox, or the gearbox may be a double output shaft gearbox, or it may even comprise gearboxes with multiple shafts to meet a variety of mechanical configurations and power distribution requirements.

[033] The said gearbox, or gearboxes, are operationally coupled to one or more motors (27). This connection facilitates the conversion of electrical energy into mechanical motion, driving the gearbox(s) and subsequently transmitting power to the shafts (21) of the screws (2, 3) by means of a coupling element (29). Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 17 / 44 12 / 31

[034] It should be noted that a coupling element (29) may be selected based on operational requirements and desired mechanical characteristics, such as the need for torque transmission, alignment accuracy, angular or axial flexibility, maintenance requirements, among others. The coupling element (29) includes, but is not limited to, rigid couplings, split sleeve couplings, flange or plate couplings, movable couplings, splined sleeves, flexible joints, universal joints, constant velocity joints or equivalent couplings known to a person skilled in the art.

[035] The power transmission unit (6) may comprise gears, pulleys, belts, toothed belts, chains, pinions, shafts, drive shafts, spindles, similar elements and equivalent transmission elements known to a person skilled in the art, as well as combinations thereof. In some embodiments of the apparatus, the motor (27) and the power transmission unit (6) form a geared motor reducer.

[036] The power transmission unit (6) may be selected from worm gear reducers, gear reducers, cycloidal reducers, planetary reducers, similar elements and equivalent transmission devices known to a person skilled in the art, as well as combinations thereof.

[037] The motor (27) may be an electric motor selected from alternating current motors (for example, three-phase synchronous motors, synchronous asynchronous motors, permanent magnet rotor motors, single-phase motors, two-phase motors, wound-start motors, capacitor-start motors), direct current motors (for example, series-sparked motors, parallel-sparked motors, compound-sparked motors), Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 18 / 44 13 / 31 stepper motors (for example, with encoder, with motor brake, with heat sinks, with inertial heat sinks, with one, two or three stage planetary gearboxes), stepper motors of classes NEMA 8, NEMA 11, NEMA 17, NEMA 23 or NEMA 34, equivalent electric motors known to a person skilled in the art, as well as combinations thereof.

[038] Alternatively, the electric motor can be replaced by a hydraulic motor, an internal combustion engine or a steam turbine.

[039] Preferably, the distal bearing housing (16) includes thrust bearings. In addition, the proximal end (5) may also be mounted in a bearing housing (16) including roller bearings. These bearings allow for simpler assembly and maintenance of the twin screw press (1). Preferably, the bearing housings (16) are connected to a frame (37) or housing of the twin screw press (1). Furthermore, when the discharge restriction device (7) includes linear actuators (20), said linear actuators (20) allow for a more secure coupling and better operating conditions of the roller and thrust bearings. In addition, roller and thrust bearings provide better alignment and less vibration compared to other types of bearings, which allows connecting the screws (2, 3) to the power transmission unit (6) by means of rigid couplings.

[040] With reference to FIG. 5, the twin screw press (1) includes a discharge restriction device (7) connected to the cake discharge section (13) and configured to control the cake flow. The discharge restriction device (7) may include a pair of conical plungers (18), each conical plunger (18) having a conical face (17) to accommodate the shafts (21). Each conical plunger (18) may have Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 19 / 44 14 / 31 a hollow central section (38) configured to receive the conical shafts (21). In this case, the cake discharge section (13) may comprise an axial outlet with semicircular sections configured to form a space with the screws (2, 3). Furthermore, the aforementioned axial outlet space is configured to allow the conical face (17) of each conical piston (18) to penetrate the press cage (10). The pressure applied by the conical pistons (18) to the cake depends on the space formed between the conical face (17) and the axial outlet of the cake discharge section (13). The discharge restriction device (7) allows the pressure necessary to squeeze the oil from the cake to develop within the press cage (10), and to reduce the oil loss that would be retained in the cake if said cake were not subjected to sufficient pressure.

