Vegetable Oil Degumming via Compression and Explosive Decompression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing degumming processes for vegetable oils are insufficient in removing non-hydratable phospholipids, as they cannot hydrate or react with these components for effective removal, leading to the need for alternative methods that can achieve low phosphorous and metallic impurity levels.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the formation of an emulsion with an acid and a base, followed by compression and explosive decompression to create smaller droplets, allowing the acid to react with non-hydratable phospholipids and remove impurities, with decompression rates between 1 x 10^5 to 3 x 10^6 MPa per second.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional degumming processes (water, acid, caustic, enzymatic) are used, then hydratable phospholipids can be removed, but non-hydratable phospholipids remain in the oil
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies high shear mixing (changing mechanical energy parameters) and controlled temperature parameters to transform non-hydratable phospholipids into a removable state. By adjusting these physical parameters, the phospholipids become available for removal through subsequent water washing, achieving complete phospholipid elimination including previously non-removable types.
2Quantity of substance
If existing degumming methods are applied, then some phosphorous removal is achieved, but phosphorous levels cannot be reduced to 5-10 ppm or below
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary high shear mixing and temperature treatment to fully hydrate and emulsify all phospholipids before the water washing step. This preliminary action ensures that when water is added, all phospholipids are already in a removable emulsified state, enabling complete transfer to the aqueous phase and achieving phosphorous levels of 5-10 ppm or below in the final oil.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional degumming processes are used, then processing is simple, but metallic impurities such as calcium, magnesium and iron are not effectively removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the degumming process with metal impurity removal by using the same high shear mixing and emulsification steps to simultaneously address both phospholipids and metallic impurities. The controlled temperature treatment and water washing that remove phospholipids also effectively remove associated metallic impurities like calcium, magnesium, and iron, achieving dual removal in a single integrated process.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Processes and systems are provided for effectively degumming vegetable oils with the use of an acid and base pretreated mixture of vegetable oil. The pretreated mixture is subjected to compression and one or more intervals of explosive decompression of the compressed mixture to form a degummed vegetable oil. Also provided are compression and decompression rates and conditions that can be used to effectively degum vegetable oil to achieve reduced levels of phosphorus and metals such as iron, calcium and magnesium.