The yield of palmitic acid in extract increases as the extract-toraffinate
ratio increases. The yield of palmitic acid in extract tends
to its minimum value as the column operates at total reflux. However,
high reflux ratios enhance the purity of the light component
in the extract. It has been also observed that yield of palmitic acid
in extract increases and the palmitic acid quality decreases as the
extract-to-raffinate ratio increases whereas the intersection point
in Fig. 16 provides the optimum relation between the product quality
and yield of palmitic acid in the extract. At this point both yield
and quality exhibits its maximum values.