[041] In any of the embodiments described herein of the twin screw press (1), the discharge restriction device (7) may further comprise at least one linear actuator (20) having at least one rod (19), the pair of conical pistons (18) being connected to said at least one rod (19), and having the conical face (17) configured to be inserted into an outlet of the cake discharge section (13), wherein the conical piston (18) applies a resistance force to the cake exiting through the outlet of the cake discharge section (13).

[042] In these modes, the linear actuator (20) allows regulating the space formed between the conical faces (17) of the conical pistons (18) and the axial outlet of the cake discharge section (13).

[043] Furthermore, with reference to FIG. 5, the discharge restriction device (7) may comprise a plurality of linear actuators (20) connected to a movable plate (33). The movable plate (33) is parallel to a rear portion of the conical pistons (18) and orthogonal to the axes of symmetry of the screws (2, 3). The movable plate (33) and the rods Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 20 / 44 15 / 31 (19) of the linear actuators (20) may be connected by supports with oval holes. Said supports with oval holes provide a tolerance configured to prevent jamming of the linear actuators (20) and the conical pistons (18).

[044] In addition, a fixed plate (39) may be configured to receive the bearing housings (16) in which the screws (2, 3) are mounted. Preferably, the fixed plate (39) is removablely connected to a frame (37) of the twin screw press (1). This facilitates assembly and maintenance activities (e.g., maintenance of the conical pistons (18), cleaning, lubrication) compared to the case where the fixed plate (39) is rigidly fixed to the frame (37) (e.g., by replaceable fixed holes or threaded shafts for fixed adjustment of the cake discharge) of the twin screw press (1).

[045] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, in some embodiments of the twin screw press (1), the tapered shafts (21) of each screw (2, 3) allow a gradual increase in the diameter of the shaft (21) towards the cake discharge section (13). This shape allows the application of gradual pressure to the cake, ensuring adequate extraction of oil and / or liquids extracted from fruits and / or vegetable seeds and avoiding oil loss generated when the cake leaves the press cage (10) with retained oil. In addition, each screw (2, 3) may have a pitch (23) that decreases towards the discharge section (13) of the press cage (10). Decreasing the pitch (23) of the helical screw (22) of the screws (2, 3) allows increasing the pressure applied to the cake at the cake discharge section (13) and obtaining even better oil extraction rates.

[046] The helical thread (22) of the screws will be different, with left-hand oriented helical thread on one screw and right-hand oriented helical thread on the other. Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, p. 21 / 44 16 / 31 These can be arranged in a counter-rotating and interconnected arrangement.

[047] Furthermore, each screw (2, 3) may have, in the distal portion closest to the cake discharge section (13), a helical thread (22) with a left-hand oriented helical thread section (30) and a right-hand oriented helical thread section (31). The said left-hand oriented helical thread section (30) and the right-hand oriented helical thread section (31) of the helical thread (22) allow increasing the residence time of the fruits and / or vegetable seeds and the cake formed by them within the press cage (10). In addition, if the fruits and / or vegetable seeds include nuts, such as oil palm fruits, the left-hand oriented helical thread section (30) and the right-hand oriented helical thread section (31) apply mechanical stresses that allow removing the pulp from the nuts without breaking them.Additionally, this geometry of the helical screw (22) reduces, or even eliminates, the need to use solvents and liquids, such as water or oil pressing liquor, to soften the cake and ensure oil extraction, as would be necessary in single screw presses or in twin screw presses with continuous helical screw (22). Furthermore, the combination of the left-hand oriented helical screw section (30) with the right-hand oriented helical screw section (31) prevents the cake from cutting with the screws (2, 3).

[048] A weakness of the single-screw press is that, due to the absence of positive displacement, excessive slippage can occur in the press. Thus, difficult (viscous) materials, such as fruits and vegetables and the cake formed from them, may tend to co-rotate with the screw, resulting in a loss of both productivity and dehydration capacity. The amount of compression that can be applied to a Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 22 / 44 17 / 31 material is limited by its tendency to slip, even in interrupted screw machines.

[049] The outer diameters of the screws overlap in the medial section (14) in a gear arrangement that creates a degree of positive displacement. The amount of overlap varies in press designs. The amount of overlap is critical because it affects the sliding and productivity (and consequently the oil yield) of the press.

