Feedstock Refining Process for Low-Loss POME Oil Purification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for refining feedstocks like palm oil mill effluent (POME) oil are inefficient and costly due to high impurity levels, particularly metals and phosphorous compounds, leading to poor filterability and significant oil loss during processing, with wastewater treatment being both expensive and environmentally challenging.
Innovation Solution
A process involving acid treatment, controlled water addition, vacuum evaporation, and filtration with filter aids and adsorbents to precipitate and remove impurities, followed by bleaching, which recycles process water for enhanced efficiency and reduced waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If acid degumming is used to remove impurities from POME oil, then phosphorus and metal removal is improved, but oil loss increases due to emulsion effects and centrifugation inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes phospholipids and metal impurities from POME oil through acid treatment and filtration, separating these harmful components from the oil phase without causing significant oil loss. The filter aid and adsorbent materials selectively capture impurities while allowing oil to pass through.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces filter aid and adsorbent materials as intermediary substances that facilitate the separation of impurities from oil. These intermediaries adsorb phospholipids and metals, enabling their removal without direct contact between the oil and centrifugal separation processes that cause emulsion and oil loss.
2Manufacturing precision
If acid degumming with washing stage is used to improve phosphorus removal, then impurity removal is improved, but process complexity and water consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention directly extracts phosphorus-containing phospholipids through acid treatment followed by filtration with filter aid and adsorbents. This single-stage extraction process replaces the multi-stage acid degumming and washing process, reducing complexity while achieving equivalent or superior phosphorus removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the processing parameters by using acid treatment at controlled conditions followed by filtration, rather than multiple washing stages. This parameter change simplifies the process flow while maintaining effective phosphorus removal through the filter aid and adsorbent materials.
3Manufacturing precision
If evaporation (distillation) is used to pre-process POME oil, then feedstock quality is improved, but processing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the thermal evaporation/distillation process with a chemical treatment and filtration system. Instead of using high energy thermal processes to improve feedstock quality, the invention uses acid treatment followed by filtration with filter aid and adsorbents, achieving similar quality improvement at much lower energy cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the processing approach from thermal parameters (evaporation at high temperature) to chemical and physical parameters (acid treatment and filtration). This parameter substitution maintains feedstock quality improvement while dramatically reducing energy consumption and processing costs.
4Manufacturing precision
If acid degumming is used to treat POME oil, then phospholipid removal is improved, but filterability during bleaching deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts phospholipids through acid treatment and removes them via filtration with filter aid and adsorbents before the bleaching stage. This preliminary extraction prevents the formation of filterability problems during bleaching, as the impurities are already removed in the acid treatment stage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs phospholipid removal as a preliminary action before bleaching. By using acid treatment and filtration to remove phospholipids first, the subsequent bleaching process operates on already-cleansed oil, ensuring good filterability throughout the process rather than encountering filterability resistance during bleaching.
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
Achieves low impurity levels (single digit ppm) with minimal oil loss, improved filterability, and reduced water consumption, offering economic and environmental benefits.
Implementation Method 1
treating the provided feedstock with an acid, wherein the acid is capable of forming a precipitate, or salt, or chelate with the impurities present in the feedstock
Implementation Method 2
evaporating the water under vacuum from the acid treated feedstock
Data Source
AI summary
Present disclosure relates to a novel and effective process for refining or purifying of a feedstock.