Liquid–liquid equilibria for systems composed of refined soybean oil, free fatty acids, ethanol, and water at different temperatures

• Published in: Fluid phase equilibria 2010-12, Vol.299 (1), p.141-147
• Main Authors: Chiyoda, Cristina, Peixoto, Elaine C.D., Meirelles, Antonio J.A., Rodrigues, Christianne E.C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Deacidification; Ethanol; Ethyl alcohol; Fat industries; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Linoleic acid; Liquid-liquid equilibria; Liquid–liquid extraction; Mathematical models; Moisture content; NRTL; Solubility; Solvent extraction; Solvents; Soybeans
• ISSN: 0378-3812; 1879-0224
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fluid.2010.09.024

Soybean oil can be deacidified by liquid–liquid extraction with ethanol. In the present paper, the liquid–liquid equilibria of systems composed of refined soybean oil, commercial linoleic acid, ethanol and water were investigated at 298.2 K. The experimental data set obtained from the present study (at 298.2 K) and the results of Mohsen-Nia et al. [1] (at 303.2 K) and Rodrigues et al. [2] (at 323.2 K) were correlated by applying the non-random two liquid (NRTL) model. The results of the present study indicated that the mutual solubility of the compounds decreased with an increase in the water content of the solvent and a decrease in the temperature of the solution. Among variables, the water content of the solvent had the strongest effect on the solubility of the components. The maximum deviation and average variance between the experimental and calculated compositions were 1.60% and 0.89%, indicating that the model could accurately predict the behavior of the compounds at different temperatures and degrees of hydration.