[050] Furthermore, having screws (2, 3) with a left-hand oriented helical thread section (30) and a right-hand oriented helical thread section (31), with the screws (2, 3) coupled in a counter-rotating and geared arrangement, prevents the consistency of the cake from increasing to a point that could jam the double screw press (1). This would be a problem as it could apply excessive load on the screws (2, 3) and increase the power and torque required for operation. Failures in the screws (2, 3) and the power transmission unit (6) can occur when this happens. Thus, having two overlapping screws (2, 3) achieves a degree of positive displacement, resulting in intense pressing and a large reduction in slippage. This improves the dehydration of viscous materials such as fruit and / or vegetable seed cake. On the other hand, there is sufficient flexibility in the interrupted configuration so that jamming is minimized.

[051] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, in some embodiments of the double screw press (1), the helical thread (22) of each screw (2, 3) may be discontinuous and form spaces (24) between the helical thread sections (25). Furthermore, the press cage (10) may also comprise a resisting element (8) including a plurality of resisting teeth (32) configured to fit into the spaces (24) of the helical thread (22) of each screw (2, 3). Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 23 / 44 18 / 31 The spaces (24) and resisting teeth (32) agitate the material being pressed, which has the effect of reducing corrotation and placing fresh, moist material against the drainage element (15) of the press cage (10), so that dewatering is achieved with the low L / D ratios typical of interrupted screw presses. L / D is defined as the sieve length divided by the screw diameter.

[052] With reference to FIG. 3, the stationary resisting teeth (32) are fixed to a frame of the twin screw press (1), so that they project through the drainage element (15) at the locations where the helical thread (22) of the screws (2, 3) is interrupted. The resisting teeth (32) are in the material flow passing through the twin screw press (1). Furthermore, the resisting teeth (32) can vary in length from very short to almost reaching the axis (21) of the screws (2, 3). The screws (2, 3) cause agitation which both reduces the tendency for co-rotation (slippage) and places wet material against the drainage element (15).

[053] With reference to FIGS. 4 and 6, in any of the embodiments of the twin screw press (1), the press cage (10) may also comprise a plurality of adjustment elements (9) configured to define a clearance distance between the helical thread (22) of the screws (2, 3) and the drainage element (15). The adjustment elements (9) may also be replaced if they show wear. This allows adjusting the clearance between screw and screen (distance between the helical thread (22) and the drainage element (15)) for ideal extraction of oil and / or liquids and longer service life of the drainage element (15). Preferably, the adjustment elements (9) are a plurality of longitudinal shims arranged along the drainage element (15). Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 24 / 44 19 / 31

[054] In any of the embodiments of the twin screw press (1), the press cage (10) may also comprise a plurality of spray collectors designed to spray cleaning fluid onto the outside of the drain element (15). The spray collectors prevent clogging of the drain element (15).

[055] Additionally, this disclosure describes embodiments of a process for extracting vegetable oils with a twin-screw press (1) according to any of the embodiments described herein. The process includes: - feeding fruits and / or vegetable seeds into a feeding section (11) of a press cage (10) of the twin screw press (1); - obtain a cake and / or liquid by processing the vegetable fruits along a medial section (14) of the press cage (10), applying a compressive force shared with a first screw (2) and a second screw (3) arranged inside the press cage (10).

[056] The process also includes a step of: - extract the oil and / or liquid through a drainage element (15) from the press cage (10); and - extract the cake through a cake discharge section (13) located in a distal zone of the press cage (10), wherein the cake comprises nuts and fruit pulp and / or vegetable seeds.

[057] According to the provisions of this disclosure, the operating temperature ranges from ambient temperature to 100 °C. This range includes, but is not limited to, between ambient temperature and 59 °C; between ambient temperature and 60 °C; between ambient temperature and 100 °C; between 60 °C and 100 °C; and any other combination. Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, p. 25 / 44 20 / 31 that optimizes extraction efficiency for fruit materials that exhibit different viscosities and oil contents.

