Miscella percolation rate

Grinding, rolling, or flaking After dehulling, the meats are reduced in size, or flaked, to facilitate oil removal. Proper moisture content of flie seeds is essential for flaking, and if the moisture level is too low, the seeds are conditioned, with water or steam, to raise flie moisture to about 11%. For solvent extraction, flakes are commonly not less than 0.203-0.254 mm (0.008-0.010 inch), which can be solvent extracted efficiently with less than 1% residual oil. Thinner flakes tend to disintegrate during the solvent extraction process and reduce flie miscella percolation rate. 

Fresh solvent at the rate of approximately 1 kg of solvent per kilogram of oilseed was sprayed onto a basket near the top of the ascending column of baskets. From the top basket, the solvent percolated by gravity through the lower baskets in counter-current flow. The half miscella from this side was collected in a second sump in the lower part of the housing. A pump continuously withdrew the half miscella from that sump and sprayed it onto the topmost basket of the descending line as described above. 

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