Method and apparatus for processing vegetable oils

• US 8,952,187 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2012
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cargill Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cargill Incorporated
• Inventors: Kruidenberg, Marco Bernardus
• Primary Examiner(s): Carr, Deborah D
• Application Number:
  US13/552,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20130018197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 554/175, 203/77, 203/88
• US Class Current: 554/175
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 1/305 Demister (vapour-liquid separation)
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 3/38 Steam distillation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/003 within column(s)
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 3/001 by a combination of two or more of the means hereafter
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 3/12 by distillation
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 3/14 with the use of indifferent gases or vapours, e.g. steam
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 3/16 by mechanical means

Abstract

The present invention provides certain improvements in methods for processing vegetable oils and apparatus for carrying out such methods. One embodiment provides a method for processing a partially processed oil including glycerides and a volatilizable impurity fraction. The partially processed oil may processed by driving off a first volatiles stream comprising a portion of the glycerides and at least a portion of the volatilizable impurity fraction, leaving a deodorized oil. The first volatiles stream may be introduced into a first condensing chamber and a glyceride-rich, impurity-poor first condensate may be condensed from the first volatiles stream, leaving a glyceride-poor, impurity-rich second volatiles stream. The second volatiles stream may be passed into a second condensing chamber and a glyceride-poor, impurity-rich second condensate may be condensed from the second volatiles stream.

Claims

1. A glyceride-rich, impurity poor first condensate prepared by a process comprising:

driving off a first volatiles stream from a partially processed oil, the first volatiles stream comprising a portion of the glycerides and at least a portion of the volatilizable impurity fraction, leaving a processed oil;

introducing the first volatiles stream into a first condensing chamber; and

condensing from the first volatiles stream a glyceride-rich, impurity-poor first condensate, leaving a glyceride-poor, impurity-rich reduced secondary volatiles stream, said glyceride-poor, impurity-rich secondary volatiles stream comprising at least in excess of 80 wt. % free fatty acids.

2. The glyceride-rich, impurity-poor first condensate of claim 1, wherein the first condensate has a higher content of tocopherol compared to the glyceride-poor, impurity-rich secondary volatiles stream.

3. The glyceride-rich, impurity poor first condensate of claim 1, wherein the first condensing chamber is maintained at a pressure of no greater than 10 mm Hg.

4. The glyceride-rich, impurity poor first condensate of claim 1, wherein the first condensing chamber is maintained at a pressure of no greater than 5 mm Hg.

5. The glyceride-rich, impurity poor first condensate of claim 1, wherein the first volatiles stream is driven off by passing steam through the partially processed oil, the first volatiles stream further comprising steam.

6. The glyceride-rich, impurity poor first condensate of claim 1, wherein the partially-processed oil includes tocopherols, the first volatiles stream further comprising a portion of the tocopherols, a majority of the tocopherols in the first volatiles stream being condensed in the first condensate.

7. The glyceride-rich, impurity poor first condensate of claim 1, wherein the first condensate is sprayed in the first volatiles stream.

19. A processed vegetable oil comprising a glyceride-rich, impurity-poor first condensate of claim 1.

20. A processes vegetable oil comprising a glyceride-rich, impurity-poor first condensate of claim 2.

8. A glyceride-rich, impurity poor first condensate prepared by a process comprising:

driving off a first volatiles stream from a partially processed coconut oil, the first volatiles stream comprising a portion of the glycerides and at least a portion of the volatilizable impurity fraction, leaving a processed coconut oil;

introducing the first volatiles stream into a first condensing chamber; and

condensing from the first volatiles stream a glyceride-rich, impurity-poor first condensate, leaving a glyceride-poor, impurity-rich reduced secondary volatiles stream, said glyceride-poor, impurity-rich secondary volatiles stream comprising in excess of 80 wt. % free fatty acids.

9. The glyceride-rich, impurity-poor first condensate of claim 8, wherein the first condensate has a higher content of tocopherol compared to the glyceride-poor, impurity-rich secondary volatiles stream.

10. The glyceride-rich, impurity poor first condensate of claim 8 wherein the first condensing chamber is maintained at a pressure of no greater than 10 mm Hg.

11. The glyceride-rich, impurity poor first condensate of claim 8, wherein the first condensing chamber is maintained at a pressure of no greater than 5 mm Hg.

12. The glyceride-rich, impurity poor first condensate of claim 8, wherein the first volatiles stream is driven off by passing steam through the partially processed oil, the first volatiles stream further comprising steam.

13. The glyceride-rich, impurity poor first condensate of claim 8, wherein the partially-processed oil includes tocopherols, the first volatiles stream further comprising a portion of the tocopherols, a majority of the tocopherols in the first volatiles stream being condensed in the first condensate.

14. The glyceride-rich, impurity poor first condensate of claim 8, wherein the first condensate is sprayed in the first volatiles stream.

15. A processed vegetable oil prepared by a process comprising:

bleaching a vegetable oil to yield a partially processed vegetable oil comprising glycerides and a volatizable impurity fraction;

deodorizing the partially processed vegetable oil to yield a deodorized vegetable oil and a first volatiles stream, the first volatiles stream comprising a portion of the glycerides and a majority of the volatizable impurity fraction;

partially condensing the first volatiles stream to yield a glyceride-rich, impurity-poor first condensate and a glyceride-poor, impurity-rich second volatiles stream comprising at least in excess of 80 wt. % free fatty acids; and

returning the glyceride-rich, impurity-poor first condensate to the partially processed oil.

16. The processed vegetable oil of claim 15, wherein the glyceride-rich, impurity-poor first condensate is returned to the flow of oil entering the bleaching subsystem.

17. The processed vegetable oil of claim 15, wherein the glyceride-rich, impurity-poor first condensate is returned to the partially processed oil supplied to the deodorizer.

18. The processed vegetable oil of claim 15, wherein the a substantial fraction of the glyceride-rich, impurity-poor first condensate comprises glycerides, tocopherols, sterols, and sterol esters.