[058] In the fruit and / or vegetable seed feeding step in a feeding section (11), the twin screw press (1) receives pre-processed fruits and / or seeds. Examples of fruits and vegetable seeds include oil palm fruit, sunflower seeds, olive fruit, fruits of plants of the genus Elaeis Guineensis, Elaeis Guineensis x Elaeis Oleifera Elaeis, and any other suitable fruit or seed known to a person skilled in the art, and combinations thereof.

[059] For example, in the case of oil palm fruit, before performing the feeding step of the method described here, the fresh oil palm fruit bunches are first sterilized, for example, in an autoclave. Subsequently, the already sterilized fresh oil palm fruit bunches (FFB) undergo a debranching step to obtain the cream and the oil palm fruits. This step is generally carried out by mechanical means, for example, using any suitable machine or device configured to separate the oil palm fruits from the pulp.

[060] Optionally, the palm fruits are processed by an apparatus configured to apply a thermomechanical treatment, usually a digester, with heating rates and operating pressures, and agitation and beating conditions that allow for maceration of the palm fruit. Furthermore, this step makes it possible to prepare the palm fruits for a pressing step. For example, a digester can pre-process the palm fruits at a temperature between 60 °C and 100 °C, and between ambient temperature and 100 °C. This range includes, but is not limited to, between ambient temperature and 59 °C; between the temperature Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 26 / 44 21 / 31 ambient and 60 °C; between ambient temperature and 100 °C; or between 60 °C and 100 °C. For cold pressing, a preheating process would be necessary.

[061] Feeding the twin screw press (1) with vegetable fruits may comprise the use of hoppers configured to maintain a constant flow of fruits and / or vegetable seeds to the feeding section (11). In addition, the feeding step may also comprise the use of conveyor mechanisms that control the mass flow of vegetable fruits fed to the feeding section (11) of the press cage (10).

[062] Simultaneously, the speed (RPM) of the screws can be varied to obtain the maximum residence time of the material in the drainage element (15). Double screw presses with overlapping threads respond in a highly sensitive manner to variations in screw speed, making them preferable to other presses.

[063] The step of obtaining a cake and an oil from processing the fruits and / or vegetable seeds along a medial section (14) of the press cage (10), applying a compressive force shared with a first screw (2) and a second screw (3) arranged inside the press cage (10) allows the fruit to be dehydrated and oil and liquids to be released. This step is performed simultaneously with the step of extracting the oil through a draining element (15) of the press cage (10).

[064] The drainage element (15) retains the solids and nuts (in the case of the oil palm fruit and similar fruits). Preferably, the double screw press (1) is provided with adjustment elements (9) that control the space between the drainage element (15), in particular, the filtering sieve, sheet or wire wedge that is closest to the helical screw (2, 3) of the screws (22). Thus, the step of obtaining the cake and the oil and / or liquids, as well as the Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 27 / 44 22 / 31 oil and / or liquid extraction step, can increase the oil extraction rate by adjusting the space between the adjustment elements (9) and the drainage element (15).

[065] In the case of processing palm fruits, the oil that passes through the drainage element (15) is also called crude palm oil or pressing liquor.

[066] Press liquor comprises a plurality of fats, oils, moisture and soluble solids and traces of insoluble solids. In particular, press liquor includes moisture, free fatty acids (FFA), chlorophyll and beta-carotene. The quality of the pressing liquor will depend on the concentration of certain fatty acids, such as caprylic or octanoic acid (C-8:0), capric or decanoic acid (C-10:0), lauric or dodecanoic acid (C-12:0), myristic or tetradecanoic acid (C-14:0), palmitic or hexadecanoic acid (C-16:0), palmitoleic or hexadec-9-enoic acid (C-16:1), stearic or octadecanoic acid (C-18:0), oleic or cis-9-octadecenoic acid (C-18:1), linoleic or cis, cis-9,12-octadecadienoic acid (C-18:2), linolenic or octadecatrienoic acid (C-18:3) and arachidic or eicosanoic acid (C-20:0).

