Soybean oil solvent extraction process: a comprehensive guide

The soybean oil solvent extraction process is a widely used method for extracting oil from soybeans, offering high efficiency and yielding a high-quality product. Solvent extraction is a chemical process that separates oil from soybean flakes using a solvent, typically n-hexane. This method is preferred for its ability to extract up to 99% of the oil content, making it more efficient than mechanical pressing. The process is widely used in the edible oil industry due to its scalability and cost-effectiveness. This comprehensive guide for soybean oil solvent extraction process outlines the key steps involved in the soybean oil solvent extraction process, highlighting the principles, equipment, and considerations for optimal production.

1. Key Steps Soybean Oil Solvent Extraction Process

Before extraction, soybeans undergo several preparatory steps:

Cleaning: To remove the impurities like dust, straw, stone and iron impurities in soybeans, including cleaning sieve, de-stoner and magnetic separator.

Crushing: To crush soybean into pieces, making it easier for softening, cooking, pressing or solvent extraction.

Softening: To adjust the temperature and moisture of soybean.

Flaking: To destroy the cell of soybeans, for higher soybean oil yield. Cooking: To cook the flakiness, and make it better for getting oil out.

Soybean oil pre-pressing and solvent extraction equipment

Soybean oil solvent extraction process

The prepared flakes are fed into an extractor, where they come into contact with the solvent (usually n-hexane). The extraction process involves the following stages:

Extraction: The solvent percolates through the flakes, dissolving the oil and forming a miscella (oil-solvent mixture).

Draining: The miscella is drained from the flakes, leaving behind defatted flakes.

Desolventizing: The defatted flakes are heated to remove residual solvent, resulting in soybean meal, a valuable byproduct used in animal feed.

Evaporation: The miscella is heated to evaporate the solvent, which is then condensed and recycled.

Stripping: The remaining oil is stripped of any residual solvent using steam, ensuring the final product is solvent-free.

Solvent Recovery: The recovered solvent is condensed and recycled back into the extraction process, minimizing waste and reducing operational costs.

2. Equipment Used in the Soybean Oil Solvent Extraction Process

Extractor: A large vessel where the solvent and flakes interact (e.g., rotary, basket, or belt extractors).

Evaporator: Used to separate the solvent from the miscella.

Stripper: Removes trace amounts of solvent from the oil.

Condenser: Condenses the evaporated solvent for recycling.

Desolventizer-Toaster (DT): Processes the defatted flakes to remove solvent and produce soybean meal.

3. Key Considerations for Optimal Extraction

Solvent Selection: N-hexane is the most common solvent due to its high efficiency and low boiling point, but alternatives are being explored for environmental and safety reasons.

Temperature Control: Proper temperature management is crucial to prevent solvent loss and ensure efficient extraction.

Safety Measures: Solvent extraction involves flammable materials, so strict safety protocols must be followed to prevent accidents.

Environmental Impact: Efforts should be made to minimize solvent emissions and recycle waste products.

4. Advantages of Soybean Oil Solvent Extraction

The soybean oil solvent extraction process is a highly efficient and widely adopted method for producing edible oil and soybean meal. By following the outlined steps and considerations, manufacturers can optimize their operations, ensuring high yields, product quality, and environmental sustainability. As technology advances, the industry continues to explore greener solvents and more efficient processes to further enhance the extraction process. However, it should be noted that soybean extraction oil contains impurities and substances harmful to the human body. It needs to be refined to remove impurities and harmful substances.

Henan Glory is engaged in the design and manufacturing of soybean oil solvent extraction equipment, selling directly at factory prices. It can provide soybean oil solvent extraction equipment with different processing capacities and can customize equipment of different models and processing capacities for customers. The oil solvent extraction equipment of Henan Glory has exported to dozens of countries, and the feedback from customers are all very good. At the same time, Henan Glory has several engineers with more than ten years, who can provide customers with the best quality service and the most complete solution. If you want to learn more about soybean oil solvent extraction process and soybean oil solvent extraction equipment , please feel free to contact us, and we will be happy to serve you!