100 TPD Multi-Oil Continuous
Refinery in Iran

A multi-oil SCADA system stores separate refinery parameter profiles for each crude oil type. When the operator selects a new oil type, the SCADA loads the stored profile: adjusting phosphoric acid dosage for degumming, NaOH concentration and feed rate for neutralizing, bleaching earth dosage rate (0.5–3%), deodorizing temperature setpoint (220–260°C), and steam stripping rate. Parameter transitions are managed gradually over 30–60 minutes to avoid product quality excursions during changeover. Running samples are tested to confirm specification compliance before the new oil type is directed to finished product tanks.

Cottonseed crude oil contains high gossypol pigments requiring higher bleaching earth (1.5–3%), typically darker colour, and deodorizing at 250–260°C, with FFA typically 0.5–3%. Sunflower crude has lower phosphatides, requires lower bleaching earth (0.5–1.5%), has good natural colour, FFA 0.5–2%, and deodorizes at 240–250°C. Soybean crude has the highest phosphatide content (requiring water degumming plus enzymatic or acid degumming), higher bleaching earth (1–2.5%), characteristic flavor reversion risk if not properly deodorized, FFA 0.3–1%, and deodorizes at 255–260°C. A SCADA multi-oil system stores these separate parameter sets and transitions automatically between them when the operator changes the oil type selection.

Iran's INSO (Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran) standard INSO 13006 covers refined edible vegetable oils. Key requirements include: FFA ≤0.3% (oleic acid basis), Peroxide Value ≤5 mEq/kg, Iodine value within species-specific range, soap content ≤50 ppm, moisture ≤0.05%, colour within grade-specific Lovibond limits, and absence of mineral oil contamination. Facilities must maintain INSO factory approval and submit regular product samples to INSO-accredited laboratories for certification renewal. INSO standards are generally harmonized with Codex Alimentarius but include Iran-specific test methods and distribution requirements.

At 100 TPD scale, continuous refinery is almost always the appropriate choice. A continuous refinery processes oil in uninterrupted flow through all stages simultaneously: degumming, neutralizing, bleaching, and deodorizing run concurrently at steady-state conditions. Advantages at 100 TPD include: lower steam and energy consumption per tonne (15–25% less than batch equivalent), smaller equipment footprint for equivalent throughput, more consistent product quality due to steady-state operation, and lower labor requirement (4 operators per shift vs 6–8 for batch equivalent). The DBDW (degumming-bleaching-deodorizing-winterizing) continuous configuration is the industry standard for 100+ TPD plants globally.

Seasonal crude oil price differences in Iran and the Middle East can range USD 80–200 per tonne between cheapest and most expensive crude oil type at any given time. A multi-oil refinery's key advantage is flexibility: when cottonseed is cheapest at autumn harvest, maximize cottonseed processing; when sunflower prices drop post-August harvest, switch to sunflower; when soybean import prices are favorable, process soybean. This strategy requires: (1) Real-time crude oil price monitoring for all three oil types. (2) Adequate crude oil storage to build inventory of the cheapest available crude. (3) Supplier contracts with multiple crude oil sources. (4) SCADA parameter profiles ready for rapid switching. Multi-oil flexibility typically saves USD 200,000–500,000 per year versus a single-oil refinery at 100 TPD scale.