Degumming&Neutralization

Clearing the path in fats and oils refining

Alfa Laval degumming and neutralization solutions

Crude fats and oils always contain impurities that have to beremoved and there is a growing focus on the environmentalaspects of how you do it.

Alfa Laval degumming and neutralization equipment is designedto work with virtually all types of fats and oils, making it one ofthe most efficient and flexible ways to purify them, minimizingprocessing loss and maximizing quality.

Degumming and neutralization solutions 3

Most crude fats and oils contain impurities that must be removed earlyon so that further processing can takeplace. This is crucial in ensuring thedesired product quality, and the way itis done must comply with increasinglystringent environmental regulationsthroughout the world.

These impurities can include: solid particles, such as dirt gums free fatty acids pigments substances that affect smell

and taste.

The one single technology that playsthe most important role in removingsuch impurities from both animal andvegetable fats and oils is separation.

Your advantage here is that Alfa Lavalis one of the worlds leading suppliersof separation equipment of virtually allkinds, with more than a century ofexperience in this field.

Flexible responseAlfa Laval degumming and neutraliza-tion equipment is designed to give youmaximum flexibility in your fats and oilsprocessing and refining operations.

We can provide an extensive range ofhigh-efficiency disc stack centrifuges,plate heat exchangers and mixers,specially developed for use in refiningfats and oils and available either as single items of equipment, as modularinstallations or as part of a processsystem.

The modular design of Alfa Laval fatsand oils processing equipment alsomakes it ideal regardless of whetheryou are retrofitting or expanding existing installations, or setting up anew processing operation.

The raw materialsAlfa Laval equipment is widely used forprocessing and refining fats and oils ofall kinds. The most common raw materials are: soybeans sunflower seeds maize/corn rapeseed/canola peanut/groundnut cottonseed oil palm animal fats (including fish oil,

tallow, etc.).

Make the best start

4 Degumming and neutralization solutions

The initial stagesOnce the initial stages of pre-treatment,pressing and extraction are complete,the process of refining the raw materialbegins. This normally consists of fourstages: degumming neutralization bleaching deodorization.

Physical or chemical?Two basic types of refining are normallyused to process fats and oils physicaland chemical. Each approach has itsown specific advantages, and the useof one or the other depends heavily onthe quality and the type of oil involved.

Many paths to purification

In physical refining, the free fatty acidsin the oil are removed using single-stage distillation during thedeodorization process. Physical refiningnormally has the following general characteristics: can only be used with certain types

of crude oils for example palm oil but not cottonseed oil or fish oil

depends on efficient degumming prior to refining

results in a product with a shorter shelf life

is largely effluent-free, and thus has a better environmental profile

avoids producing soapstock that requires subsequent treatment, and thus involves relatively lower production costs.

In chemical refining, caustic soda isused to neutralize the free fatty acids inthe oil, in a chemical reaction. Thismore traditional kind of refining normally has the following characteristics: can be used with a wider variety of

crude oils, including soybean, sunflower seed and rapeseed

results in a product that is more chemically stable and thus has a longer shelf life

results in the production of soapstock that needs expensive subsequent treatment and disposal, and thus involves relatively high production costs.

Based on both operating costs andenvironmental priorities, the industry iscurrently witnessing a gradual transitionfrom chemical refining to physical refining, as and when technology permits.


Alfa Laval disc stack centrifugesThe Alfa Laval range of disc stack centrifuges consists of units with capacitiesranging from 50 tonnes/day up to 1,200 tonnes/day.

For example, the extensive PX range of disc stack centrifuges features semi-hermetic technology and is equipped with the unique Alfa Laval Centrizoomadjustable paring disc. This enables you to deal with a wide range of gums andsoapstocks, and undertake rapid, stepless adjustment via remote control. Italso radically reduces energy consumption.

Alfa Laval plate heat exchangersAlfa Laval plate heat exchangers are designed to optimize heat transfer, becausethe corrugated plates provide the largest possible surface area through which theheat can be passed from one gas or liquid to the other. Plate heat exchangershave the advantage that this substantial heat transfer area is available within a relatively compact footprint.

