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A simple oil crushing system
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In order to produce oil that will be suitable for conversion into biodiesel, or even for export, the raw grain will have to undergo a number of processes.
The process involved in Oil milling can be grouped into two broad categories,
Preparation and Extraction.
The preparation stage consists of a series of seed treatments, such as cleaning, cooking, flaking, which cause the feed material to be in the optimum condition for subsequent extraction. Efficient oil extraction by a screw press is highly dependent on having the correct pretreatment before pressing. The object of the pretreatment is to feed the press with a material that has the proportion of non-oil-bearing husks reduced and has its cellular structure broken down by a combination of mechanical action and cooking. The cooking will also control the moisture content of the feed.
The extraction stage itself is carried out using a screw press, sometimes known as an expeller. The press will be fed by means of a variable speed conveyor within the feeder unit. The feeder regulates the flow of material into the press, and thereby controls the loading on the press main motor. Oil released along the length of the cage is allowed to drain into the base of the press, where it is collected. The solid material remaining within the press is finally discharged into conveyors to be removed for solvent extraction process.
The oil released from expellers collects in oil-foots tank which is then goes to the filtration section. The oil and foots are separated by vibration separators, foots then go back to an expeller and oil is then filtered by pressure leaf filter and finally undergoes further process or into storage tanks.
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Various Crushing Options
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There are a wide variety of ways that oil is extracted from the feedstock. Depending on the local conditions, finances, feedstock, permitting or price of energy, the company that wishes to build its own production line needs to consider a wide variety of options. There is no single system that will handle all grains, but by making some key early decisions it is possible to build a facility that will produce both oil and revenue on its own.
Rather than review all these options, why not just look at some new ideas and debunk some old myths.
Expanders, not a new technology but rarely seen in North America, the expander is a way of bursting the oil cells under a sudden pressure release prior to sending the result to through the crusher. Specifying an expander will reduce your energy bills, put less strain on the load bearing motors and produce a clearer oil because the pressures downstream are reduced.
Hexane Extraction, no longer the incredibly expensive luxury that it was reputed to be,it is possible to include a hexane expander system within your crushing facility at a very reasonable price. The hexane extractor is the most efficient way to pull out the most oil from your grain. permitting, once undertaken, is simpler than you may think because the systems have been around for years without any serious mishaps.
Plant size. Biodiesel producers always underestimate the size of the plant they require. When calculating how many tons per day you need, carefully consider the average amount of oil per ton of grain, dial in the crushing efficiency of your system and add about 15% for good measure. The reason for the latter is that very soon other grain producers will be knocking on your door for a space on your crushing line.
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