BRONTOil soybean oil plant

Place of equipment manufacture: LLC “CherkasyElevatorMash” TM BRONTO, Ukraine, 18028

This technical information addresses a comprehensive solution to a production requirement— “A mini-plant for soybean oil production” using the extrusion-pressing method—which comprises the following production stages:

Depending on consumer needs and the level of automation, the line’s components can be equipped with various auxiliary operating systems and additional machines.

Description of the Process and Technology

Principle of the proposed technology

We offer modern technology for soybean processing based on the extruder-press method. Our equipment enables us to meet specific customer requirements across a wide range of scales—from very small volumes to large-scale production facilities.

The proposed single-stage pressing and extrusion technology comprises the following main processes:

1. mechanical and thermal processing of soybean seeds via extrusion to produce “Full-Fat” semi-defatted oilcake;
2. pressing.

Depending on the required production capacity, this technology can be implemented using standard BRONTO equipment as follows:

SOYBEAN PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY:

Single-stage displacement with extrusion

KEY PARAMETERS OF THE RAW MATERIAL BEING PROCESSED

MAIN PARAMETERS OF THE FINAL RAW MATERIAL,

obtained via single-stage extrusion-pressing

Soybean Oil Production Process

using the single-stage pressing-with-extrusion method, consists of the following main stages:

   1. Preparation of raw materials

The soybean oil production technology includes a raw material preparation stage:

• receiving;
• storage;
• removal of metal impurities;
• metered feeding for processing.

To reduce fiber content and increase protein levels in the meal, a hulling and grinding unit can be used to de-hull and crush the soybeans. The prepared soybeans are then conveyed to a buffer storage area.

It is recommended to maintain a buffer stock of raw material sufficient for several hours of continuous line operation.

The following options may be utilized at the client’s request:

• “Soybean cleaning” – for removing mineral and metal impurities;
• “Dehulling and grinding” – for dehulling and grinding soybeans.

   2. EXTRUSION

This processing stage takes place in an extruder under high pressure within the chamber for a few seconds. The thermal exposure is brief, lasting only long enough to neutralize anti-nutritional substances and sterilize the raw material (destroying microorganisms and mold). Significant expansion of the product as it exits the extruder disrupts cellular structures, facilitating oil extraction in the subsequent stage.

   3. PRESSING

After extrusion, the extrudate—heated to a temperature of 125–155°C—is fed into the press via a feeder. Excess steam from the feeder is vented into the ventilation system. Upon exiting the press, the oil cake is conveyed to the cooling stage and subsequently to storage.

At the customer’s request, the following OPTIONS may be utilized:

• “Oilcake grinding” – to obtain oilcake of the required particle size;
• “Oilcake moistening” – to increase moisture content to 8–9%.

4. COOLING

After pressing, the oil cake has a temperature of 80°C and is conveyed to the cooling stage by a screw feeder. The cooler brings the oil cake to a temperature 10°C above ambient room temperature. A drum-type cooler is used in the standard oil processing workflow.

The “Counter-flow cooler” option is available. Excess steam from the press and the screw feeder—which conveys the oil cake from the press to the cooler—is vented into a fan-equipped ventilation system.

After cooling, the oil cake is transported to the storage area.

   5. WAREHOUSING

To improve the oilcake storage and monitoring process, we recommend bulk storage. Conveying equipment is used to distribute the oilcake across the warehouse floor. An option for storing oilcake in big bags is also available.
Oil filtration is carried out in two stages. In the first stage, the oil passes through a sediment trap to remove large mechanical particles (hull fragments); the second stage involves filtration using a filter unit.

Oil is pumped from the sediment trap to the filter. The filtered oil is sent to a storage tank.
Oil is loaded into the tanker truck using a pump.

At the customer’s request, the following OPTIONS may be utilized:

• “Oil filtration using a decanter (centrifuge)”;
• “Oil filtration using communicating vessels”.

Options

The following options can be added to the proposed technology:

– Seed storage option
Used for receiving and storing seeds. Storage options for the raw material include floor storage and storage in big bags.

– Soybean cleaning option
To ensure the quality of the soybeans being processed, a soybean cleaning option is available. This involves the use of additional equipment (such as a destoner and a grain cleaning separator).

– Soybean dehulling and grinding option
Designed for the dehulling and grinding of soybeans. It involves the use of a dehulling and grinding unit.

– Oilcake grinding option
This option is used when it is necessary to obtain oilcake with specific particle sizes. It involves the use of an oilcake grinder mounted on the oil press.

– Counter-flow meal cooler option
Used to replace a drum-type cooler with a counter-flow cooler.
Using this type of cooler helps reduce equipment noise and provides a capacity and footprint margin should the processing line’s throughput be increased. This option is particularly effective when operating four or more soybean processing lines (4 x 1 t/h).

– Oilcake moistening option
Designed to moisten the oilcake to a level of 8–9%, making it possible to compensate for moisture loss during extrusion.

– Big-bag storage option for oilcake
This option replaces floor storage of oilcake with storage in big bags. It involves additional equipment for feeding the oilcake to the big-bag filling unit. It reduces the floor space required for oilcake storage and eliminates the need for additional equipment to handle bulk-stored oilcake.

– Mechanical sludge collection option for presses.
Used in lines with a capacity of 2–4 tonnes per hour.

– Oil filtration using the principle of communicating vessels
This method is used to reduce the cost of vegetable oil production. It involves the use of two or more interconnected containers; subsequent containers fill up only after the preceding ones have overflowed. The gradual flow of oil through these containers and the resulting settling period allow the oil to undergo filtration via sedimentation. The bottoms of the containers must be cleaned of sediment periodically.

– Automated process control option
The level of process automation depends on the customer’s requirements and is tailored to individual needs. All the listed options are supplied with the necessary electrical equipment for their operation and include connections to the control and regulation system.

The price of the options listed in the quotation is valid only if they are ordered simultaneously with the technology itself. The cost of additional supplies is generally significantly higher and must be calculated separately, taking specific conditions into account.