Question

I have soya acid oil with FFA percentage of about 40. After degumming and glycerolysis I am able to bring down the FFA percentage to 5. It does go down to about 2 percentage but it takes an enormous amount of time.

At this stage I want to distill the oil and extract two fractions, first being FFA and other being TGs.

Assuming this would also improve the color of the oil and will settle pigment and unsaponifiables as pitch in the distillation flask.

I have following available:

1. Distillation flask 1 litre
2. Packed column 12 inches (ratchet rings)
3. Thermometer head along with thermometer.
4. Condenser Collection flask with vaccum adaptor
5. Vaccum pump
6. Heating mantle with temperature dial but no visual temperature display.

Is it possible to achieve this?

Answer 1

Yes, it is possible to achieve distillation of the oil and extract two fractions, FFA and TGs. Fractional distillation can be used for this purpose, based on the different boiling points of the components. The setup includes a distillation flask, packed column, condenser, collection flask, and a vacuum pump.

Step-by-step explanation:

Yes, it is possible to achieve your goal of distilling the oil and extracting two fractions, FFA and TGs. Fractional distillation is a commonly used method to separate the components of a mixture based on their boiling points. In your case, you have a mixture of FFA (Free Fatty Acids) and TGs (Triglycerides). FFA has a lower boiling point compared to TGs, so it will vaporize at a lower temperature.

To perform fractional distillation, you will need to set up your apparatus as follows:

1. Attach the distillation flask to a heating mantle and place a thermometer head with a thermometer in the flask.
2. Connect the distillation flask to a packed column which will help in separation.
3. Attach a condenser and a collection flask with a vacuum adapter to collect the distillate.
4. Connect the vacuum pump to create a vacuum inside the apparatus.

Once the apparatus is set up, heat the oil in the distillation flask gradually. As the temperature increases, the FFA will vaporize first and rise up the column. As it cools down in the column, it will condense and collect in the collection flask. The other fraction, TGs, will stay in the flask and can be collected separately after the distillation process.