INFLUENCE OF SOLVENT CONTENT ON PHASE-TRANSITION TEMPERATURES OF OIL SEDIMENT AND SOLUTION VISCOSITY IN ACETONE CANOLA OIL SYSTEMS

The effect of acetone on phase transition behavior of sediment in cano la oil was studied by differential scanning calorimetry under dynamic heating/cooling regimes. The melting temperature of sediment decreased with an increase in the solvent content of canola oil, suggesting an increase in the solubility of sediment in the oil solution. The crysta llization of sediment in oil solution was facilitated by acetone, as i ndicated by the increase in the sediment crystallization temperature. Acetone dramatically reduced the viscosity of canola oil, particularly in the first 30% addition. The reduction of viscosity was far less wi th further addition of acetone. These results suggested that the optim um range of acetone content needed for sediment precipitationin canola ail would be in the range of 30-40%. A linear relationship was found between the density of canola oil and temperature. The influence of so lvent on the density of canola oil/acetone solution can be accounted f or by the mixing theory of ideal solutions, whereas the effect of temp erature on the dynamic viscosity of oil solution is best described by a modified Arrhenius equation.