Plant scale comparisons of various refining methods for cottonseed oil

Abstract

Three different refining processes were commercially compared by processing 15,148 metric tons of cottonseed with free fatty acid content varying between 7.1% and 8.9%. All of the seed was prepressed and solvent extracted in the Sanbra plant at Bauru, Brazil. The Ranchers Miscella refining process operating on seed averaging 8.8% F.F.A. yielded more oil of lighter color per ton of seed processed than either of the other processes compared, even though the average F.F.A. of the seed processed during the Ranchers Miscella Refining test averaged 1.7% higher than the seed used in the Sanbra process and 1.1% higher than the average F.F.A. for the seed used in the Low Loss Refining test. In another comparison, screw pressed oil, Modified Soda Ash refined was compared to Ranchers Miscella refining with seed containing about 0.5% F.F.A. The results showed 42% lower refining loss and a color of 3.5 Red Lovibond units less for Ranchers Miscella refined oil than for Modified Soda Ash refined oil. The average cost of converting crude cottonseed oil to prime bleachable summer yellow oil by the miscella refining process described is 20.8Ţ per hundred weight of oil (not including refining loss). These costs include the prorated cost of control laboratory, plant labor and supervision, fuel, power, chemicals, depreciation, taxes and insurance.