Solvent Extraction Systems
Extracting oils from low oil-bearing materials to levels below 1%.
Solvent Extraction
Plant.
A large body of research has been conducted on the solvent extraction process using various solvents, and it has ultimately been found that hexane is the most suitable, economical, and easily recyclable solvent for such systems..
Solvent extraction is a process technology used to extract oils and oleo compounds from oil-bearing materials. Considering various practical aspects, it has proven effective for extracting oil from low oil-bearing materials to levels below 1%, leaving behind protein-rich meal suitable for applications such as poultry, fish, animal feed, and pet food. Over time, various types of extractors have been designed for this purpose, including the Ball Mill Extractor, Kennedy Extractor, Rotocell Extractor, Rotary Cell Extractor, and Moving Bed Extractor.
The moving deep bed extractor is widely used with hexane as the solvent for extracting oils from a broad range of oil-bearing materials such as soybeans, cottonseed, sunflower seeds, and oil cakes from groundnut, castor, mustard, safflower, sunflower, shea, as well as materials like cocoa nibs. Proper preparation is essential to make the material suitable for extraction. Oil can be extracted from oil-bearing seeds, expelled cakes, or expanded materials.
Moving bed extractors are commonly used with capacities ranging from 60 tons per day to 1000 tons per day to extract oils from various seeds and expelled cakes.
Flagship Equipment
Solvent Extractor
Prepared seeds, oil cakes, or expanded materials are conveyed to the extractor through a sealed feeding system with level controls. Inside the moving bed extractor, hexane is sprayed counter-currently over the material, dissolving the oil to form miscella. The miscella is collected, filtered, and sent to a holding tank. The de-oiled material, still containing solvent, is then discharged and conveyed through a sealed system to a desolventizer toaster.
Proper preparation is essential to make the material suitable for extraction. Oil can be extracted from oil-bearing seeds, expelled cakes, or expanded materials, leaving behind protein-rich meal suitable for applications such as poultry, fish, animal feed, and pet food.
Striking Features
Key Features
Perforated mesh / wedge wire system for better percolation based on type of raw material.
Superior level controls to minimize losses.
Retention time can be varied according raw material.
Lower Power Consumption with planetary drive mechanism.
Automatic online mesh cleaning system.
Low maintenance cost.
Increased draining time to minimize hexane content in de-oiled meal.
Meal Desolventization
The solvent-extracted material is heated in a desolventizer toaster with steam to remove residual solvent, producing de-oiled cake (meal). It is then toasted with controlled moisture to deactivate enzymes and sent for conditioning and bagging.
Solvent vapors and fines are treated in a wet scrubber using hot water, then passed to a condensation system. The process operates in a closed loop, recovering solvent efficiently before final meal handling.
Miscella Distillation System
Fines-free solvent vapors from the wet scrubber pass through the economizer (shell side), where they transfer heat to filtered miscella flowing in the tube side. The heated miscella is partially vaporized in a flasher, becoming more concentrated, while the vapors are sent for condensation.
The concentrated miscella then moves through a series of evaporators and flashers, where it is progressively heated and concentrated up to about 98%. It is then fed into a vacuum-operated stripping column, where remaining solvent is removed using thin-film exposure. Finally, the oil is dried under vacuum to reduce residual solvent to minimal levels, cooled through a heat recovery and cooling system, and transferred to an intermediate storage tank.
Striking Features
Key Features
Minimum Power Consumption
Minimum Steam Consumption
Heat Recovery Systems Included
Dish & Doughnut stripping column for hexane removal
High Velocity liquid flow design to prevent sludge deposition
Technical Capacities
Performance Metrics
Moving bed extractors are commonly used with capacities ranging from 60 tons per day to 1000 tons per day.
Proven effective for extracting oil from low oil-bearing materials to levels strictly below 1%.
Miscella moves through evaporators where it is progressively heated and concentrated up to 98%.
Related Solvent Extraction Plant Process
(Oilseed Wise)
Sheanut Solvent Extraction Plant Process
Soybean Solvent Extraction Plant Process
Cottonseed Solvent Extraction Plant Process
Palm Kernel Solvent Extraction Plant Process
Mustard / Canola / Rapeseed Solvent Extraction Plant Process
Sunflower Seed Solvent Extraction Plant Process
Rice Bran Solvent Extraction Plant Process
Groundnut / Peanut Solvent Extraction Plant Process
Sesame Seed Solvent Extraction Plant Process
Coconut / Copra Solvent Extraction Plant Process
Striking Features of Our Plant
Our solvent extraction systems are engineered combining decades of metallurgical expertise with advanced features that deliver robust machinery solutions.
Heavy Duty Construction
In-house manufacturing facility using high-grade steel plates for better quality and alignment.
Energy Efficient
Designed for minimum power and steam consumption, complete with integrated Heat Recovery Systems.
Advanced Control
Superior level controls to minimize losses and an automatic online mesh cleaning system.
Very Low Maintenance
Surface hardened rotating arms and a planetary drive mechanism for long life and minimal upkeep.
Scientific Backing
Industry Research
"A large body of research has been conducted on the solvent extraction process using various solvents, and it has ultimately been found that hexane is the most suitable, economical, and easily recyclable solvent for such systems."
Process Technology
Research & Development
Technical Specifications
Detailed Capabilities
We use a perforated mesh / wedge wire system for better percolation based on the type of raw material, complete with an automatic online mesh cleaning system.
Absolutely. We use completely flameproof (FLP) electrical motors, panels, and instruments. The plant is designed following strict international safety codes for hexane handling to ensure zero fire risks.
Solvent vapors are efficiently condensed using water-cooled condensers. Uncondensed gases pass through a mineral oil-based Vent Catch recovery system to minimize solvent losses to less than 1-2 liters per ton.
Moving bed extractors are commonly used with capacities ranging from 60 tons per day to 1000 tons per day to extract oils from various seeds and expelled cakes.
The DT uses live and indirect steam to completely evaporate residual hexane from the extracted meal while simultaneously toasting it to destroy anti-nutritional factors like urease.
Yes, our continuous moving bed extractors are highly versatile. With proper preparatory equipment, they can process expanded soybean, cottonseed, sunflower, rice bran, and various oil cakes.