Best Practices for a Profitable Solvent Oil Extraction Plant

What is solvent extraction?
Solvent extraction, also referred to as liquid-liquid extraction, is the transfer of a chemical from one solvent to another. These solvents must be immiscible liquids &#; typically water and an organic solvent, with different solubility levels and distribution coefficients for the chemical solute in question. Considered superior to distillation due to its low energy consumption, rapid action, large production capacity, and easy, continuous and automated operation, solvent extraction has many applications.

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Solvent extraction is used to separate hazardous pollutants from sludge, to produce microspheres in the pharmaceutical industry, for rare earth metal extraction, and to analyse plant and animal tissues among other applications. Given our 80+ years of experience in the oilseeds industry, we are primarily concerned with solvent oil extraction plants, which employ the solvent extraction method to extract oil from plant-based oil-bearing materials like oilseeds, nuts, bran, fruit, and other plant parts.

The solvent extraction method in the oils and fats industry
Today, in the edible oils industry, the conventional solvent extraction method is the go-to method for oil extraction. It relies on the ability of solvents (most commonly hexane) to dissolve oils and extract them from the oleaginous material.

Solvent oil extraction plants may be designed for either batch or continuous processing. Ideally, they have three separate sections for the four major steps involved: first, oilseed cleaning and conditioning; second, oil extraction;  third, separation of the miscella, which is sometimes also referred to as oil distillation the meal conditioning; and fourth, deoiled meal conditioning.

The safety and efficiency of the process and the quality of the oil and meal obtained depend on multiple factors &#; oilseed pretreatment, extraction temperature, and solvent type. Regardless, this method is preferred to mechanical extraction for large-scale industrial projects because of the cost-efficiency and ease of use of solvent oil extraction plants.

Conventional solvent extraction has a 90 to 98% oil recovery rate &#; a major driving factor behind the popularity of this method. It has some drawbacks &#; high energy requirements, high CAPEX investment, and the toxicity of the commonly used solvent, hexane, which is associated with health issues on prolonged exposure. Nonetheless, the replaceability of hexane with solvents like ethanol, the high oil yield obtained, and the minimal waste generated make the solvent extraction method sustainable and efficient &#; a clear winner.

The route to a profitable solvent extraction plant: Reducing costs and enhancing revenue
The oil extraction process has a significant impact on the quality and quantity of oil produced by your solvent oil extraction plant. Consequently, effectively optimising the process can enhance your oil yield, speed up the process, and make the most of your inputs, setting you firmly on a path towards profitability.

The extracted oil, residual oil cake or meal, and other by-products of the solvent extraction method all add value to different industries. Profitable solvent extraction plants thus have benefits for not only the solvent extraction plant owner but also farmers, distributors, allied industries, and the economy as a whole.

Global vegetable oil production grew from about 90.5 million metric tonnes in / to 207.5 million metric tonnes in /. This upward trend shows no signs of relenting, so there is no better time than the present to optimise your solvent oil extraction plant to enhance yield.

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Keeping the following factors in mind can help you, as a solvent extraction plant owner or operator, maintain your own plant&#;s profitability and this momentum in the edible oil industry as a whole.

Solvent selection. Though toxic, hexane is the most commonly used solvent in solvent oil extraction plants. However, green solvents like ethanol can also be employed depending on the oil-bearing material in question. Research into other solvents may also yield practical options. The focus must be on finding a solvent which boasts of a high extraction capacity, sufficient density differential between the aqueous and non-aqueous phases, low miscibility in the aqueous phase, low viscosity, non-toxicity, cost efficiency, and ease of recovery. Finding the right option can help you optimise your solvent extraction process and reduce the costs and time required for solvent recovery.

Solvent extraction plant cost. The CAPEX cost of your solvent oil extraction plant will likely be higher than the cost of a mechanical extraction plant. However, a higher upfront cost may be a good idea in the long term. Account for operating costs, costs of repairs and maintenance, and the estimated longevity of the plant when deciding how much one is willing to invest in the plant. For instance, Kumar&#;s solvent extraction plants may cost you more than a competitor&#;s due to the superior quality of stainless steel used for construction. But the long life, minimal wear and tear parts, and operational efficiency that you get will be well worth the higher investment. In fact, in the long run, it will end up being more cost-effective, especially because Kumar&#;s plants are known for their operational profitability.

Quality. There is no substitute for high quality. The solvent oil extraction plant itself should be designed and engineered to perfection. The material of construction should ideally be stainless steel and the equipment should have minimal wear and tear parts to ensure uninterrupted operations. Optimum oil recovery due to good percolation systems and efficient solvent-meal contact, low residual solvent, and high-pressure liquid cleaning systems are all testaments to the quality of a good solvent extraction plant.

Sustainability. In a solvent oil extraction plant, sustainability is a matter of not only efficient resource use but also minimal effluent discharge. Kumar Metal Industries is an advocate for sustainability across the oils and fats value chain. This is evidenced in the efficient cyclone-centrifugal separator type fines separation system which reduces utility consumption and the prevention of solvent loss by the use of an efficient vapour absorption system.

Optimising the solvent extraction method
Innovation is an important part of any EPCC company&#;s work in the oils and fats industry. At our OM Innovation Centre, the process is targeted towards improving process efficiency which has a knock-on effect on sustainability, profitability, and the range of use cases of a product.

Beyond the above-mentioned factors that plant owners and operators can control themselves, they can also partner with R&D centres like ours to optimise their oil extraction process. Many such optimisation methods use statistical software to modify variables and analyse the impact of solvent volume, extraction time, particle size, etc. on the overall productivity of their solvent extraction method. Researchers may use either single-parameter optimisation or multi-parameter optimisation, known as the design of experiments. Arriving at improvements in this way can make the process more resource-efficient, faster, more sustainable, and also more cost-effective, ultimately affecting your product quality and your bottom line.

The way ahead: Innovative new solvent extraction methods
Conventional solvent extraction is the go-to method that solvent extraction plant operators rely on for their oilseed processing needs. But as research evolves in this domain, new techniques like accelerated solvent extraction and supercritical fluid extraction are slowly making their way out of laboratories and into solvent oil extraction plants. As this transition happens, it is also important for players in the oils and fats industries to evaluate the economics of such non-conventional extraction processes to assess their profitability.

Ultimately, the path to a sustainable and profitable solvent oil extraction plant ecosystem will be marked by challenges, successes, optimisations, and innovations. With its enhanced focus on sustainability in food, feed and fuel and circular economy, Kumar Metal Industries is committed to making the journey towards profits also a journey for people and the planet. In the face of such a vision, no obstacle can hold Kumar back as it leads not only its customers but the industry as a whole into the future.

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