Pressed
oleaginous seeds release a large amount of oil.
However,
the oil coming out of the presses is too rich in organic solids
(biomass) and must be separated.
Initial
separation is done using a two-phase horizontal decanter, which
separates the solid part (cake) from the liquid part (oil).
The
liquid, already partially clarified, can be further cleaned with a
two-phase disc separator that further separates the solid part from
the liquid part (oil).
Directly
using a vertical disc centrifuge after pressing is not feasible
because the large amount of solids would immediately clog the disc
column of the separator, obstructing the separation process. The
decanter, however, is capable of removing large amounts of solids.
The centrifugal force of the decanter is lower compared to the
vertical separator, which is why, after the decanter, we use a disc
separator in the final phase to remove any remaining suspended solids
dispersed in the oil after separation by the decanter.
In
conclusion, in the production of vegetable oils—whether from
rapeseed, corn, sunflower, grape seed, palm, hemp, or soy—the
process typically involves first using a horizontal decanter followed
by a vertical separator.