The present invention relates to an apparatus and a process for the extraction of vegetable oil or juice from fruit and vegetables. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus for the production of vegetable oil or juice from fruit and vegetables, and dehydrated solid biomass and a relative process.

As is known, the extraction of vegetable oil, that is the separation between oil must and pomace, can take place according to different procedures. The procedures differ from each other with regard to the systems involved, and therefore consequently in terms of the general performance of the procedure, but above all with regard to the organoleptic properties of vegetable oil.

In the present discussion, explicit reference will be made to the extraction of vegetable oil from olives, however the principles of this present can be applied equally to the extraction of juice from fruit or vegetables, as will become obvious to the skilled in the art from the continuation of the this discussion.

A first method of extraction is called extraction by pressure.

In this extraction mode, oil must is separated from the pomace through filtration due to a pressure created by an open-type hydraulic press. More in detail, the oil paste is placed on thin layers alternating with filter diaphragms.

The device essentially comprises a circular steel plate with raised and shaped sides, with a perforated cylinder inserted in the center of the plate. The perforated cylinder, called "perforated" in the technical jargon, allows the pile to be built and at the same time, thanks to the holes, allows the must to flow towards the axis of the pile.

The pile must be made in a precise order: a small hole is prepared, a filter diaphragm is inserted (a synthetic fiber disk with a hole in the center), and a layer of olive paste about 3 cm thick is placed. Then a second diaphragm and a second layer of pasta are superimposed and so on. In addition, a paste-free diaphragm and a steel disc overlap every three layers of dough so that the pressure exerted can be distributed evenly.

The pile can be the result of an overlap of sixty diaphragms alternating with sixty layers of pasta, twenty steel discs and twenty diaphragms without pasta.

With this method, the entire loading operation is carried out manually by an operator, through the use of dosing machines. Once the tower is completed, it is inserted into the press which subjects everything to average pressures of the order of 400 atm. Under the effect of pressure, the oil must separates from the solid fraction and flows along the outside and along the small hole and is collected on the plate. Once the extraction is complete, the pile is disassembled and the pomace is removed from the diaphragms.

The pressure extraction system therefore has some advantages such as: a reduced consumption of energy and water, a good quality of the pomace. Furthermore, given the reduced consumption of water, there is also a low quantity of water to be disposed of, which also has a low polluting charge.

However, the pressure extraction system has some disadvantages, such as: a high labor cost;

- difficulty in cleaning the diaphragms, with consequent alteration of the organoleptic properties of the oil; and - the operating cycle is discontinuous, since a new stack must be formed before extracting.

Extraction by centrifugation is also known in the state of the art.

In this extraction mode, the oil paste is subjected to centrifugation in a conical drum (decanter) with a horizontal axis. The decanter is rotated at a speed of about 3000-3500 revolutions per minute. Due to the different specific weight, through centrifugation two or three phases can be separated (two-phase decanter or three-phase decanter).

In the three-phase decanter, the pomace, the oil must (containing a small amount of water) and the vegetation water (containing a small amount of oil) are separated from each other. A first disadvantage of this type of decanter is therefore evident.

In addition, the three-phase decanter requires an initial dilution of the oil paste with water, which results in a high consumption of water and a large amount of vegetation water to be disposed of.

Furthermore, the water also causes the extraction of a high amount of polyphenols, increasing the polluting load of the vegetation waters to be disposed of.

Instead, with the two-phase decanter it is possible to consume less water, through the extraction of only two phases: the pomace with vegetation water, and the oil must with a small amount of water.

It is therefore evident that some of the disadvantages indicated for the three-phase decanter (quantity of water and pollutant load) are partially solved, however the system produces very moist pomace with a low value, thus becoming a waste product that must be disposed of.

There is also a type of decanter, the so- called "2 and a half phase decanter", which involves the addition of a small amount of water, and is suitable for separating three fractions: wet pomace, vegetable water, and oil must. Using a smaller quantity of water, a reduced quantity of vegetation water is produced with a lower polluting charge. Again, wet pomace has little value.

In general, extraction by centrifugation allows you to have: - high productivity;

- reduced use of labor;

- good quality of the extracted oil; is

- reduced dimensions.

However, as mentioned above, the system also has some disadvantages:

- energy and water consumption are in any case high;

- high maintenance costs due to wear of the conical drum; - costs for the disposal of the vegetation water produced, related to the higher polluting load; and

- poor quality of pomace.

Finally, the so-called sinolea extraction exists in the state of the art, which is based on the difference between the surface tension of the vegetation water and that of the oil. In light of this difference, oil tends to adhere to a metal surface more easily than water, which is then separated by percolation. The sinolea foresees a tank containing oil paste, in which an extractor device is immersed which includes a series of steel blades which, with a continuous reciprocating motion, cyclically carry out immersion, lifting, and scraping of the oil.

