LIQUID-LIQUID EQUILIBRIUM AND KINETICS OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACTION OF SOYBEAN OIL USING ETHYL ACETATE AS CO-SOLVENT

Abstract This work reports a new set of experimental data for the liquid-liquid equilibrium (LLE) of the system (soybean oil + ethyl acetate + anhydrous ethanol) and the kinetics of crude oil extraction from soybean flakes using anhydrous ethanol + ethyl acetate mixtures. Data for the LLE binodal were measured at 298.15, 313.15 and 333.15K by the cloud point method and tie-lines were obtained at 298.15 and 313.15 K. LLE data were successfully modeled using the NRTL model. Batch extractions were performed at 298.15, 313.15 and 328.15 K at a fixed (4:1) solvent to soybean flake mass ratio and two concentration of ethyl acetate (5% and 10%) in ethanol. Higher temperatures increased the solubility of the system and improved the extraction yields. In addition, higher ethyl acetate ratios in anhydrous ethanol led to an increase in the total amount of crude oil extracted when operating at 298.15 and 313.15 K. At 328.15 K, no improvement in extractions was verified when 5% and 10% of ethyl acetate were used in the ethanol. A mass transfer model based on Fick’s Law was applied to describe the extraction kinetics, presenting an average relative deviation of ± 5.11%, in terms of extraction yield.