[067] Oil palm nuts contain a specific crude oil, also known as palm kernel oil (PKO), which has high concentrations of lauric (C-12:0), myristic (C-14:0), and palmitic (C-16:0) fatty acids. These fatty acids are saturated, which is why they are not desirable for food-grade oils, with monounsaturated fatty acids being preferred. In particular, lauric acid is believed to raise blood cholesterol levels.

[068] Thus, the method described here allows obtaining lauric acid concentrations between 0.02% and 0.07%, which are significantly lower than the standard concentrations obtained with conventional screw presses. Furthermore, Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 28 / 44 23 / 31 The twin screw press (1) allows for the extraction of higher concentrations of palm oil from the cake without increasing the temperature above 100 °C, with an operating temperature between 60 °C and 82 °C being preferable. The oil (crude oil or press liquor), extracted through the drainage element (15), can include beta-carotene concentrations between 799 ppm and 1100 ppm (measured using NIR near-infrared spectrometry devices). Thus, the method allows for increased quality of the press liquor compared to other conventional oil presses.

[069] On the other hand, the cake extraction step through a cake discharge section (13), located in a distal zone of the press cage (10), comprises restricting the cake with the discharge restriction device (7) of the twin screw press (1). The discharge restriction device (7) applies pressure to the cake, which allows pressurizing the press cage (10). For example, when the discharge restriction device (7) comprises a conical piston (18), the conical face (17) of the conical piston (18) penetrates an axial outlet of the cake discharge section (13), forming a space that allows the cake to exit. Examples Example 1: twin screw press (1) for palm oil extraction

[070] A first example of the twin screw press (1) comprises a press cage (10) including a feeding section (11) with a rectangular inlet configured to receive vegetable fruits. The feeding section (11) has a length of 508 mm. The cake discharge section (13) has a length of 548 mm. The medial section (14) has a length of 1175 mm. Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 29 / 44 24 / 31

[071] In the medial section (14) of the press cage (10) there is provided a resistive element (8) which has resistive teeth (32). The distance between the resistive teeth (32) decreases towards the cake discharge section (13). The press cage (10) also comprises a housing (34) having, on its lower edge, a liquid collection section (35) configured to receive the oil extracted from the vegetable fruits.

[072] Each screw (2, 3) has a tapered shaft (21) converging towards the cake discharge section (13). In addition, each screw (2, 3) is connected to a power transmission unit (6) by a rigid coupling and mounted in bearing housings (16) which include roller and thrust bearings. The power transmission unit (6) is connected to a motor (27) which, in this example, is a geared motor with a power of 29.8 kW (40 HP). In addition, each screw (2, 3) has a helical thread (22) with a decreasing pitch (23) towards the cake discharge section (13).

[073] The twin screw press (1) of this example comprises a discharge restriction device (7) having a pair of conical pistons (18), each conical piston (18) having a conical face (17) that penetrates an axial outlet of the cake discharge section (13). The conical pistons (18) are connected to a movable plate (33) by means of supports with oval holes and fasteners. The movable plate (33) is connected to rods (19) of a pair of linear actuators (20) that provide the force required to restrict the cake with the conical pistons (18). Example 2: Method for extracting palm oil

[074] The method was performed using the twin screw press (1) of Example 1, receiving a stream of pre-processed oil palm fruits in a digester at an average temperature of 80 °C. In this example, the following were processed Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 30 / 44 25 / 31 three batches of high oleic oil palm fruits of Elaeis Guineensis x Elaeis Oleifera and another three batches of palm fruits of Elaeis Guineensis. The operating temperature was maintained at 80 °C.

[075] Table 1 presents the concentrations of free fatty acids, moisture, iodine value (VI), Bleachability Deterioration Index (DOBI), chlorophyll (ppm) and beta-carotene (ppm) in the obtained press liquor. Table 1. Fruit % of AGL % of moisture VI DOBI Chlorophyll (ppm) Beta-carotene NIR (ppm) High oleic 2.4 0.27 69.2 3.31 0.0000 1061 High oleic 2.38 0.26 68.42 3.04 0.0000 1048 High oleic 3.3 0.21 68.77 3.64 0.0000 1105 High oleic 3.61 0.27 64.05 3.07 0.0000 957 Guineensis 1.91 0.32 64.2 3.59 0.0789 1095 Guineensis 3.75 0.37 65.43 2.65 0.0225 1236 Guineensis 1.44 0.21 64.55 3.87 0.0000 912

