Ethanol Extraction of Lipids via Hydrocyclone Separation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing food-grade oils and fats from plant and animal materials often rely on non-polar solvents like hexane, which pose environmental and health risks, and require complex dehydration processes, limiting scalability and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A process using ethanol as the extractant, where a particulate fat-containing material is mixed with ethanol, heated, and subjected to hydrocyclone treatment to separate fat-rich and fat-lean products, allowing for efficient extraction and reducing environmental hazards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If non-polar solvents like hexane are used for extraction, then extraction efficiency is improved, but environmental and health risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the solvent polarity parameter from non-polar (hexane) to polar (ethanol), transforming the extraction system to eliminate toxic residues while maintaining efficiency through optimized ethanol concentration (90-99.8%) and temperature (70-100°C) parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive and hazardous non-polar solvents with inexpensive, food-grade ethanol that can be easily removed and recycled, eliminating the need for complex solvent removal systems and reducing environmental burden
2Loss of substance
If conventional dehydration techniques are applied, then water removal is achieved, but process complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary dehydration of the starting material before extraction to reduce water content, which prevents water-ethanol azeotrope formation and simplifies the overall process by eliminating the need for complex dehydration equipment in the extraction stage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates dehydration and extraction into a continuous process where the defatted meal from extraction is directly used for solvent removal and product recovery, maintaining continuous operation and reducing energy consumption compared to batch dehydration techniques
3Productivity
If ethanol is heated above its boiling point for extraction, then extraction efficiency is improved, but violent evaporation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical extraction systems with a hydrocyclone-based separation system that allows operation at elevated temperatures without violent evaporation, as the hydrocyclone operates under pressure and separates phases based on density differences rather than mechanical agitation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition of ethanol from liquid to vapor in a controlled manner within the hydrocyclone system, where the heated ethanol-oil mixture undergoes phase separation and the ethanol vapor is condensed and recycled, allowing efficient extraction while controlling evaporation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables the production of food-grade products with enhanced safety and scalability, minimizing environmental risks and improving extraction efficiency by utilizing ethanol's solubility properties at elevated temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
The solubility of oil/fat in ethanol is depicted in FIG. 1, which shows the solubility as a function of temperature for different concentrations of ethanol in water. As is clear from FIG. 1 the solubility is dependent on temperature and water content, and as the temperature increases the solubility of fat increases exponentially.
Implementation Method 2
subjecting the heated mixture to a hydrocyclone treatment to provide a fat reduced underflow stream and an overflow stream
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for the production of a fat rich and a fat lean product from a plant or animal starting material, comprising the steps of:i) providing a particulate fat containing starting material,ii) mixing the particulate fat containing starting material with ethanol of at least 90% w/w concentration,iii) heating the mixture,iv) subjecting the heated mixture to a hydrocyclone treatment to provide a fat reduced underflow stream and an overflow stream,v) recovering the fat lean product from the fat reduced underflow stream,vi) recovering the fat rich product from the overflow stream. The fat rich and the fat lean products are suited for use in human food or for animal feed products.