Prep Section

The prep or preparatory section in the solvent extraction plant is a crucial first step in the extraction of edible oil from seed/fruit. Depending on the seed type, preparation may involve tempering, cleaning, cracking, conditioning, cooking, flaking/pelletising, and drying.

Conditioning uses heat and moisture to improve oil yield, cooking ruptures oil cells and reduces oil viscosity and flaking/pelletising increases the surface area of the material thereby improving extraction efficiency. Steam is used in these processes to achieve the desired temperature and moisture levels, but deviations from ideal levels is common across plants.

Moisture is a critical parameter that directly affects extraction rate and yield. Excess moisture prevents proper percolation of the solvent while lower material moisture results in improper palletisation. In both cases, the yield reduces. Temperature overshoots increase steam consumption, increasing operating costs.