Ultrasound in Olive Oil Extraction

Each olive oil extraction system should combine the best product quality and the highest efficiency. At the same time, the innovative technologies can develop only if they provide sustainable processes. To reach these goals, academic and industrial researchers need to understand the key elements that allow to modulate the events that occur during oil extraction. In the past years, many emerging technologies, that is techniques perceived as capable of changing the present situation, have been developed. Among these, ultrasounds applications seem to be the most promising for their mechanical and slightly thermal effects, without affecting sustainability. In order to explain the maturity of this emerging technology, the main effects of the ultrasounds application in the olive oil extraction process are discussed, the developed plants are presented, and the patents are reported

Does the Introduction of Ultrasound in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Extraction Process Improve the Income of the Olive Millers? The First Technology for the Simultaneous Increment of Yield and Quality of the Product

Olive oil is an important product of the European agro-alimentary sector. The current olive oil extraction process can be further improved in order to overcome the weaknesses of the actual system in terms of non-continuity, reduction of oil in waste, sustainability, and improvement of quality both in the healthy and sensory perspective. Many innovative approaches have been developed to improve the olive oil extraction process. However, not all the proposed innovations have the opportunity to effectively reach a technological level of readiness close to “ready for the market.” An innovator should simultaneously evaluate the aptitude of its invention to turn into a widely used commercial product both under the technological and the marketing perspectives. Under the technological point of view, an innovation should be effective, so, adequate to accomplish a purpose, and efficient, so, able to perform or functioning in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort. Under the marketing point of view, an innovation should be able to develop products that accurately and timely respond to customer needs, offering a valuable experience to the customer, exceeding his expectations. The innovative EVOO process based on ultrasound extraction has several advantages useful to improve olive miller income: higher yield extraction, higher polyphenols, and lower bitter and pungent taste than traditional EVOO samples

full simulation of a piezoelectric double nozzle flapper pilot valve coupled with a main stage spool valve

Abstract This paper develops a detailed simulation model, realized by the software Simscape, which can be a powerful tool to analyze the performance of a double nozzle flapper valve actuated by a piezoelectric ring bender. The particularity of this valve is that the use of the torque motor and flexure tube is avoided, thus reducing the complexity, manufacturing time and cost of the valve assembly. The model accounts for all the real phenomena present in the valve, such as fluid compressibility and fluid viscosity. The viability of the valve concept is validated by step tests simulated at different valve openings. It is shown that the response time obtained for a supply pressure of 210 bar and necessary to reach 90% of the maximum opening degree (corresponding to a maximum spool position of 1mm and maximum flow rate of 60 l/min) is only 6 ms, which is comparable with typical commercially available double nozzle flapper valves, but with the advantage of having removed critical components such as the torque motor and the flexure tube

Developments in the design and construction of continuous full-scale ultrasonic devices for the EVOO industry

The road of scientific research from the pilot scale plant to the industrial applications is often long and winding. The introduction of an ultrasound device able to replace the malaxers into the virgin olive oil extraction plants is a matter deeply discussed. However, a full-scale industrial plant able to work in an effectively continuous mode is still lack in the market of olive oil extraction industrial plants. In order to overcome one of the main weaknesses of olive oil extraction plants, the discontinuity of the process due to the presence of the malaxer, a batch machine placed between the crusher and the decanter, effectively continuous ultrasonic full-scale solutions for the extra virgin olive oil industry have been developed. Practical applications: High power ultrasound for the treatment of olive paste represents a system to replace the malaxing phase, the weakest link of the chain in the VOO extraction process. The malaxer is a batch machine, which works between two continuous devices, the fruit crusher and the decanter. It is also a bad heat exchanger due to a not favorable ratio between the big volume of olive paste that should be warmed and the small surface for the heat exchange. New devices need to be developed in order to optimize the extraction plant, reducing the time of process, the resource consumption without compromise the oil quality, in order to guarantee a right profit for the olive millers. Shock waves and micro jets are produced when cavitation bubbles are collapsed. Cell layers of the fruit pericarp are destroyed by the cavitation effects