Novel technique to enhance the disintegration effect of the pressure waves on oilseeds

•Underwater high voltage discharges forms bubble of water plasma.•Expansion of water plasma is followed by strong pressure waves.•Microbubbles enhances the disintegration effect on the oilseeds.•Disintegration of the cell walls increases the oil yield.•Subsequent anaerobic fermentation of the presscake is also accelerated.

A novel technique for continuous disintegration of oilseeds was designed. The operating principle consists of gasification of deshelled oilseeds mash using small amounts of gas. These were subsequently subjected to the pressure waves generated externally by underwater high-voltage discharges, which are then followed by expansion of the water plasma. It was observed that gasification using small amounts of gas may enhance the destruction effects of the edges of the pressure waves, resulting in deeper lignocellulose disintegration. Breakage of the cell walls increased the level of oil extraction from oil-rich vacuoles up to 93% and also accelerated the subsequent anaerobic fermentation of the presscake residue.