ENGINEERING FACTORS AFFECTING EXTRACTION OF CANOLA OIL

A study was carried out to test and evaluate the effect of pre-thermal treatment, pressing pressure and holding time on mechanical extraction of canola oil using a laboratory scale hydraulic press unit. The experimental parameters included five different levels of crushed seeds heating temperature (30, 7٥, 100, 12٥ and 1٥0oC) for 30 minutes, five levels of pressure over the samples mats (1٦3, 20٤, 2٤٤, 28٥ and 32٦ bar) and four levels of holding time (20, ٤0, ٦0 and 80 min). The experimental measurements included, seed bulk temperature, extracted and remained oil percentages, extraction efficiency and percentage of free fatty acids in the extracted oil. The obtained results showed that, the percentage of remaining oil decreased with the increase of bulk temperature among 30 to ٦2oC, while it was increased as the bulk temperature exceeded ٦2 till 90oC. Also, the percentage of remaining oil decreased and the extraction efficiency increased with the increasing of both, the applied pressure and the holding time at all levels of crushed seeds. On the other hands, no effect on the percentage of FFA in the extracted oil was observed at all levels of experimental parameters. The recorded values of the FFA percentage were ranged from 0.32 to 0٫38% which was in the safe level for similar type of oils.