Crystallization of waxes during sunflowerseed oil refining

Abstract

Abstract Cooling conditions and wax content in oil determine the morphologies adopted by crystals. At high cooling rates (K) and low temperatures of the refrigerant (T f ), nucleation temperatures are low. This induces the formation of a great number of small nuclei. However, at low K and high T f , nucleation temperatures are high, producing a few large nuclei. The wax/oil equilibrium curve was determined; it allows the evaluation of the wax remaining in the oil after a given treatment. In addition, experiments were performed to evaluate crystal separation from oil. The increase of temperature from 10 to 25 C and the presence of soaps in the oil facilitate wax separation. These results give additional information that can improve operating conditions and make the choice of technological alternatives in wax separation easier.