60 Ton sunflower oil refining and dewaxing production line--Dingsheng Machine
Date:Jan 9th, 2026
Crude vegetable oils and animal fats produced through pressing or solvent extraction may contain various minor components, including free fatty acids (ffa), partial glycerides, phospholipids, oxidation products, sterols, tocopherols, pigments, protein fragments, as well as trace contaminants such as pesticides and heavy metals.
The primary purpose of the refining process is to remove these impurities and harmful substances, ensuring that the oil meets strict industry standards and food safety requirements for end consumers.
Main Refining Steps
The refining workshop is generally divided into five key process steps: degumming, neutralization, decolorization, dewaxing, and deodorization.
Degumming: Removes phospholipids, proteins, and other gums from crude oil to prevent foaming and smoking during heating.
Neutralization: Eliminates free fatty acids, reducing the oil’s acid value, improving flavor, and extending shelf life.
Decolorization/ bleaching: Adsorbs pigments and residual impurities, enhancing the oil’s color and clarity.
Dewaxing/winterizing: (Optional for some oils) Removes waxes to improve clarity at low temperatures.
Deodorization: Removes odor-causing compounds, improves smoke point, and ensures suitability for cooking applications.
Main Steps and Key Equipment – Degumming & Neutralization
Degumming: The purpose is to remove gum substances, mainly phospholipids, using the acid hydration method.
Crude oil is pumped from the crude oil tank through a metering system and preheated in the oil heat exchanger and oil heater. It then passes through a dual oil filter for preliminary filtration. The filtered oil enters the oil–acid high-efficiency mixer, where it is thoroughly mixed with phosphoric acid (fed from the high-level acid tank via metering pump) to convert non-hydratable phospholipids into hydratable form.
The oil–acid mixture enters the acid reaction holding tank, which provides sufficient residence time and a controlled environment for complete and uniform reaction, preparing the oil for subsequent neutralization.
Neutralization: The oil–acid mixture is then mixed with alkali in the oil–alkali high-efficiency mixer (alkali pumped from the alkali tank via metering pump). The mixture flows into the alkali reaction holding tank and is then heated before entering a disc-type centrifuge to separate soapstock. The separated soapstock is collected in the soapstock tank.
The neutralized oil continues through a water heating stage and oil–water high-efficiency mixer, followed by another disc-type centrifuge. Since the oil contains residual water, it is sent to a vacuum drying and desolventizing tower. After drying, the oil is pumped forward to the next refining stage if it meets quality requirements; otherwise, it returns to the crude oil tank for reprocessing.
Decolorization/ bleaching
Purpose: Remove pigments and impurities from crude oil using the bleaching clay adsorption method.
The neutralized and dried oil is heated and fed into the oil–bleaching clay mixing tank. Bleaching clay, stored in the clay storage tank with a pulse dust collector on top, is automatically metered into the mixer and thoroughly blended with the oil. The mixture then enters the continuous bleaching tower, which operates at around 110°C for approximately 30 minutes.
After bleaching, the oil is pumped through the bleaching clay filter and then passes through a safety filter. Oil that meets quality standards proceeds to the next refining stage, while non-compliant oil is returned to the holding tank and recycled through the continuous bleaching tower for further treatment.
Dewaxing/winterizing
Purpose: Remove waxes from oil using low-temperature crystallization and filtration.
The bleached oil is preheated in a heat exchanger and fed into the temperature-controlled oil tank. It is then pumped into the crystallization and aging tanks (four independent tanks with separate temperature control) for controlled wax crystallization.
After crystallization, the oil is transferred via the screw pump (crystallization pump) to the horizontal leaf filter. The filtered dewaxed oil passes through a heat exchanger and safety filter before entering the dewaxed oil tank, then pumped to the next refining stage.
Oil that does not meet quality standards is returned to the temperature-controlled tank via the holding tank and reprocessed in the dewaxing section. Wax collected on the filter plates is discharged into the stearin tank, then pumped to the outdoor stearin storage tank or prepared for external sale.
Deodorization
Purpose: Remove odor-causing compounds from oil using high-temperature vacuum deodorization.
The dewaxed oil is first preheated in a heat exchanger and fed into the degassing unit, which removes oxygen to prevent oxidation under vacuum conditions. The degassed oil is then pumped through the oil–oil heat exchanger and thermal oil heater into the deodorization tower.
After deodorization, the oil is pumped through a heat exchanger for cooling, then further cooled in the crude oil heat exchanger and final product cooler. The cooled oil passes through a polishing filter and is finally collected in the deodorized oil tank, ready to be transferred to the finished oil storage via the product oil pump.
A four-stage vacuum steam ejector provides the required vacuum for the deodorization process.
With our advanced refining technology, including degumming, neutralization, bleaching, winterizing, and deodorization, we ensure high-quality, safe, and stable edible oils that meet strict industry standards. Contact us today to learn how our solutions can optimize your production line and deliver superior oil quality.