During the lifting of the device, the vegetation water falls downwards due to the effect of gravity, while the oil adheres to the metal surfaces. The efficiency of this procedure is directly linked to the amount of blades that are used

(generally several thousand).

The rotation speed is about 7-9 revolutions per minute, and in the return motion the surfaces of the blades come into contact with a scraper device which removes the oil making it flow into a collection system.

If on the one hand the system allows to obtain a high quality oil, the efficiency is rather low. In some applications, the residual paste can be subjected to a second extraction process by centrifugation, obtaining a second oil with organoleptic properties different from the previous one. There are therefore some advantages linked to the quality of the product due to cold working and to the general operational aspects as the process lends itself to being automated. However, even in this case, there are some drawbacks, such as very low yields in terms of the water - oil quantitative ratio.

The need is therefore felt to at least partially resolve the drawbacks and limitations mentioned in reference to the known art.

Therefore, the need is felt to provide an apparatus and a procedure for the extraction of vegetable oil or fruit juice that at least partially solves the drawbacks of the known art. In more detail, the need is felt for an apparatus and a procedure that allow for a decrease in water consumption, combined with a decrease in energy consumption.

In addition, the need is felt for an apparatus and a procedure that allow to reduce maintenance costs, and that allow to reduce labor costs.

Furthermore, the need is felt for a system that allows obtaining an improvement in the production cycle, oriented towards continuous production, without the obligation to stop production for loading the equipment.

In addition, the need is felt for a system that allows to improve the organoleptic properties of the finished product, without adding water.

This need is met by an apparatus and a procedure for the extraction of vegetable oil according to the independent claims.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more understandable from the following description of its preferred and non limiting embodiments, in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic front view of an apparatus according to the present invention; - Figure 2 schematically represents a top plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1;

- Figure 3 schematically represents a top plan view of a component of an apparatus according to the present invention; - Figure 4 schematically shows a cross- sectional view of the component shown in Figure 3;

- Figure 4A schematically shows an enlargement of a portion of the component of Figure 4; Figure 5 schematically shows a top view partially in section, of a portion of an apparatus according to the present invention; is

- Figure 6 shows in schematic form from above a portion of an apparatus according to the present invention.

The elements or parts of elements in common between the embodiments described below will be indicated with the same numerical references. In Figure 1, the reference 12 indicates as a whole an apparatus for the extraction of vegetable oil or juice from fruit and vegetables.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the apparatus 12 is set up with a squeezing unit 14 which essentially comprises a loading chamber 16, set up with an opening 18 for loading the material to be squeezed, and a squeezing chamber 20 in communication with the loading chamber 16.

As can be seen in Figure 5, the squeezing unit 14 comprises an auger 22 suitable for rotating around a rotation axis 26, arranged with a propeller 24, suitable for transporting the material to be squeezed from the loading chamber 16 to the squeezing chamber 20. The squeezing chamber 20 comprises a fixed cylindrical filter 28, coupled to the radial end of the helix 24 of the screw 22. A hole has been provided in the striking body 21 to allow the compressed paste to escape inside the cable of the infinite screw, furthermore the impact body has been considerably reinforced to support the working torque of the machine. As can be seen in the attached figures, the cylindrical filter 28 has an axis substantially coinciding with the rotation axis 26 of the screw 22.

As shown in Figure 6, the squeezing chamber comprises a striking body 30 arranged at one end 32 of the cylindrical filter 22 distal to the loading chamber 16. The striking body 30 is arranged with elastic means 34.

The striking body 30 is suitable for being moved between a closed position in which it does not allow the passage of unfiltered product through the end 32 of the cylindrical filter 28 and an open position in which it allows the passage of unfiltered product through the end 32 of the cylindrical filter 28. The elastic means 34 are adapted to oppose with a predetermined resistance to the displacement of the striking body 30 away from the cylindrical filter 28 from the closed position to the open position.

In accordance with a possible embodiment, the cylindrical filter 28 can be arranged with radial openings 36 having longitudinal development, and also can be arranged with radial openings 36 having longitudinal development parallel to the axis 26.

As can be seen in the enlargement of Figure 4A, the radial openings 36 have a trapezoid-shaped trace in a plane perpendicular to the axis 26, with the major base 362 facing the outside of the cylindrical filter 28 and the minor base 364 facing the inside the cylindrical filter 28. In this discussion, with the larger base 362 and the smaller base 364, the external width and the internal width of the radial opening 36 are meant respectively.

