Simulation of corn oil de-acidification through solvent extraction process

This study simulates the de-acidification of corn oil using liquid-liquid extraction. Ethanol is used as solvent with a water content between 5 to 6 wt%. Prediction of thermodynamic phase equilibrium properties is important for accurate simulation of liquid-liquid extraction, the former of which is the primary emphasis of this research. Liquid-Liquid Equilibrium (LLE) is modeled using the Non Random Two Liquid (NRTL) and UNIversal QUAci Chemical (UNIQUAC) models. The interaction parameters between molecules for both models are obtained by regression analysis of experimental LLE data. Deviation from experimental values is used as a basis for the comparison of the NRTL and UNIQUAC models. The simulation results are verified with existing LLE laboratory data. The outcomes of this study provide the various thermodynamic interaction parameters needed for simulation of the liquid-liquid extraction of Free Fatty Acids (FFA) from corn oil using a binary solvent mixture consisting of ethanol and water. In addition, it also provides information needed to evaluate the performance of simultaneous reaction with extraction for the case where sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is added to the solvent. The effect of reaction between sodium hydroxide and FFA was also briefly investigated