Method and system for extraction of oil from corn

• US 20070037993A1
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Inventors: Cheryan, Munir
• Granted Patent: US 7,767,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 554/8
• CPC Class Codes: A23D 9/04 Working-up
• CPC Class Codes: A23J 1/142 by extracting with organic solvents
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2300/34 Membrane process
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 1/00 Production of fats or fatty oils from raw materials
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 1/10 by extracting
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 1/108 after-treatment, e.g. of miscellae
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 3/008 by filtration, e.g. including ultra filtration, dialysis C11B3/005 takes precedence

Abstract

A process for removing oil from an agricultural substrate, including a dry grind corn. An ethanol solution with a concentration in the range of from about 90% to about 100% ethanol is mixed with the dry grind corn in a ratio of from about 10:1 to about 1:1 to form an extraction solution including the ethanol solution, oil, and corn solids. The extraction solution is separated into the corn solids and a filtrate, the filtrate including the ethanol solution and oil. The filtrate is membrane filtered, including nanofiltration, to restrain an oil concentrate from the filtrate and pass a permeate of the ethanol solution. The oil contained within the oil concentrate is purified.

Claims

1. A process for removing oil from an agricultural substrate, including a dry grind corn, the process comprising:

mixing an ethanol solution with a concentration in the range of from about 90% to about 100% ethanol with the dry grind corn in a ratio of from about 10;

1 to about 1;

1 to form an extraction solution including the ethanol solution, oil, and corn solids;

separating the extraction solution into the corn solids and a filtrate, the filtrate including the ethanol solution and oil;

membrane filtering the filtrate to restrain an oil concentrate from the filtrate and passing a permeate of the ethanol solution, said membrane filtering including nanofiltration; and

,

purifying the oil contained within the oil concentrate.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of membrane filtering the filtrate includes passing the filtrate through a nanofiltration membrane with a molecular weight cut-off such that particles having a molecular weight in the range of from about 800 daltons to about 900 daltons are restrained.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of purifying the oil contained within the oil concentrate includes evaporation of the ethanol solution.

4. The process of claim 3, further comprising:

recycling ethanol from said evaporation.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of mixing the ethanol solution and the dry grind corn is performed at a temperature in the range of from about 60°

C. to about 90°

C.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of mixing the ethanol solution and the dry grind corn is performed for a period of time in the range of from about 10 minutes to about 120 minutes.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the ethanol solution includes only ethanol.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the ethanol solution includes ethanol, water and isopropyl alcohol.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of membrane filtering further comprises diafiltering.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the corn comprises whole, raw corn.

11. The process of claim 1, further comprising, before said extracting, dry grinding the whole, raw corn.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein said extracting comprises extracting from dry milled corn.

13. The process of claim 1, wherein the corn is not wet milled before said extracting.

14. The process of claim 1, further comprising:

processing the permeate including ethanol to provide recycled ethanol.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein said processing the permeate comprises distillation.

16. The process of claim 14, wherein said processing the permeate comprises pervaporation.