The fluid that is filtered can be, for example, a sieved must. The trapezoidal profile, and in particular a radial opening with a greater width facing outwards, generates a pressure difference proportional to the pressure inside the squeezing chamber. The acceleration undergone by the fluid decreases the total energy that the process consumes since the first derivative of the fluid path increases.

For example, in the case of the extraction of oil from olives, the radial openings 36 which have a trapezoid-shaped trace in a plane perpendicular to the axis 26, can have a greater base 362 in length around 2 mm, and minor base 364 in length around 0.4 mm. These dimensions are provided by way of example only, and must not be construed as a limitation, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Bearing holders were installed: one for thrust bearing 25 and another for thrust bearing 27.

As can be seen in Figure 3, the cylindrical filter 28 can be made starting from a plurality of clamping rings 38 on whose internal surface longitudinal bars 40 are arranged, equidistant from each other to make radial openings 36.

According to a possible alternative embodiment, not shown in the attached figures, the cylindrical filter 28 can be made by means of a plurality of lapped isoaxial rings. These rings can be connected together for example by means of axial bars, or connectors suitable for connecting each ring to the adjacent ring. According to a further embodiment the cylindrical filter 28 can be made for example starting from a tube, on which the radial openings 36 are arranged. In a further embodiment, the cylindrical filter 28 can be made of metal mesh.

As regards the development of the radial openings 36, in an alternative embodiment, they can spiral along the outer surface of a cylinder. According to a possible embodiment, the striking body 30 can be suitable for sliding on sliding supports 42, 44. In this case, the elastic means 34 can be arranged on the sliding supports 42, 44 themselves. More in detail, the sliding supports 42, 44 can be arranged in a distal position with stops 46, 48 for respective contrast springs 50, 52 acting on a portion of the striking body 30. An adjustable polyurethane vertical brake 51 has been added. , which allows you to adjust the flow rate. In fact, depending on the height of the brake, there is a more or less intense obstruction of the paste being processed. The crosspieces (53) that are located under the screen have been resized, in order to minimize obstruction to the passage of the sieved dough. The stops 46, 48 can be adjustable to select a predetermined action on the striking body 30.

According to a possible alternative embodiment, the elastic means 34 can be, for example, a layer of polyurethane, suitable to yield elastically.

In a further alternative embodiment, the elastic means 34 can be for example a split washer or similar device, suitable for elastically deforming under the action of a force.

In accordance with a possible embodiment, the screw 22 can be connected to motor means, suitable for driving it in rotation, in particular, the motor means 54 can comprise a three-phase motor connected with a reducer to the screw 22. The trampoline 55 creating a curved wall, in this way problems related to the accumulation of material near the ball bearings of the machine have been solved and therefore maintenance costs have been further reduced.

Therefore, it is evident that the auger gives a compression to the sieved must thanks to its rotating action, and consequently the must will apply pressure to the beater body. However, the reaction of the spring will prevent the wort from leaving the machine, in the meantime that the liquid component is expelled from the filter slits, the wort will continue to dehydrate, increasing the specific density until it becomes semi-solid. Once the must is semi-solid and the density has increased, the pressure on the beater body will increase accordingly. As soon as the force applied by the semi-solid must to the beating body is greater than the force applied by the elastic means on the beating body, a slipping of the beating body will occur and therefore the dehydrated pomace will be expelled from the machine.

According to a possible alternative embodiment, the striking body 30 can be coupled to a control unit and to pressure and/or positioning sensors, so that the action of the striking body 30 can be adjusted on the basis of data detected by the sensors.

In a further embodiment, means can be provided for adjusting the stops 46, 48 automatically on the basis of data detected by pressure and/or positioning sensors. Two polyurethane brakes 49 were added, bound with a degree of freedom (rotational), thanks to this modification it was possible to exploit the free vibrating evolution by increasing the efficiency of the first sieve. In fact, the continuous drumming on the pasta being processed increases the extraction power of the primary vibrating screen. According to a possible embodiment, the auger

22 can comprise two or more propellers 24. For example, the auger 22 can comprise two or three propellers 24.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the squeezing unit 14 can be arranged with a collection tank 142.

According to a possible embodiment, the apparatus can comprise a primary vibrating screen 56 upstream of the squeezing 14. The primary vibrating screen 56 can be arranged with a sieve comprising a vibrating device, and transport means 58 for transporting the material to be squeezed into the squeezing unit 14.

For example, in the case of squeezing olives, the sieve of the primary vibrating screen 56 can comprise meshes having a size around 200 pm. The windows of the screen on the body of the machine have been replaced by a guillotine system 57 which allows the adjustment of the tightening from the outside of the machine, minimizing maintenance times/costs. The front clamping system of the screen has been modified with a clamp tube 59 installed on the trampoline of the machine and tightened in turn by special caps 61 equipped with housing for the gaskets in order to exclude the possibility that the waste material can accumulate in the collection box.