The design of the channels also ensures maximum turbulence as each fluid passes through. This results in maximum efficiency in transferring heat from onemedium to the other.

Alfa Laval plate heat exchangers also have the added advantage that completelystandard units are normally perfectly capable of handling all requirements withinthe fats and oils industry.

Alfa Laval mixersAdding the correct types of reagents in the right quantities is important, but correct mixing is crucial for the efficiency of the subsequent refining processes.Alfa Laval has long experience in dealing with a wide range of mixing require-ments, from the gentle hydration mixing in the degumming process to the high-intensity mixing required in the Alfa Laval Multi Mix process.

The Alfa Laval range of MX mixers is designed on the basis of the MicroMergeconcept. This features separate chambers for dispersion and mixing to ensureeffective mixing and the most efficient utilization of additives. Combined with afrequency control drive, this gives you an unmatched degree of flexibility in allmixing duties.

Heater

MX mixer

Heater

Disc stack centrifuge

Crude oil

Steam

Water

Steam

Gums

To storage

Reactor

Vacuum

Vacuumdryer


Water degummingAll seed oils contain hydratable gums,but oil derived from soybeans contains most.

Because of the high content of hydratable gums in soybean oil, this iswhere water degumming is most commonly used. The gums removedwith this process are normally dried toform lecithin, which is a valuable by-product. As an alternative, however,the gums can be returned to the mealin the extraction plant.

However, water degumming has animportant additional advantage thatmakes its use both feasible and attractive in a range of other contexts.If you remove as much gum as possible in the initial stages, using thisrelatively simple, cheap process, thereis less material that subsequentlyneeds to be removed using neutralization, and less soapstock fortreatment or disposal.

Removal is necessaryAll fats and oils contain gums, or gum-like material. These consist largelyof different carbohydrates, proteins andnitrogen compounds, and can bedivided into hydratable and non-hydratable gums.

If these are not removed before the fator oil is exposed to the high temperatures used in deodorization or deacidification/deodorization, qualityproblems can well emerge. This isbecause the gum can give rise toproblematic emulsions that in turnresult in significant oil losses.

Water or chemicalsThese gums can be removed usingeither water degumming, specialdegumming, or other specialistprocesses.

Hydratable gums can be removedusing water, because they absorbwater and then become insoluble in oil. They are then removed using centrifugation.

Non-hydratable gums, on the otherhand, are normally removed using aform of acid hydrolysis phosphoricacid is the most common because it isthe most cost-effective. Adding suchacids also helps remove any trace metals by making them form insoluble complexes.

Lecithin dryingGums obtained from the water degumming of soybean oil can bedried using scraped surface heatexchangers, such as the Alfa LavalConvap and AlfaVap units. Pure lecithinis obtained after the dry gums are de-oiled.

Water degumming

Degumming every which wayRemoving gum and gum-like substances from fats and oils is one of the

basic prerequisites in oil refining. It has to be done in one form or another.

Heater

MX mixers MX mixer

Heater

Crude oil

Steam

Deg

umm

ing

path

Acid Lye

Neutralization path

Water

Steam

Gums orsoapstock

To drying/storage orbleaching

Wastewater

Reactor




Combi Mix

The Alfa Laval advantage low operating costs efficient mixing and separation efficient, coordinated plant control

systems all the processing equipment you

need to remove hydratable gums with water degumming, along with the removal of both non-hydratable and hydratable gums from seed oilsusing special degumming.

The Alfa Laval Combi Mix processsystem also provides opportunities forflexible switching back and forthbetween special degumming and neutralization operations, dependingon the type and quality of the oil.

Special degummingSpecial degumming has been developed for the physical refining ofseed oils. By adding a small amount ofa suitable acid and diluted lye, at carefully controlled temperatures, youcan separate both hydratable and non-hydratable gums from selectedoils, right down to a level where theseoils have a quality that is acceptable forfurther processing.