For more information, please contact us:
Call: +86-159 3716 3029
Email:company@dingmachinery.com
Visit: http://www.dsoilpress.com
The primary purpose of the refining process is to remove these impurities and harmful substances, ensuring that the oil meets strict industry standards and food safety requirements for end consumers.
Main Refining Steps
The refining workshop is generally divided into five key process steps: degumming, neutralization, decolorization, dewaxing, and deodorization.
Degumming: Removes phospholipids, proteins, and other gums from crude oil to prevent foaming and smoking during heating.
Neutralization: Eliminates free fatty acids, reducing the oil’s acid value, improving flavor, and extending shelf life.
Decolorization/ bleaching: Adsorbs pigments and residual impurities, enhancing the oil’s color and clarity.
Dewaxing/winterizing: (Optional for some oils) Removes waxes to improve clarity at low temperatures.
Deodorization: Removes odor-causing compounds, improves smoke point, and ensures suitability for cooking applications.
Main Steps and Key Equipment – Degumming & Neutralization
Degumming: The purpose is to remove gum substances, mainly phospholipids, using the acid hydration method.
Crude oil is pumped from the crude oil tank through a metering system and preheated in the oil heat exchanger and oil heater. It then passes through a dual oil filter for preliminary filtration. The filtered oil enters the oil–acid high-efficiency mixer, where it is thoroughly mixed with phosphoric acid (fed from the high-level acid tank via metering pump) to convert non-hydratable phospholipids into hydratable form.
The oil–acid mixture enters the acid reaction holding tank, which provides sufficient residence time and a controlled environment for complete and uniform reaction, preparing the oil for subsequent neutralization.
Neutralization: The oil–acid mixture is then mixed with alkali in the oil–alkali high-efficiency mixer (alkali pumped from the alkali tank via metering pump). The mixture flows into the alkali reaction holding tank and is then heated before entering a disc-type centrifuge to separate soapstock. The separated soapstock is collected in the soapstock tank.
The neutralized oil continues through a water heating stage and oil–water high-efficiency mixer, followed by another disc-type centrifuge. Since the oil contains residual water, it is sent to a vacuum drying and desolventizing tower. After drying, the oil is pumped forward to the next refining stage if it meets quality requirements; otherwise, it returns to the crude oil tank for reprocessing.
Decolorization/ bleaching
Purpose: Remove pigments and impurities from crude oil using the bleaching clay adsorption method.
The neutralized and dried oil is heated and fed into the oil–bleaching clay mixing tank. Bleaching clay, stored in the clay storage tank with a pulse dust collector on top, is automatically metered into the mixer and thoroughly blended with the oil. The mixture then enters the continuous bleaching tower, which operates at around 110°C for approximately 30 minutes.
After bleaching, the oil is pumped through the bleaching clay filter and then passes through a safety filter. Oil that meets quality standards proceeds to the next refining stage, while non-compliant oil is returned to the holding tank and recycled through the continuous bleaching tower for further treatment.
Dewaxing/winterizing
Purpose: Remove waxes from oil using low-temperature crystallization and filtration.
The bleached oil is preheated in a heat exchanger and fed into the temperature-controlled oil tank. It is then pumped into the crystallization and aging tanks (four independent tanks with separate temperature control) for controlled wax crystallization.
After crystallization, the oil is transferred via the screw pump (crystallization pump) to the horizontal leaf filter. The filtered dewaxed oil passes through a heat exchanger and safety filter before entering the dewaxed oil tank, then pumped to the next refining stage.
Oil that does not meet quality standards is returned to the temperature-controlled tank via the holding tank and reprocessed in the dewaxing section. Wax collected on the filter plates is discharged into the stearin tank, then pumped to the outdoor stearin storage tank or prepared for external sale.
Deodorization
Purpose: Remove odor-causing compounds from oil using high-temperature vacuum deodorization.
The dewaxed oil is first preheated in a heat exchanger and fed into the degassing unit, which removes oxygen to prevent oxidation under vacuum conditions. The degassed oil is then pumped through the oil–oil heat exchanger and thermal oil heater into the deodorization tower.
After deodorization, the oil is pumped through a heat exchanger for cooling, then further cooled in the crude oil heat exchanger and final product cooler. The cooled oil passes through a polishing filter and is finally collected in the deodorized oil tank, ready to be transferred to the finished oil storage via the product oil pump.
A four-stage vacuum steam ejector provides the required vacuum for the deodorization process.
With our advanced refining technology, including degumming, neutralization, bleaching, winterizing, and deodorization, we ensure high-quality, safe, and stable edible oils that meet strict industry standards. Contact us today to learn how our solutions can optimize your production line and deliver superior oil quality.
For more information, please contact us:
Call: +86-159 3716 3029
Email:company@dingmachinery.com
Visit: http://www.dsoilpress.com
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