Bleaching Technology
HIBLEACH™ Bleaching Technology
HIBLEACH™ Process Stages
Bleaching Process
The HIBLEACH™ Bleacher is equipped with efficient mechanical agitation and steam sparging to maximize oil & adsorbent contact. The system operates under vacuum (710 to 720 mmHg) to prevent oxidation and moisture ingress. A controlled retention time of 40–60 minutes enables effective adsorption of colour bodies and residual impurities onto the bleaching earth.
Oil Pre-Treatment
Crude fruit oils like palm and coconut, along with mechanically extracted seed oils such as rapeseed, mustard, and canola, are treated with phosphoric or citric acid before bleaching. This process breaks residual soaps, converts non-hydratable phosphatides, removes metal contaminants, and improves bleaching efficiency and filterability.
Slurry Preparation
The pre-treated oil is mixed with a precisely metered quantity of bleaching earth using an inline static mixer, ensuring uniform dispersion and consistent slurry formation before entering the bleacher.
Filtration & Spent Earth Handling
The bleached oil–earth slurry is discharged to pressure leaf filters, where bleaching earth is separated from oil, followed by final polish filtration. The spent filter cake is steam-dried to recover entrained oil and minimize losses.
Key Features & Advantages
Effective removal of color pigments, residual phosphorus, soaps, and trace metals
Integrated slurry preparation and bleaching in a single compact reactor for small and medium capacities.
True retention (first come first go basis) effects improves efficiency
Wet bleaching with optimized mechanical agitation
Enhanced adsorption with reduced bleaching earth usage.
No carryover of bleaching chemicals to the vacuum system
Fully automated and accurate chemical dosing system
Low utility consumption with improved operational efficiency
Optional Systems & Enhancements