The gums that are removed at thisstage are very sticky, which makes Alfa Laval self-cleaning disc stack centrifuges with special Centrizoomparing disc outlets ideal for this task.

The Combi Mix processIn the case of low-quality seed oils,however, special degumming is notalways possible. To maintain the qualityof the final product, you have to givethese oils the full caustic neutralizationtreatment.

If you want to carry out special degumming on as much oil as possible, but also know that you maywell have to use caustic refining at alater stage anyway, the Alfa LavalCombi Mix process system is the idealsolution.

This two-stage process provides theflexibility you need to process bothgood-quality seed oils that requirephysical refining and any lower-qualityoils for which neutralization using caustic soda is the only viable path forremoving impurities.

Not just a supplierOdessa Maslozhircombinat (fats and oils plant in Odessa) is one of the leading producers of margarine, mayonnaise and bottled sunflower oil in Ukraine, withoperations that include a sunflower oil refinery.

When the company ran into quality problems with its existing degumming process,they turned to Alfa Laval for assistance. The outcome was the installation of an Alfa Laval special degumming process line that helped the plant produce oil of abetter quality, while also enabling it to reduce losses.

Alfa Laval is not just a supplier to us but also a partner, guide and friend, saysValeriy Fedorenkov, technical director.


Heater

MX mixers MX mixer

Heater

Crude oil

Steam

Acid Lye

Water

Steam

(optional)

Soapstock

To drying/storage orbleaching

Wastewater

Retentionmixers



The impurities that you most oftenhave to deal with in conjunction withfats and oils are the free fatty acids.High fatty acid content can stem fromlower-quality raw materials and/or inappropriate storage, and the greaterthe content, the more challenging thepurification process and the strongerthe caustic soda concentration neededto neutralize and remove it.

Neutralization using caustic soda iswidely recognized as an effective wayto purify crude oils, and has the advantage that the soap formed by thisprocess (also known as soapstock)also encapsulates many of the otherimpurities, including sugars, pigmentsand trace metals.

Neutralization of fats and oils usingcaustic soda refining is normally carriedout continuously using centrifugal separators, such as disc stack centrifuges.

When the neutralization process iscomplete, the oil is washed. The washwater is then removed using disc stackcentrifuges and the oil is dried in a vacuum dryer.

Two different approachesAlfa Laval equipment gives you thealternative of two different basic waysof neutralizing fats and oils.

The so-called Long Mix process is bestsuited for refining fresh soybean oil,and features a combination of extended contact time and low temperature, with disc stack centrifuges used to separate the soapstock from the refined oil.

The other main refining method currently in use is known as the MultiMix process. This combines the advantages of short contact time athigher temperatures (for oils that easilyemulsify) and gum conditioning withphosphoric acid to deal with oils thatfeature high levels of non-hydratablephosphatides.

Alfa Laval Multi Mix solutions thereforeenable you to refine virtually any oil,using either one or two washingstages. However, if you intend toprocess crude fats and oils of low quality, a second lye treatment commonly known as re-refining maybe necessary.

Long Mix

Neutralization to suit all needsAlfa Laval provides equipment that gives you the option of two different

basic approaches to the neutralization of fats and oils.


The Alfa Laval Multi Wax process usesthe high-efficiency refining techniquesof the Multi Mix process combined withwax crystal separation and removaltechniques that Alfa Laval originallydeveloped for fractionating palm oil. This results in a well-refined oil withhardly any wax content. If your coldtest requirements are relatively modest,it may thus not even be necessary toundertake cold filtration at all.

An alternative to the Multi Wax processis the cold refining process, or combined dewaxing and neutralization.In this process, neutralization is carriedout at low temperature, which ensuresthat the waxes are removed along withthe soapstock.

Market leader in MoroccoAcha is the leading producer of marmalade, olive oils and tomato paste inMorocco. The company operates a refinery that uses 100% Alfa Laval equipment,including a SoftColumn deodorizing plant, disc stack centrifuges and heat-transferequipment.

