UN PROCEDIMIENTO DE FASE LIQUIDA PARA EL REFINADO DE LOS ACEITES GLICERICOS

摘要

Liquid phase processes for refining glyceride oils by treating the oil in liquid condition with an aqueous liquid treating agent under conditions providing numerous interfaces between the two liquids at which the contaminants are extracted from the oil by the aqueous liquid at said interfaces and removed in solution, are characterized in that the oil and aqueous liquid are separately preheated and the treatment is effected continuously at a temperature of 75-160 DEG C. under a pressure above the saturated vapour pressure of water at the temperature of treatment, in a bed of chemically inert packing material of uniform depth and having a free space amounting to 30-90% of its volume, by causing each of said liquids, while free from occluded or dissolved gases or floating impurities to make random contacts with the other while flowing along tortuous paths through said bed, and subsequently separating the oil and aqueous liquids by virtue of their different specific gravities, substantially all the extraction effected occurring during passage through the bed. This procedure is applicable to neutralisation with aqueous alkali; washing soap from the oil after neutralization, using neutral or slightly alkaline water which may contain salt; and post-desliming using, for example, aqueous alkaline sodium silicate. More than one of such processes may be carried out, e.g. a washing stage may follow immediately after a neutralization stage, both stages using the stated procedure. The oil and treating agent may flow in either counter-current or co-current through the bed, and apparatus for performing the operation either way is described. The packing material may be glass, glazed ceramic, stainless steel, or an inert polymer, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, or polystyrene and may be in the form of beads, rings, or saddles. Also, the material may have a surface which has been made lipophilic. The procedure is also applicable to the treatment of oils in the form of a miscella. Many oils which may be treated are specified.