The fundamental difference between the three types of production lines lies not in the size of the equipment, but in whether the inputs are provided in "batches" or on a "continuous" basis.
| type | available | boundary |
| Batch process | While capable of consistently producing Grade 1 oil, | insufficient for physical refining—and there is significant variability between batches. |
| Semi-continuous | Frequent changes in feedstock mean that degumming and deacidification remain batch-based; | switching feedstocks requires tank cleaning, making the processing of multiple varieties even more costly. |
| Fully continuous | the costs of startup and preheating cannot be effectively amortized, and feedstock changes necessitate tank cleaning, leading to significant losses; | this approach is uneconomical for capacities below 30 tonnes per day. |
Why are these four dividing lines drawn where they are? 10 t/d marks the threshold for vacuum processing; 30 t/d is the entry point for fully continuous operations; 50 t/d represents the economic threshold for physical refining; and 200 t/d serves as the starting point for waste heat recovery.
1. Assuming that high production volume necessitates a fully continuous process. Fully continuous systems struggle with product changes; if you switch oil types frequently—as is common when handling a diverse product range—the losses incurred during tank cleaning often outweigh any savings on labor costs. 2. Believing that batch-processing lines cannot produce "Grade 1" (top-quality) oil. They can, provided the vacuum system is upgraded (e.g., using a Roots pump combined with chilled water cooling) and you are prepared for potential batch-to-batch variations. Achieving the desired quality depends on the vacuum system, while consistency depends on operational management. 3. Mistaking semi-continuous systems for "budget-friendly" fully continuous ones. In reality, only the deodorization stage is continuous, while the preceding stages remain batch-based. While they offer more flexibility for product changes than fully continuous systems, they are less flexible than purely batch-based setups. 4. Focusing solely on the total equipment cost rather than the cost per ton of finished oil. Batch processing typically results in 0.8%–1.5% higher product loss compared to continuous processing; over the course of a year, this difference in loss often exceeds the initial price gap between the two types of equipment. 5. Forcing the adoption of physical refining for low-volume production. Physical refining cannot function effectively without an adequate vacuum system, often forcing a fallback to alkali refining—meaning you end up with expensive refining towers that cannot actually be used for their intended purpose.
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