Its not an exaggeration to say this is the most sophisticated edible oil refinery inthe country, says David Devico, managing director. We are at least 10 yearsahead of our Moroccan competitors.

Multi Mix

Removing waxCertain vegetable oils contain waxes.Such oils have to be dewaxed to makethem acceptable to consumers.

The only way to completely remove alltraces of waxes is to use cold filtration.However, if you can remove the bulk ofthese waxes prior to such filtration, youreap notable benefits in terms of reduced product losses, less filter aidconsumption and more rapid processing.

This can either be done during the initial degumming process, or carriedout more completely in a subsequentcombined neutralizing and dewaxingprocess such as the Alfa Laval Multi Wax solution.

The Alfa Laval advantage low production costs efficient, coordinated plant control

systems unique Alfa Laval Centrizoom

paring disc technology the Multi Wax option provides you

with an efficient way to remove waxes from oils with a high wax content, by extending the average interval between dewaxing filter changes.


If you process crude oils that have ahigh gum content, Alfa Laval can alsoprovide you with a special processingsolution for the soapstocks that resultfrom this.

Soapstock splitting

SoapstockThe neutralization process results in aby-product known as soapstock thesodium soaps of the free fatty acidswithin the oil. Soapstock alwaysrequires subsequent treatment.

The traditional method of treatingsoapstock is known as splitting. Thesoapstock is split into fatty acids andwater by acidification with strong acids,usually sulphuric acid. This is oftenconsidered an attractive solutionbecause it is relatively simple.

However, such soapstock splittingrequires a relatively long processingtime, and the equipment takes up arelatively large space. Furthermore,somewhat large amounts of sulphuricacid are required, and disposal is achallenge within current regulatoryframeworks.

To provide customers with a betteralternative, Alfa Laval has developed acontinuous processing system thatrequires less space and time, as wellas reducing sulphuric acid consumption by as much as 50% andcutting down on effluent, with resultant environmental advantages.

The Alfa Laval advantage fully continuous processing that

gives you efficient mixing solutions that give you better-quality

acid oil solutions that reduce the effluent

load from your factory.

The neutralization of fats and oils using caustic soda results in soapstock

that always requires further treatment.


Service countsAlfa Laval operates with a highlysophisticated Nonstop Performanceconcept made possible by our worldwide network of service andspare parts distribution centres in morethan fifty countries throughout theworld.

Our expertise ensures that any servicework required is carried out with theabsolute minimum of disturbance tooperations.

Process know-howOne of the key advantages of workingwith Alfa Laval to install, update andextend your degumming and neutralization systems and equipmentis our extensive practical experience.

Alfa Lavals proven ability to design andcalculate a wide range of process configurations to meet specific customer requirements can provideyou with the benefits of our vast bodyof accumulated know-how.

Engineering servicesAlfa Laval provides a wide range ofsupplementary engineering servicesthat can help ensure that your newinstallation comes on line as rapidlyand efficiently as possible.

Playing it safe

We can also provide you with considerable savings by ensuring fullcompliance with the relevant nationaland international regulations for designcodes, safety procedures and bestengineering practice.

Alfa Laval engineering services include installation design in full accordance

with international standards installation supervision commissioning and start-up operator training documentation comprehensive spare parts packages operational, maintenance and service

support.

Full controlAlfa Laval has full control over theentire supply chain associated with thecompanys equipment. This means wecan provide customers with promptresponses, excellent availability andlead times that are second to none.

Alfa Laval in briefAlfa Laval is a leading global provider ofspecialized products and engineeredsolutions. Our equipment, systems andservices are dedicated to helping customers to optimize the performanceof their processes. Time and time again.

We help our customers to heat, cool, separate and transport productssuch as oil, water, chemicals, beverages, foodstuffs, starch and pharmaceuticals.

Our worldwide organization worksclosely with customers in almost 100countries to help them stay ahead.

How to contact Alfa LavalUp-to-date Alfa Laval contact details forall countries are always available on ourwebsite at www.alfalaval.com

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Degumming&Neutralization

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