Liquid-liquid equilibrium for systems of canola oil, oleic acid, and short-chain alcohols

Vegetable oils can be deacidified by liquid-liquid extraction. The differen ce in polarity between the triglycerides, the principal components of the o il, and the solvent guarantees the formation of two phases and permits the removal of free fatty acids. A knowledge of the equilibrium between the pha ses of such systems is important, however if adequate equipment for the imp lementation of the process is to be designed. The present paper establishes experimental data for systems of canola oil, oleic acid, and alcohols, sub sequently adjusting the NRTL and UNIQUAC models to them for the calculation of activity coefficients. The results show the good descriptive quality of the models.