In animal fat deep processing, efficient handling of tallow and ghee requires a complete process chain — from raw material rendering and oil refining to dry fractionation. Ocean provides a complete equipment solution covering animal fat rendering , animal fat refining , and animal fat fractionation for this need.

Rendering Section: From Raw Material to Clean Oil

Frozen fatty meat is first cut into small pieces by a meat grinder and then conveyed to the rendering pot by a conveyor. The rendering pot uses steam heating and is equipped with a scraper agitator, completing fat melting and dehydration under negative pressure. A separator separates extracted gases and liquid droplets. Water vapor is condensed by a vacuum condenser, and wastewater is discharged to a wastewater tank. A water ring vacuum pump provides vacuum for the system. The rendered oil is temporarily stored in a buffer tank, while oil residue is further processed by an oil residue press to recover residual oil.

Refining Section: Degumming, Bleaching, and Deodorization

After rendering, the oil enters the refining section. The bleaching pot simultaneously completes degumming and bleaching reactions, using jacket heating, with bleaching earth added via vacuum conveying. The oil containing bleaching earth is sent by a bleaching filter pump to a bleaching filter and a bag filter to separate the bleaching earth from the oil. The clean bleached oil enters a bleaching oil tank for temporary storage.

The deodorization pot operates under high vacuum, reaching up to 2 mmHg, at a temperature of approximately 250 degrees Celsius. An electric heater provides circulating heating for the deodorizing oil, and direct steam agitation effectively removes fatty acids and odorous compounds. The high-temperature deodorized oil is cooled by a cooler and then enters a refined oil tank equipped with a nitrogen protection system to prevent oxidation. A fatty acid trap and condenser recover free fatty acids evaporated during deodorization.

Fractionation Section: Olein and Stearin Separation

After refining, the oil enters the fractionation section. The crystallizer is equipped with an agitator and cooling coils, allowing high-melting-point triglycerides to crystallize slowly according to a pre-programmed cooling profile. A chiller reduces water temperature to the required level, a chilled water tank stores the chilled water, and a circulating water pump supplies cooling water.

After crystallization is complete, the slurry is sent by a filter oil pump to a membrane filter press for solid-liquid separation. The membrane filter press is equipped with food-grade membranes and filter plates. Olein passes through the filter cloth to become the product, enters an olein tank, and is then sent out by an olein pump. Stearin is retained in the filter chambers, discharged into a stearin tray, and then manually bagged.

Auxiliary Systems

The CIP cleaning system includes acid and alkali tanks and a CIP pump for online cleaning of equipment. A hot water tank and hot water pump provide hot water for processes and heat tracing. An air compressor, compressed air tank, nitrogen generator, and nitrogen storage tank form the utility system. A steam generator provides process steam, while a cooling tower and cooling water circulation pump provide cooling water for the chiller.

Automation Control

The entire plant is controlled by a PLC system equipped with Siemens or GE modules, with a graphical operator interface via a desktop computer. All equipment can be started, stopped, and monitored centrally from the control room, with local button boxes provided near equipment for commissioning and maintenance.

Ocean provides full-chain services from process design and equipment manufacturing to installation and commissioning, delivering efficient, safe, and compliant animal fat deep processing lines.