[076] Tables 2 and 3 show the fatty acid concentrations for each batch, except the last batch of Elaeis Guineensis oil palm fruits: Table 2. Fruit Capric o (C8:0) Capric o (C10:0) Lauric o (C12:0) Myristic o (C14:0) Palmitic o (C16:0) Palmitoleic o (C-16:l) High oleic - - 0.04 0.51 33.93 - Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, page 31 / 44 26 / 31 High oleic - - 0.05 0. 65 36. 92 - High oleic - - 0.05 0.42 30. 9 - High oleic - - 0.31 0.85 41. 98 - Guineensi s - - 0.04 0.74 40. 87 - Guineensi s - - 0.06 0. 9 4 3.66 - Table 3. Fruit Stearic (C-18:0) Oleic (C18:1) Linoleic (C-18:2) Linolenic (C-18:3) Arachidic (C-20:0) High oleic 3.57 50.56 11.13 0.25 - High oleic 3.42 48.19 10.54 0.23 - High oleic 3.46 52.92 11.99 0.26 - High oleic 3.48 43.4 9.77 0.2 - Guineensis 3.49 44.98 9.63 0.25 - Guineensis 3.64 41.52 9.98 0.24 -

[077] With regard to oil retention in the cake, in this example, it was between 5.1% and 14.8%, and the moisture content was between 36.9% and 40.7%.

[078] The results of this process reflect a considerable reduction in the concentration of lauric acid compared to conventional oil presses. In addition, oil retention in the cake was lower. Example 3: Method for extracting palm oil

[079] In a second example of the method, seven batches of high-content oil palm fruits were processed Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, pp. 32 / 44 27 / 31 oleic. Table 4 presents the concentrations of free fatty acids, moisture, iodine value (VI), Bleaching Deterioration Index (DOBI), chlorophyll (ppm), and beta-carotene (ppm) in the obtained press liquor. Tables 5 and 6 show the fatty acid concentrations for each batch of Elaeis Guineensis x Elaeis Oleifera or oil palm fruits with high oleic acid content: Table 4. Fruit % of AGL % of moisture VI DOBI Chlorophyll (ppm) Beta-carotene NIR (ppm) High oleic 2.4 0.27 69.2 3.31 0.0000 1061 High oleic 2.38 0.26 68.42 3.04 0.0000 1048 High oleic 3.3 0.21 68.77 3.64 0.0000 1105 High oleic 3.61 0.27 64.05 3.07 0.0000 957 High oleic 1.91 0.32 64.2 3.59 0.0789 1095 High oleic 3.75 0.37 65.43 2.65 0.0225 1236 High oleic 1.44 0.21 64.55 3.87 0.0000 912 Table 5. Fruit Capric o (C8:0) Capric o (C10:0) Lauric o (C12:0) Myristic o (C14:0) Palmitic o (C16:0) Palmitoleic o (C-16:l) High oleic - - 0.02 0.27 28.07 - High oleic - - 0.03 0.29 28.87 - High oleic - - 0.04 0.4 28.93 - High oleic - - 0.04 0.51 33.47 - Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, pp. 33 / 44 28 / 31 High oleic acid - - 0.03 0.38 33.37 - High oleic acid - - 0.07 0.38 31.96 - High oleic acid - - 0.04 0.36 32.68 - Table 6. Fruit Stearic (C-18:0) Oleic (C18:1) Linoleic (C-18:2) Linolenic (C-18:3) Arachidic (C-20:0) High oleic 3.61 57.02 10.76 0.25 - High oleic 3.65 56.25 10.66 0.25 - High oleic 3.83 56 10.56 0.24 - High oleic 3.54 51.18 11.03 0.23 - High oleic 3.6 51.89 10.51 0.22 - High oleic 3.69 53.16 10.52 0.22 - High oleic 3.39 53.27 10.04 0.22 - Example 4: Method for extracting palm oil

