GB418107A - Process and device for extracting fats and oils from animal and vegetable material - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0418107/III/1> In a continuous process for extracting fat from animal and vegetable materials, the pulped raw material is heated in a thin layer under pressure, and the compressed pulp is then subjected to a sudden reduction in pressure whereby the fat cells burst. Raw material is fed from a hopper 8 into a mincer consisting of a compressing worm 13 which coacts with rotary knives 11 and perforated discs 12 to produce a wet pulp which is forced into the narrow annular space 17 between a rotary ribbed cylinder 2 and a steam jacket 15. From this preliminary heater the pulp is forced under high pressure by a pump 3 into a second heating drum and passes between two concentric steam jackets 20, 21, in which space a ribbed rotary element 22 is mounted and rotates together with or in an opposite direction to the inner jacket 21 mounted on a rotary cylinder 4. The heated material then passes to an unheated vessel 5 maintained under pressure, which is connected through a pressure reducing valve 6 to a cyclone or centrifugal separator 7. The fat cells still present in the pulp burst after passing the valve 6 liberating a further quantity of oil. Steam is discharged from the separator 7 through a pipe 33, oil and fat through a pipe 34, and solid residue through a pipe 35. For materials which readily yield oil the preliminary heating drum may be omitted. The pulp may be rendered more liquid by addition of steam, water or solvents to the initial material. The cyclone separator may be replaced by a rotary vacuum drying drum from which the products pass through a filter to separate the oil.