Extraction of Oil 537 



upper portion of No. i chamber, the raw 

 material is meanwhile treated with steam, to 

 recover the solvent, and when removed from 

 the extractor, comes out perfectly dry and 

 deodorized. The upper portion of No. 2 is the 

 condenser for tfce steam and solvents, and the 

 lower part is the solvent tank, where the con- 

 densed solvent is parted from the water by 

 specific gravity. The plant is most carefully 

 constructed to do the work required of it, and 

 this enables it to last for years and years. 



One of the best known extraction plants is 

 that manufactured by Messrs. Scott and Com- 

 pany, of London, W.C. For treatment by this 

 method the copra, soya-beans, or ground-nuts, 

 which should first be lightly crushed (with 

 the beans this need only be done sufficiently 

 to break the husk), are then elevated into 

 one or other of the extractors and there sub- 

 jected to a combined liquid and vapour bath 

 of benzine or similar solvent. This quickly 

 removes the oil from the seed, though several 

 changes of benzine are usually necessary for 

 the purpose. 



The oil and benzine mixture is pumped into 

 a patent tubular still which recovers the benzine 

 by distillation and condensation, and leaves the 

 oil ready for a simple washing preparatory to 

 packing for sale. 



The seed remaining in the extractor is mean- 

 while treated with steam to recover the benzine, 

 with which the residue has naturally become 



