How many types cooking oil degumming methods can be used in cooking oil refining process?

Cooking oil degumming machine is used for the removal of hydratable and non-hydratable phospholipids and free fatty acids (FFA) from crude oil. The equipment works on the principle of the reaction of undesirable substances in oil with acid and, in the case of acid and alkali reduction, with lye and water. The phospholipids coagulate in the process and are separated from the oil in cooking oil degumming pot.

Note: In different types cooking oil refining process, different cooking oil gumming machine is used. In batch type cooking oil refining process, the cooking oil degumming machine is degumming pot. In semi-continuous cooking oil refining process, the cooking oil degumming machine is also degumming pot. In fully-continuous cooking oil refining process, the cooking oil degumming machine is two centrifugal separators. It it no doubt that centrifugal separators substantially increase process efficiency and stability in terms of quality of output oil.

Degumming process of cooking oil refining

The degumming technology serves to reduce phosphorus, free fatty acids, soaps and moisture in crude oil. According to the different features of cooking oil, the cooking oil degumming methods can be divided into: Water degumming, Acid degumming, Special degumming and so on.

Water degumming:

In water degumming method, adding water to oil causes hydratable phosphatides to coagulate, since hydrated gums are insoluble in oil, hence it gets precipitated. These hydrated gums are then separated from oil. In this stage, only hydratable gums are removed.

Water Degumming is also application for Low FFA Crude Oils where degumming is followed by Neutralization and Water Washing.

Acid degumming:

For removal of Non-hydratable gums, water degumming is not suitable. At this time, we need to use phosphoric acid to remove Non-hydratable gums . The content of phosphoric acid addition depends on the amount of gums present as well as the type of oil being refined.

Acid Degumming is perfectly suitable for High FFA Crude Oils where acid washing is followed by Water Washing and ensures total degumming. Due to the variable content of phospholipids in crude oils, analysis of phosphorus prior to acid treatment is necessary to ensure that the acid dosage is correct.

Special degumming:

The principle of this technology is the same, but a small amount of lye is added to neutralize the acid.

Phosphorus is lowered to less than 30 ppm.

Importance of cooking oil degumming process:

1,Elimination of Phosphatides from the crude oils to improve the quality.

2,To avoid high refining losses.

3,To avoid their decomposition so that oil does not darken due to their thermal instability.