Abstract
Energy requirement in each stage of the refining process of rice bran oil was (1) estimated by survey at a industrial rice bran oil refining plant, (2) measured experimentally using desktop glassware apparatuses with personal-computer in our laboratory, and the results were discussed.
Refining processes that were used in the factory were mostly in order to measure both energy and mass balances with ease and adequate accuracy. Each stage of refining was as follows. Dewaxing, Degumming, Neutralizing, Washing Dehydrating, Decolorizing and Deodorizing. Also, these steps might be necessary if expensive centrifuges were not to be used in refining.
The crude oil used in these experiments was purchased from the factory. It was extracted with hexane from rice bran.
The experimental results of each refining process are summarized. The total energy required to refine 1 ton of crude oil was 3944MJ. And the total energy required to produce 1 ton of refined oil was 7350MJ. The authors were satisfied with this value when compared with the factory value of 3152MJ. The final refined product was 53.7% in weight of crude oil. Then the refined oil was of a good enough flavor and taste.