Downstream of the squeezing unit 14, a secondary vibrating screen 60 can be arranged, in which the product filtered by the squeezing unit is sieved into a sieve. For example, in the case of olive pressing, the secondary vibrating screen 60 can have mesh sizes around 160 pm. The windows of the screen on the body of the machine have been replaced by a guillotine system 61 which allows the adjustment of the tightening from the outside of the machine, minimizing maintenance times/costs.

Therefore, as can be seen in Figure 1, the collection tank 142 can be connected through a pipe 144 to the secondary vibrating screen. Through the pipe 144, the primary vibrating screen can also be connected to the secondary vibrating screen.

With reference to the pressing of the olives, a possible operation of a particular embodiment of the apparatus is presented below, in particular the inputs and outputs of each component of the apparatus will be analyzed in detail.

Obviously, the reference to the pressing of olives is only by way of example and must not be understood in a limiting way, since the principles of the present invention can also be applied to other types of pressing, as will appear obvious to the skilled in the art.

As for the primary vibrating screen, at the entrance there is olive must, while at the exit there are two products: a sieved olive must and crude oil. In this specific case, the sieved olive must is sent to the pressing chamber, while the crude oil is sent to the secondary vibrating screen.

As for the squeezing unit, at the entrance there is sieved olive must (coming for example from the primary vibrating screen), and at the exit there is squeezed crude oil and dehydrated biomass. In this specific case, the squeezed crude oil is sent to the secondary vibrating screen, while the dehydrated biomass is discharged through the end of the cylindrical filter.

Finally, as regards the incoming secondary vibrating screen, there is the sieved crude oil coming from the primary vibrating screen and the squeezed crude oil coming from the squeezing unit. On the other hand, the sieved crude oil and pomace come out of the secondary vibrating screen. In the secondary vibrating screen A polyurethane splash cover 63 has been set up. The front clamping system of the screen has been modified with a screen tube 65 installed on the trampoline of the machine and tightened in turn by special caps 67 equipped with housing for the gaskets in order to exclude the possibility that the waste material can accumulate in the collection box.

The procedure for the extraction of vegetable oil through an apparatus 12 for the extraction of vegetable oil as described above, essentially comprises the steps of:

- load the material to be squeezed into the loading chamber 16;

- activate the rotation of the screw 22; - collect the filtered product; and

- collect the unfiltered product that comes out.

The bottom of the collection bin has been modified from curved to inclined plane 23 in order to minimize the time of the filtered product's holding time and thus minimize oxidation through the end 32 of the cylindrical filter 28.

According to a possible embodiment, the process, in the case of squeezing the olives, can comprise an initial phase in which the loading of the material into the loading chamber 16 takes place prior to a sieving at about 200 pm, and a final phase in which the filtered material is sieved at about 170 pm, together with the previously sieved material at about 200 pm. The Self-Centering Box 17 has been extended up to ¾ of the cavity of the infinite screw in order to maximize the rotation stability, in the same element there are two housings for the installation of gaskets 19 in order to avoid the return of the processed mass inside of the squeezing chamber.

The advantages that can be achieved with the apparatus and the process according to the present invention are therefore now evident. First of all, there is a substantial decrease in water consumption for extraction compared to 2- phase centrifuge systems.

At the same time, there is also a substantial decrease in energy consumption compared to centrifuge systems but also compared to pressure systems. The equipment is easy to maintain and therefore there is a drastic drop in maintenance costs compared to centrifugal and pressure systems.

In addition, pomace management is improved, thanks to the integration of a biomass dehydration device.

Furthermore, the loading can take place continuously to the advantage of the required manpower and cycle times, and the productivity of the extraction process.

Furthermore, with the apparatus and the process according to the present invention, there is an improvement of the organoleptic and probiotic qualities of the finished product typical of a pressure system, without the addition of water, since the input material does not it is centrifuged but squeezed.

Furthermore, since the apparatus can be made of stainless steel, it is washable and sanitized more easily than known systems. For the same reason, the apparatus is also very resistant to wear.

As for the construction of the apparatus, this can be scalable and subject to industrialization even on a large scale. In addition to the extraction of oil, biomass is produced that can be used for pomace stoves, to fertilize the soil, or to produce biogas.

To the embodiments described above, the skilled person may, in order to meet specific needs, make changes and or replacements of elements described with equivalent elements, without thereby departing from the scope of the attached claims.

For example, the apparatus can be set up with a suitable auger to move the mass of material to be squeezed from the loading chamber to the squeezing chamber, in the squeezing chamber, the cylindrical filter can be of the rotary type and arranged with its own internal propeller.