Patents by Inventor Martin Van Opstal

Martin Van Opstal has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5362893
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for refining glyceride oil comprising a neutralization treatment in which alkali is mixed into crude or water degummed glyceride oil and a separation treatment in which the soapstock formed is separated from the glyceride oil by subjecting the oil to two centrifugal separators in series, in which at least 1 wt. % of the oil passes through both separators twice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: N.V. Vandemoortele International
    Inventors: Joose R. L. Muylle, Albert J. Dijkstra, Pieter J. A. Maes, Martin Van Opstal
  • Patent number: 4927544
    Abstract: A three or optionally four stage process for the continuous removal of a gum phase from triglyceride oil is described in which in a first stage the oil containing a separate gum phase is subjected to centrifugal separation in a first centrifugal separator to yield gums with low oil content and an oil that still contains a fraction of the gums originally present in the feed, in a second stage the oil obtained from the first stage is subjected to centrifugal separation in a second centrifugal separator to yield oil with a further reduced residual gum content and a gum phase with a higher oil content than the gums obtained in the first stage, in a third stage the gum phase obtained in the second stage is recycled into the oil stream fed to the first centrifugal separator and optionally in a fourth stage the oil obtained in the second stage is washed one or more times with water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Assignee: N.V. Vandemoortele International
    Inventors: Martin van Opstal, Frans Dewulf, Bernard Cleenewerck, Ernst Weber
  • Patent number: 4698185
    Abstract: A process for producing at the same time degummed vegetable oils and gums of high phosphatidic acid content is described. The starting materials for this process are vegetable oils which have been conventionally water degummed and accordingly still contain too much non-hydratable phosphatides and iron for further processing by physical refining and providing a refined oil of good keepability. Therefore in a first stage of the disclosed process a non-toxic aqueous acid, e.g. phosphoric acid, is finely dispersed in the water degummed oil and sufficient contact time is allowed to complete the decomposition of the metal salts of phosphatidic acid. In a second stage a base is added to increase the pH above 2.5 without substantial formation of soap and in a third stage the aqueous phase containing the gums and the oil phase are separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1987
    Assignee: Safinco Coordination Center N.V.
    Inventors: Albert J. Dijkstra, Martin Van Opstal
  • Patent number: 4419291
    Abstract: Process for the directed interesterification of a triglyceride oil or oil mixture comprising the addition of a catalyst to the oil or oil mixture at a temperature below 50.degree. C., the activation of the catalyst below this temperature and the use of successive high and low temperatures in several cycles, the activation of the catalyst being combined with a very fast cooling of short or relatively short duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1983
    Assignee: Safinco
    Inventors: Rene De Lathauwer, Martin Van Opstal, Albert J. Dijkstra
  • Patent number: 4284578
    Abstract: Process for the directed interesterification of a triglyceride oil or oil mixture comprising the addition of a catalyst to the oil or oil mixture at a temperature below 50.degree. C., the activation of the catalyst below this temperature and the use of successive high and low temperatures in several cycles, the activation of the catalyst being combined with a very fast cooling of short or relatively short duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1981
    Assignee: Safinco
    Inventors: Rene De Lathauwer, Martin Van Opstal, Albert J. Dijkstra