Successful commissioning of the rapeseed peeling plant section as part of the EthaNa plant

Press Release /

After five months of construction the rapeseed pilot plant was successfully put into operation at the end of April 2019. Together with the project partners B + B Engineering and AVA, a plant for breaking up the seed grains with subsequent separation of the components shells and core material in a fluidized bed was laid out and set up at Fraunhofer CBP. In continuous operation, a processing of up to 250 kg / h can be realized.

This is an important milestone in the collaborative EthaNa project and the first step in the demonstration of the entire process for mild ethanolic extraction of peeled rapeseed. The second part of the plant for digesting the cores and extraction is currently under construction and should be put into operation in 2020. New products and improved quality products are available through the EthaNa process. In addition to rape seed oil, rape proteins for applications in the food or animal feed sector or the isolation of pharmaceutically active substances such as sinapine, tocopherols or phytic acid, in order to significantly increase the value added from rape, offer potential. We are already in contact with potential customers in order to coordinate further research activities for specific application developments.


The first step has been taken with the commissioning of the rapeseed peeling plant, which will lead to the construction of the entire EthaNa pilot plant with the other plant sections for the harvesting of hulled rapeseed, direct extraction and desolventation. Thus, an important prerequisite is fulfilled to carry out further investigations, optimizations and analyzes of the EthaNa process and to provide new product samples. "We have come one step closer to our goal of developing and establishing the EthaNa process for the improved and complete use of rapeseed within a reep bio refinery concept", says Dr. Fabian Steffler, project manager at Fraunhofer CBP.