Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Comparative simulation studies on the countercurrent multi-stage solid–liquid extraction of soybean oil by ethanol and hexane

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Chemical Papers Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study addresses the need for a more environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to hexane, the conventional solvent for oil extraction. Hexane, while efficient in dissolving oil, poses neurotoxicity risks and stems from nonrenewable sources. In contrast, ethanol, produced via biotechnological methods, offers a promising alternative due to its minimal environmental impact, cost-effectiveness, and safety profile. The objective of this work is to compare the performance of hexane and ethanol in the extraction of soybean oil, employing simulation techniques rather than traditional laboratory experiments. The research develops a mathematical model for a countercurrent multistage solid–liquid extraction process, specifically tailored for soybean oil extraction, and simulates the process using MATLAB/SIMULINK. The results reveal that hexane exhibits a higher initial extraction rate, especially over a 90-min simulation period, though ethanol demonstrates comparable efficiency. Moreover, ethanol consistently showcases higher extraction efficiency relative to hexane when considering solvent-to-solid mass ratios. In conclusion, both hexane and ethanol extraction prove practical with ethanol holding advantages in terms of safety and extraction efficiency. These simulation findings serve as a valuable foundation for subsequent laboratory experiments which can contribute to the validation and refinement of the simulation model.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Atabani AE, Silitonga AS, Ong HC, Mahlia TMI, Masjuki HH, Badruddin IA, Fayaz H (2013) Non-edible vegetable oils: a critical evaluation of oil extraction, fatty acid compositions, biodiesel production, characteristics, engine performance and emissions production. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 18:211–245

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bessa LC, Ferreira MC, Rodrigues CE, Batista EA, Meirelles AJ (2017) Simulation and process design of continuous countercurrent ethanolic extraction of rice bran oil. J Food Eng 202:99–113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Comerlatto A, Voll FA, Daga AL, Fontana É (2021) Mass transfer in soybean oil extraction using ethanol/isopropyl alcohol mixtures. Int J Heat Mass Transf 165:120630

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferreira MC, Gonçalves D, Bessa LC, Rodrigues CE, Meirelles AJ, Batista EA (2022) Soybean oil extraction with ethanol from multiple-batch assays to reproduce a continuous, countercurrent, and multistage equipment. Chem Eng Process Process Intensif 170:108659

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gaonkar V, Rosentrater KA (2019) Soybean. Integrated processing technologies for food and agricultural by-products. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 73–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghouila Z, Sehailia M, Chemat S (2019) Vegetable oils and fats: extraction, composition and applications. Plant based “green chemistry 2.0” moving from evolutionary to revolutionary. Springer, Singapore, pp 339–375

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Green DW, Perry RH (2008) Perry’s chemical engineers’ handbook. McGraw-Hill Education, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Gworek B, Kijeńska M, Wrzosek J, Graniewska M (2021) Pharmaceuticals in the soil and plant environment: a review. Water Air Soil Pollut 232:1–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hammond EG, Johnson LA, Su C, Wang T, White PJ (2005) Soybean oil. Bailey’s industrial oil and fat products. Wiley, New Jersey, pp 577–653

    Google Scholar 

  • Issariyakul T, Dalai AK (2014) Biodiesel from vegetable oils. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 31:446–471

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson LA, Myers DJ (1995) Industrial uses for soybeans. Practical handbook of soybean processing and utilization. AOCS Press, Urbana, pp 380–427

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar SJ, Prasad SR, Banerjee R, Agarwal DK, Kulkarni KS, Ramesh KV (2017) Green solvents and technologies for oil extraction from oilseeds. Chem Cent J 11:1–7

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li H, Biller P, Hadavi SA, Andrews GE, Przybyla G, Lea-Langton A (2013) Assessing combustion and emission performance of direct use of SVO in a diesel engine by oxygen enrichment of intake air method. Biomass Bioenerg 51:43–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin L, Ying D, Chaitep S, Vittayapadung S (2009) Biodiesel production from crude rice bran oil and properties as fuel. Appl Energy 86(5):681–688

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira R, Oliveira V, Aracava KK, da Costa Rodrigues CE (2012) Effects of the extraction conditions on the yield and composition of rice bran oil extracted with ethanol—a response surface approach. Food Bioprod Process 90(1):22–31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Özçelik A, Turgut SS, Küçüköner E, Karacabey E (2024) Solid-liquid extraction (leaching) in the food industry. Extraction processes in the food industry. Woodhead Publishing, Sawston, pp 17–44

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rai A, Mohanty B, Bhargava R (2015) Modeling and response surface analysis of supercritical extraction of watermelon seed oil using carbon dioxide. Sep Purif Technol 141:354–365

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigues CE, Gonçalves CB, Marcon EC, Batista EA, Meirelles AJ (2014) Deacidification of rice bran oil by liquid–liquid extraction using a renewable solvent. Sep Purif Technol 132:84–92

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sawada MM, Venâncio LL, Toda TA, Rodrigues CE (2014) Effects of different alcoholic extraction conditions on soybean oil yield, fatty acid composition and protein solubility of defatted meal. Food Res Int 62:662–670

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang QW, Lin LG, Ye WC (2018) Techniques for extraction and isolation of natural products: a comprehensive review. Chin Med 13:1–26

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

The authors did not receive support from any organization for the submitted work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Landmark University, P.M.B. 1001, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria

    Temitope A. Oshin & Jerry C. Abadi

  2. Landmark University SDG 9 Research Cluster (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), P.M.B. 1001, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria

    Temitope A. Oshin

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria

    Kingsley E. Abhulimen

  4. Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Landmark University, P.M.B. 1001, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria

    Timothy A. Adekanye

Authors
  1. Temitope A. Oshin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kingsley E. Abhulimen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jerry C. Abadi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Timothy A. Adekanye
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Temitope A. Oshin.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interests

The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Oshin, T.A., Abhulimen, K.E., Abadi, J.C. et al. Comparative simulation studies on the countercurrent multi-stage solid–liquid extraction of soybean oil by ethanol and hexane. Chem. Pap. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-024-03509-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-024-03509-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation