Multi-esterified Polyol Additive for Corn Oil Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for separating corn oil from liquid stillage in ethanol production, using sorbitan-based additives, leave a significant amount of corn oil uncollected and result in lower commercial value products, with the yield depending on various factors like kernel quality and process conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a multi-esterified fatty acid ester of an alkoxylated non-cyclic polyol as a separation additive, which reduces interfacial tension and enhances oil separation efficiency by promoting multi-point interactions with triglycerides, improving the yield and quality of corn oil.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If sorbitan-based additives (polysorbate) are used for oil separation, then some oil separation is achieved, but a significant amount of corn oil remains uncollected and yield is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the separation additive by using multi-esterified fatty acid esters of alkoxylated non-cyclic polyols instead of conventional mono-esterified polysorbates. This parameter change in the additive's molecular structure (degree of esterification, polyol backbone) fundamentally improves its ability to interact with triglycerides and reduce interfacial tension, thereby increasing corn oil yield from stillage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite chemical structures in the separation additive, combining alkoxylated polyol backbones with multiple fatty acid ester groups. This composite molecular architecture provides both hydrophilic (polyol) and hydrophobic (fatty acid esters) characteristics, enabling superior emulsification and separation performance compared to single-structure additives like polysorbate 80.
2Productivity
If conventional separation additives are used, then separation process is simple, but separation time is extended and efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the chemical parameters of the additive to multi-esterified structures with higher molecular weight and multiple hydrophobic tails, the additive more effectively reduces interfacial tension between oil and water phases. This accelerates the separation kinetics, reducing the time required for complete oil recovery while improving overall separation efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If separation is performed without optimized additives, then process is simpler, but equipment experiences more oily deposits and requires more cleaning downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-esterified fatty acid ester acts as an intermediary substance that facilitates oil-water separation by adsorbing at the interface and stabilizing the emulsion breakdown process. This intermediary action prevents oil from adhering to equipment surfaces, reducing oily deposits and minimizing cleaning downtime while maintaining operational simplicity.
4Productivity
If mono-esterified additives like polysorbate are used, then interfacial tension reduction is achieved, but multi-point interaction with triglycerides is insufficient limiting separation effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The additive molecule is segmented into multiple functional regions: a hydrophilic alkoxylated polyol backbone and multiple hydrophobic fatty acid ester tails. This segmentation allows different parts of the molecule to interact with different phases (water and oil) simultaneously, creating multiple attachment points that enhance the additive's effectiveness in separating oil from stillage.
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
The method increases corn oil yield and reduces the time required for separation, resulting in higher quality oil with lower solids and water content, and minimizes equipment downtime due to reduced oily deposits, outperforming polysorbate 80 in separation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the multiple fatty acid tails present in the separation additive due to the degree of esterification of the separation additive being at least two provide a multi-tailed (for example, comb-like or spider-like) structure to the separation additive. This multi-tailed structure combined with the structural flexibility of the non-cyclic polyol when compared with a cyclic polyol (e.g. sorbitan) may encourage a multi-point interaction between the separation additive and triglycerides which may be present in the oil phase of the stillage. The multi-point interaction reduces the interfacial tension between the oil phase and water phase more than a monoester such as a polysorbate.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of separating oil from a liquid stillage is disclosed. The stillage includes an aqueous phase and an oil phase. The method comprises adding a separation additive to the stillage and performing at least one separation operation on the stillage to separate an amount of the oil phase from the stillage. The separation additive comprises an ester of an alkoxylated non-cyclic polyol and a fatty acid.