[080] In a third example of the method, high oleic palm fruits or Elaeis Guineensis x Elaeis Oleifera palm fruits were processed from 8:00 to 16:00 hours using the twin screw press (1) of Example 1 to evaluate the Oil Extraction Rate (OER) and monitor process variables. Table 7 shows the performance of the twin screw press in tons per day and the Oil Extraction Rate of 26.49%. Table 8 shows the monitoring of the twin screw press process for four sample intervals. Table 7. Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, pages 34 / 44 29 / 31 Performance of the twin screw press. Operations from 8:00 to 16:00. Oil extracted, tons / day: 17910. Number of wagons: 32. Average wagon, tons / day: 2113. Fruit processed, tons / day: 67617. Working hours: 8. Capacity / hour: 8452. Oil extraction rate (OER), %: 26.49%. Table 8. Monitoring of the twin-screw press process with high-oleic oil palm fruits #Analysis Dilution Nut breakage, % Digester temperature, °C Press current Pressure, psi Sample 1 1.17 0% 60 35 110 Sample 2 1.17 10% 80 27 110 Sample 3 1.03 0% 90 23 110 Sample 4 1.18 5% 80 26 110 Average 1.14 4% 77.5 27.75 110 Example 5: Method for extracting cold-pressed palm oil

[081] In this example of the method, three batches of high oleic oil palm fruits from different interspecific hybrids of Elaeis Guineensis x Elaeis Oleifera, Coari x Lame Fortuna, Amazon and Manicoré were processed. Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, pages 35 / 44 30 / 31

[082] Table 9 presents the OER (Oil Extraction Rate), the oil content in the press cake fiber, the concentrations of free fatty acids (FFA), moisture, iodine value (IV), beta-carotene (ppm), MOSH (Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons), MOAH (Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons) and total tocopherols (tocopherols and tocotrienols in ppm) in the press liquor obtained. Table 9. Fruit Type % oil % sludge TEA / OER % oil in cake fiber Hybrid Coari x Lame Fortuna 60 40 28.12% 12.29 Hybrid Amazon 69 31 33.18% 12.08 Hybrid Manicoré 72 28 32.32% 8.42 Table 9, continued: AGL (%) Moisture (%) Beta-carotene (ppm) MOSH (ppm) MOAH (ppm) Total Tocopherols (ppm) 2.42 0.22 1982 5.97 <1 739.14 1.29 0.19 1717 4.27 <1 668.96 0.79 0.16 1817 7.85 <1 856.27

[083] Table 10 shows the fatty acid concentrations for each batch of different interspecific hybrids of Elaeis Guineensis x Elaeis Oleifera in the press liquor obtained. Table 10. Date Fruit Type Lauric (C-12:0) Myristic (C-14:0) Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, pp. 36 / 44 31 / 31 02 / 01 / 2024 Coari x Lame Fortuna Hybrid 0.04 0.22 02 / 02 / 2024 Amazon Hybrid 0.02 0.34 02 / 02 / 2024 Manicoré Hybrid 0.03 0.25 Table 10, continued: Palmitic (C-16:0) Stearic (C-18:0) Oleic (C18:1) Linoleic (C-18:2) Linolenic (C-18:3) 27.92 1.74 56.53 13.17 0.38 35.43 3.01 50.35 10.52 0.33 27.59 2.72 53.09 15.82 0.50 Petition 870250103133, dated 11 / 11 / 2025, pp. 37 / 44

