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Edible oil refining process solutions

Innovative measurement technologies ensure high production performance and plant availability

Edible oil from plant sources

Edible oil manufacturers face the constantly growing challenges of low margins, fluctuating raw materials quality and changing consumer habits. Improving production performance and driving down operations costs calls for innovative measurement technology. Through targeted and consistent optimization of the refining process, plant operators can minimize downtime and rejects while increasing the added-value of their systems, all without sacrificing product quality.

Key facts

218

million metric tons

of edible oils were produced worldwide in the crop year 2022/2023. Source: www.statista.com

Process instrumentation best suited for your edible oil refining process © C. Thywissen
Insights

Edible oil refining process and instrumentation solutions

In edible oil refining unwanted components are removed from the raw oil. Every process step has its own challenges and needs specific actions and process instrumentation. The main refining process steps:

  • Degumming: Remove of phosphatides from vegetable oil
  • Neutralization: Remove free fatty acids from crude oils by using caustic soda or lime
  • Bleaching: Remove impurities and coloring pigments
  • Deodorization: Remove substances that have a negative influence on odor, taste and color

Our expertise in the field

Endress+Hauser offers a deep industry expertise and knowledge to offer you the right process instrumentation. Every refining process step requires permanent monitoring of critical parameters to ensure a continuous high product quality. A wide range of process instruments for measuring and monitoring temperature, pressure, flow, color and turbidity assure your product quality.

  • Discover a complete product portfolio for temperature measurement like compact thermometers, modular thermometers, thermowells, measurement inserts and transmitters.
  • Choose the flowmeter best suited to your process needs from our comprehensive product basket.
  • Rely on our pressure measurement with a wide range of sensor technologies that perfectly suited for any kind of application.
  • Monitor the product quality with our color sensor OUSAF22.
  • Measure turbidity and suspended solids for quality assurance with our inline turbidity sensor OUSTF10.
Storage tanks for all kinds of raw materials and edible oil @ C. Thywissen
Insights

Raw material delivery and inventory management

The loading, unloading and storage of raw material and edible oil requires detailed information regarding quantities and volumes. It all starts with the delivery of raw material to produce edible or vegetable oil. At the end of the production the edible oil requires an optimal inventory management.

Our expertise in the field

Our radar-based measurement instruments continually and precisely monitor the fill level in the storage tanks and silos, regardless if the raw material is delivered in solid or liquid form.

Temperature measurement in the edible oil refinery @ C. Thywissen
Insights

Process safety in all temperature ranges

From pressing to finished edible oil, the raw oil passes through various temperature ranges to ensure product quality. In the deodorizing step, the process temperature rises to as high as 240 °C.

Our expertise in the field

Endress+Hauser offers a wide range of temperature measurement instruments for all process requirements, from simple compact thermometers to modular temperature transmitters.

Pressure measurement in the deodorization process of edible oil @ C. Thywissen
Insights

Safely monitoring pressure and vacuum in the vessels

Ceramic measurement cells are a proven technology for maintaining the proper vacuum level in the vessels during the process.

Our expertise in the field

Thanks to a vacuum-proof ceramic measurement cell with integrated breakage detection membrane, our Cerabar pressure transmitter ensures a high degree of process safety . The Quick Setup feature with configurable measuring range allows simple commissioning, reduces costs and saves time.

Precise flow measurement in the edible oil refinery @ C. Thywissen
Insights

Flow and volume monitoring even in demanding applications

Flowmeters are used to reliably monitor the transfer of the raw oil within the individual process steps.

Our expertise in the field

As a result, loss can be detected and prevented in order to maintain the yield at a constantly high level. In addition, highly precise Coriolis flowmeters are used to control the dosing of process enhancers, operating materials and additives, thus ensuring product quality.

  • Benefit from simultaneous measurement of mass flow, density, temperature and viscosity thanks to Coriolis flow measurement.
  • Discover Proline Promass F 300, the Coriolis flowmeter with premium accuracy, robustness and an ultra-compact transmitter.
  • Avoid process interruptions by permanent diagnostics, verification and monitoring thanks to Heartbeat Technology. It ensures a cost-efficient and safe plant operation during the entire life cycle.
Maintenance work in a plant ©Endress+Hauser
Insights

Maintenance keeps your processes safe and efficient

Regular maintenance is decisive to ensure that all instruments required for production operate at 100% efficiency around the clock.

Our expertise in the field

Optimize your maintenance effort and activities across your installed base with Endress+Hauser's maintenance services.

Benefits

As a manufacturer of edible oils, you face constant pressure to conserve resources and reduce downtime while simultaneously maximizing productivity. That’s why you need a reliable partner. Our experienced team of industry experts can help you select the right measurement technology for all of your critical process parameters, enabling you to ensure product safety and quality at the same time.

Key facts

100%

measurement reliability thanks to calibration ensured by our global service experts

Key facts

ONE

reliable partner with application, industry and process expertise in the manufacture of edible oils

Key facts

24/7

system availability without interruptions or downtime

Takeaway

How we can help

Endress+Hauser provides an excellent industry and application expertise. We offer a broad range of reliable and robust process instrumentation to produce high-quality edible oils. Our solutions support you in every step of your refining process - from degumming, neutralization, bleaching, deodorization up to dry fractionation. Sustainable process improvements help you avoid loss and optimize the performance of your production system.

  • Consistent product quality on highest level
  • Process improvements to reduce waste and loss
  • Real-time process data that serves as a foundation for maintenance

Endnotes

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