US Patent 7598407 Method for processing vegetable oils

The present invention provides certain improvements in methods for processing vegetable oils and apparatus for carrying out such methods. One embodiment provides a method for processing a partially processed oil including glycerides and a volatilizable impurity fraction. The partially processed oil may processed by driving off a first volatiles stream comprising a portion of the glycerides and at least a portion of the volatilizable impurity fraction, leaving a deodorized oil. The first volatiles stream may be introduced into a first condensing chamber and a glyceride-rich, impurity-poor first condensate may be condensed from the first volatiles stream, leaving a glyceride-poor, impurity-rich second volatiles stream. The second volatiles stream may be passed into a second condensing chamber and a glyceride-poor, impurity-rich second condensate may be condensed from the second volatiles stream.