DETERGENT

FRACTIONATION
 Modification of dry
method

Aqueous
detergent Function: to
solution: separate the
liquid phase
1) Wet agent
(sodium lauryl
DETERGENT (olein) and solid
phase (stearin)
sulfate) FRACTIONATION by adding an
2) Electrolyte aqueous
(magnesium or detergent
sodium solution to the
sulphate ) crystallized oil
 WET FRACTIONATION
• Oil in crystallizers cooled using chilled
water

• semi-solid slurry mixed with an aqueous

solution containing electrolyte (2%) &
detergent (5%)

• Allows crystals to be easily suspended in

aqueous phase

• electrolyte helps in uniting of the olein

droplets formed during mixing

• detergent wets surface of stearin

crystals thus displacing entrained olein
 WET FRACTIONATION
• stearin & detergent form a discrete
phase of higher density (easily
centrifuged)

• lighter phase consists of olein & traces of

detergent

• washed, dried & olein sent to storage

• heavier phase (containing most of the

detergent) heated to melt the stearin &
sent to second centrifuge where stearin
is separated from the detergent

• stearin washed, dried & sent to storage.

• continuous
Detergent process
is recycled
 WET FRACTIONATION

• stearin produced is of intermediate quality compared to that obtained by

solvent or dry fractionation

•more expensive (requires large quantities of detergent) than dry

fractionation

•more complete separation of the soft & hard fractions can be achieved
thus producing a higher olein yield and a harder stearin fraction
SOLVENT FRACTIONATION
 Function: to separate the liquid
phase (olein) and solid phase Solvent:
(stearin) by adding solvent to the Hexane
palm oil or Acetone

Advantages:
ability to
wash the SOLVENT Low
crystal to FRACTIONATION intersolubility
remove the
entrained oil
(oil trapped
between the
crystals)
Only used for production of
high-value products such as
CBE & other speciality fats
 SOLVENT FRACTIONATION
•Solvent is mixed with oil in a 1:3 ratio
•Pumped into crystallizer
•Cooling either by chilled water or brine (for very low temperature)
•Miscella containing partially crystallized oil & solvent sent to a vacuum suction
filter
•Olein/solvent & stearin/solvent mixtures sent to solvent recovery plants where
solvent is separated from the fractions and recycled
•Yield : 80 – 83% olein
• continuous process
 LIMITATIONS OF SOLVENT FRACTIONATION

q high investment costs incurred due to solvent recovery equipments & stringent
safety features

q hazardous nature of the operation (solvent highly flammable)

q High operating cost as skilled manpower & additional processing in solvent

recovery and purification

q high energy consumption due to increased cooling capacity requirements &

evaporation of solvent
FRACTIONATION OF PALM KERNEL OIL

• Palm kernel oil fractionated by dry, detergent & solvent fractionation

• Different conditions of operations due to the different triglyceride
compositions & crystallization behaviour
• Separation of palm kernel olein from the stearin in dry fractionation is
by hydraulic pressing under high pressure
PALM OLEIN vs OLIVE OIL
FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF PO & PKO PRODUCTS