KINETIC MODEL AND TECHNOLOGY OF ULTRASOUND EXTRACTION OF SAFFLOWER SEED OIL

ABSTRACT Safflower seed oil rich in linoleic acid is a kind of functional health oil. The effects of various parameters, such as solvents, liquid–solid ratio and extraction time, on both ultrasonic‐aided and conventional safflower seed oil extractions were investigated through experiments. The results indicated that n‐hexane was a better solvent for the two above‐mentioned extraction methods. Under the following conditions: temperature 35C, liquid–solid ratio 5, extraction time 30 min and ultrasound power 300 W, the oil extraction yield reached 27.02%. However, with the conventional safflower seed oil extraction method, it was only 25.00% when the technical parameters were: temperature 50C; liquid–solid ratio 6; extraction time 60 min. Obviously, the advantages of ultrasonic extraction were as follows: reducing extraction temperature; decreasing solvent quantity; saving time; and improving oil yield. In addition, on the basis of Fick's first law, the kinetic models of ultrasonic extraction and conventional extraction were compared and authenticated. The results showed that a close match was found between experimental data and kinetic equations, and the equations could better simulate safflower oil extraction process. This approach provided a theoretical background for the extraction of safflower seed oil. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS In this work, an efficient extraction method – ultrasound‐aided extraction method for safflower seed oil – was acquired. Compared with conventional extraction method, the advantages of ultrasonic extraction were: reducing extraction temperature, decreasing solvent quantity, saving time and improving oil yield. In addition, equipments used in ultrasound‐aided extraction and operation were simple and high efficiency. Therefore, this ultrasonic technology has a brilliant application prospect in extraction of safflower seed oil and other vegetable oils.