Solvent Extraction involves the diffusion of solvent into the oil-bearing cells of raw materials, resulting in an oil-solvent solution. "Hexane" is chosen for its appropriateness, considering commercial viability, edibility of extracted products, and characteristics like its low boiling point. The process comprises three sections:

1. Preparatory Section
2. Main Extraction Section
3. Meal Bagging Section

Preparatory Section

Efficient extraction requires optimal contact between the solvent and every oil-bearing cell in the material. Smooth preparation before the main extraction is crucial for this contact. Smaller material size enhances solvent penetration, but overly fine size hinders solvent percolation. Thus, an optimum size is essential for efficiency.

Material preparation methods vary based on oil content and physical properties, grouped as follows:

1. Oil Cakes: High oil content materials like soybean, sunflower, rape seed and canola. They undergo sizing and cracking using equipment like NES Sizer and Cake Cracker to achieve proper size without fines.
2. High Oil Content Seeds: Seeds such as soybean, sunflower, rapeseed, and canola go through processes like cracking, cooking, and flaking. NES Expander and squeezomatic attachment are used, followed by an updated NES drier coller.
3. Floury Materials: Examples include rice bran. Traditional equipment is not suitable, so NES pelletister or Expander with conditioning arrangement forms pellets before extraction.

Prepared material is transported to the Main Extraction section via an NES Conveyor.

MAIN EXTRACTION Section

The prepared material is delivered to the Extraction plant via an NES conveyor through an NES air seal in the raw material receiver, with a control arrangement for the receiver's material level. The NES Extraction design allows for easy variation in the speed of material transportation.

The solvent spraying chamber is a key component, equipped with numerous sprayers uniformly distributing solvent over the entire raw material bed. The chamber's length and breadth are designed to allow sufficient time for intimate contact, penetration, and saturation of the solvent into the raw material. For monitoring the spray distribution, the NES Extractor is equipped with light and sight viewing glasses.

The Main Extraction Section is further divided into subsections:

• Extraction of oil from prepared raw materials
• Desolventization
• Distillation to recover oil from miscella
• Condensation
• Final Solvent Recovery section.

MEAL BAGGING SECTION

The extracted and desolventized meal is conveyed to the bagging section using a NES conveyor, which is equipped with cooling arrangements.