Assembly, to separate oil and solid phases from oleaginous mixture, e.g. shea butter for use in confectionery, has centrifugal drum with additional water feed and oil outflow in single-stage operation

摘要

Assembly to separate the oil and solid phases from an oleaginous mixture has a rotating drum on a horizontal axis and a feed to bring the mixture into the drum. The drum has a drive to rotate it at centrifugal speeds and force the mixture against the drum wall, while the oil is extracted through an outflow through its lower density than the solid matter. A second feed passes an immiscible liquid into the drum. Assembly to separate the oil and solid phases from an oleaginous mixture, and especially shea butter, has a rotating drum (1) on a horizontal axis (2) and a feed (13) to bring the mixture into the drum. The drum has a drive (10), to rotate it at centrifugal speeds and force the mixture against the drum wall (3), while the oil is extracted through an outflow (16) through its lower density than the solid matter. A second feed (20) passes a liquid e.g. water into the drum with a density which is lower than the solid matter but higher than the oil, without mixing with either phase.