What is Rice Bran Wax?

Rice bran wax is an important byproduct of rice bran oil processing. Extracting rice bran wax from the wax paste, a byproduct of rice bran oil refining, not only significantly improves the quality of rice bran oil, but the extracted rice bran wax also has considerable value in many areas, with wide applications in food, daily chemicals, and chemical industries.

rice bran wax

Characteristics of Refined Rice Bran Wax:

Refined rice bran wax: White, pale yellow, or brown solid with a certain degree of hardness; brittle (non-sticky); high melting point (approximately 78.2℃); fine crystals; smooth surface; and electrical insulation properties.

Rice Bran Wax Production Process:

Rice bran wax refining process

The rice bran wax production process mainly includes the following steps:

First, the rice bran is pretreated to remove impurities.

Then, crude wax is extracted using solvent extraction or pressing methods.

Next, it is purified through refining processes such as decolorization and deodorization.

Finally, it is shaped according to its intended use.

Modern rice bran wax production processes emphasize environmental protection and efficiency, mostly using food-grade solvents for extraction and employing techniques such as molecular distillation to improve product purity. Temperature and time are strictly controlled during the production process to ensure the consistent quality of the final product.

Detail of the refined rice bran wax production process:

Raw Material Selection and Pretreatment

1、Rice bran selection: Select fresh, dry rice bran free of impurities to guarantee extraction yield and purity during subsequent processing.
2、Rice bran pretreatment: Crush and screen the rice bran to remove impurities and larger particles, facilitating subsequent extraction.

Rice Bran Wax Extraction

Solvent Extraction Method

Use organic solvents such as petroleum ether or ethanol to macerate the pretreated rice bran. Control solvent dosage, extraction temperature, and duration to ensure complete dissolution of rice bran wax in the solvent.

Filtration and Separation

Filter the extraction solution to remove solid residues. Then, separate solvent from the rice bran wax through distillation, cooling, or similar methods.

Rice Bran Wax Refining

Decolorization

To improve rice bran wax color quality, require decolorization process. Common decolorizing agents include activated carbon and kaolin, which remove pigments and impurities through adsorption.

Filtration and Impurity Removal

Decolorized rice bran wax undergoes further filtration to eliminate solid residues and fine particles generated during decolorization.

Crystallization and Separation

The filtered rice bran wax is cooled to induce crystallization, causing the wax components to precipitate as solids. Centrifugation and filtration methods are then employed to separate the wax components from liquid impurities.

Applications of Rice Bran Wax:

1. Food Industry: Used as a preservative spray for fruits and vegetables; in food packaging; and as an additive in chewing gum, candy, and other food products.

2. Chemical Industry: Manufactured high-grade shoe polish, floor wax, and polishing waxes for furniture, automobiles, and equipment; leather conditioner, etc.

Used as a plasticizer, stabilizer, and lubricant in polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Used as a thickener with excellent heat resistance in petroleum and lubricating greases.

Used as an electrical insulation material.

3. Daily Chemical Industry: Used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Manufactured high-grade printing inks, carbon paper inks, and typing wax paper.

Used as a paper conditioner and additive in waxed paper, coated paper, and other paper products.

rice bran wax refining machine

Potential Market for Rice Bran Wax:

Through experimental analysis and small-scale testing, rice bran wax, after modification and other subsequent processing, exhibits stable quality and various excellent physicochemical properties, making it a potential substitute for lignite wax in many chemical industries. With the global mining volume of non-renewable lignite wax declining year by year, the current global supply is approximately 35,000-40,000 tons, mainly concentrated in European countries, particularly Germany. Rice bran wax, extracted from pure natural green plants, is a renewable resource and is believed to bring new development and opportunities to related industries in the near future.

rice bran wax refining machine

Huatai Oil Machinery Refined Rice Bran Wax Technology

Huatai Oil Machinery provides an advanced method for producing refined rice bran wax, effectively solving the problem of refining raw rice bran wax through industrial pressing.

The method involves melting the raw rice bran wax into a liquid, vacuum drying to remove moisture, pumping it into an extraction tank, adding solvent and adsorbent, reflux extraction, and allowing it to settle and separate.

The lower layer, a black gelatinous substance, is used for other purposes. The upper layer, a wax-oil mixture, is kept warm and filtered to remove trace impurities, then cooled to crystallize.

The upper mixed oil is then passed through an evaporation system to recover the solvent, yielding a neutral oil. The lower layer, a crystallized mixed wax, enters a rotary drum vacuum filter to separate solid wax and oil.

The oil is recycled. The solid wax is heated and vacuum evaporated to concentrate, removing trace amounts of solvent and moisture, yielding liquid rice bran wax. This liquid is then cooled and granulated to obtain refined rice bran wax.

This novel and unique method integrates physical and chemical reactions, effectively solving the technical challenges of industrial rice bran wax refining. It boasts high production efficiency, low cost, energy saving, and environmental friendliness, expanding the economic value of rice bran wax.

rice bran wax refining machine

When purchasing rice bran wax refining machines, choose Huatai:

Huatai Group possesses globally exclusive technology in the deep processing of rice bran wax. We provide complete rice bran wax refining production lines, enabling us to offer customers high-quality refined rice bran wax products that meet market demands. If you need to purchase rice bran wax refining machinery, please contact us directly; we will provide you with the most professional service.