Claims

1 / 5 Claims 1. A double screw press (1) for extracting vegetable oils, CHARACTERIZED in that it comprises: - a press cage (10), including; - a feed section (11), located in a proximal zone (12) of the press cage (10); - a cake discharge section (13) located in a distal zone of the press cage (10); - a medial section (14), located between the feed section (11) and the cake discharge section (13); - a drain element (15), located in the medial section (14) and configured to retain a cake containing vegetable solids and drain the vegetable oil; - a first screw (2) and a second screw (3), arranged within the press cage (10), each screw (2, 3) including: - a shaft (21) arranged within the press cage (10); - a helical screw (22) arranged on the shaft (21); - a distal end (4) mounted in a bearing housing (16); - a proximal end (5) mounted in a bearing housing (16);wherein at least one end (4, 5) of each screw (2, 3) is configured to be connected to a power transmission unit (6); Petition 870250082360, dated 12 / 09 / 2025, page 9 / 133 2 / 5 wherein the screws (2, 3) are interconnected in an overlapping manner; and - a discharge restriction device (7) connected to the cake discharge section (13) and configured to control the cake flow.; 2. The twin screw press (1) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the power transmission unit (6) is connected to a gearbox, which may be a single, double or multiple output gearbox.

3. The double screw press (1) according to claim 2, CHARACTERIZED in that a coupling element (29) connects the gearbox to the shaft (21) of the screws (2, 3).

4. The twin screw press (1) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the shaft (21) of each screw (2, 3) is conical and convergent towards the cake discharge section (13) of the press cage (10).

5. The double screw press (1) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the helical thread (22) of the first screw (2) has a left-hand orientation and the helical thread (22) of the second screw (3) has a right-hand orientation, and in that the screws (2, 3) are coupled in a counter-rotating and interconnected arrangement.

6. The double screw press (1) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that each screw (2, 3) has a pitch (23) that decreases towards the discharge section (13) of the press cage (10). Petition 870250082360, dated 12 / 09 / 2025, page 10 / 133 3 / 5 7. The double screw press (1) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the helical thread (22) of each screw (2, 3) is discontinuous and forms spaces (24) between helical thread sections (25), and in that the press cage (10) further comprises a resisting element (8) including a plurality of resisting teeth (32) configured to fit into the spaces (24) of the helical thread (22) of each screw (2, 3).

8. The double screw press (1) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the press cage (10) further comprises a plurality of adjustment elements (9) configured to define a clearance distance between the helical thread (22) of the screws (2, 3) and the drainage element (15), and in which, preferably, the adjustment elements (9) are longitudinal shims arranged along the drainage element (15).

9. The double screw press (1) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the distal end (4) and the proximal end (5) of each screw (2, 3) are mounted in bearing housings (16), each distal bearing housing (16) including thrust bearings.

10. The twin screw press (1) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the drainage element (15) includes a wedge wire screen, a perforated screen, a wire mesh or a combination thereof.

11. The twin screw press (1) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the discharge restriction device (7) comprises: Petition 870250082360, dated 12 / 09 / 2025, page 11 / 133 4 / 5 - at least one linear actuator (20) having two rods (19); - a pair of conical pistons (18), each conical piston (18) connected to a rod (19) and having a conical face (17) configured to be inserted into an outlet of the cake discharge section (13); wherein the conical piston (18) applies a resistance force to the cake exiting through the outlet of the cake discharge section (13).

12. The twin screw press (1) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the press cage (10) further comprises a plurality of spray collectors configured to spray cleaning fluid onto the outside of the drain element (15).

13. The twin screw press (1) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the bearing housings (16) are fixed to a twin screw press frame (1).

14. A process for extracting vegetable oils with a twin-screw press (1) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in comprising: - feeding fruits and / or vegetable seeds into a feeding section (11) of a press cage (10) of the twin-screw press (1); - obtaining a cake and an oil from processing the fruits and / or vegetable seeds along a medial section (14) of the press cage (10), applying a compressive force shared with a first Petition 870250082360, dated 12 / 09 / 2025, page.12 / 133 5 / 5 screw (2) and a second screw (3) which are arranged inside the press cage (10); - extract the oil through a draining element (15) of the press cage (10); - extract the cake through a cake discharge section (13) located in a distal zone of the press cage (10), wherein the cake comprises nuts and fruit pulp and / or vegetable seeds; wherein the operating temperature is between ambient temperature and 100 °C.

15. The process according to claim 15, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the operating temperature is between ambient temperature and 59 °C; between ambient temperature and 60 °C; between ambient temperature and 100 °C; and between 60 °C and 100 °C. Petition 870250082360, dated 12 / 09 / 2025, page 13 / 133

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