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Move up a gear in fats modification
Alfa Laval processes for modifying edible oils and fats
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Aiming at new horizons
If youre in the business of modifying oils into fats for the
foodindustry, the key to success lies in providing your
customerswith high-quality products that meet their
requirementsperfectly even at short notice.
Naturally, you also want to ensure that your
processingoperations remain safe while at the same timeadding
maximum value to your raw materials.
Alfa Laval provides you with the fatsmodification solutions you
need tomove up the value chain safely and surely.
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Fats modification 3
The benefits of fats modification
Fats modification processes open newdoors so that you can offer
moreproducts, reach new customer groupsand harvest greater revenue
for yourbusiness.
There are also strategic advantages tobe gained from modifying
these fats. Amove from the basic processing of bulkoils and fats
enables you to focus on awider market spread.
This in turn strengthens yourcompanys ability to deal with
theeffects of seasonal demand, individualmarket fluctuations and
the worldwidecommoditization of basic agriculturalproducts.
Opportunities aboundSo if youre looking for opportunities to
branch out into more products withhigher value
acquire new customers forge new forms of
customerrelationships
enter into new supply chains move further up the value
chaininstalling Alfa Laval fats modificationequipment provides you
with a low-risk path into a world of newopportunities.
The Alfa Laval approach providesflexible solutions that enable
you torapidly, efficiently and safely varyproduction to meet
changes in yourcustomers requirements andspecifications.
Feedstock
Fractionation HydrogenationInteresterificationChemical /
enzymatic
Alternatives in fats modificationDepending on the products
yourcustomers are interested in and theraw materials you have
available, youcan choose between several differentAlfa Laval
solutions, or a combinationof these.
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If your feedstock stems from palm oilor animal fats, there is a
direct, naturalway to modify it to ensure that itacquires greater
value. By separatingthe feedstock into liquid and solidfractions,
or by combining differentfractions, you can create products
thatmatch your customers exactspecifications.
4 Fats modification
Crystallizers
Filter press
Stearin tank
Olein tank
Wash olein tank
Heater
Oil in
Coolingwater out
Chiller water in
Chiller water out
Coolingwater in
Oil tofeed tank
Stearin to storage
Olein
To filter pressduring washing
Steam
Coreblowtank
Chilledwatertank
Steam
Steam
Compressed air
Steam
Fractionation
Gearing up naturallyThe natural way to modify oils and fats
Fractionation consists of gently coolingoils or fats in an
accurately controlledprocess, making it possible tocrystallize the
hard fat content.
In dry fractionation, the fat is kept at atemperature at which
it is in a partiallyliquid form. The crystals are thenseparated
from the liquid fraction by
membrane filtration. The result is twodistinct products with
different physicalproperties and melting points.
This can be achieved with absolutelyno chemical modification,
making thisthe natural way to produce hard fats.
A diagram of the dry fractionation process
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high yields efficient crystallizationand accurate process
control resultin good separation of the liquid andhard phases as
well as ensuringgreater yields and higher profitability.
practical design Alfa Lavalequipment is designed to
bestraightforward, practical and easyfor you to install, operate,
clean andmaintain.
plant control the system is availablewith different levels of
automation, tosuit your particular requirements.The combination of
automation andthe closed loop cooling systemmakes it possible to
achieve avirtually unlimited range of differentcooling curves.
Fats modification 5
Taking dry fractionation still furtherThe Alfa Laval dry
fractionation plant atthe palm oil refinery run byIOI Edible Oils
features six crystallizersand one filter press. Here,
dryfractionation is more than just a way ofproducing cooking oil.
Advanced PLCsystems have been added for efficientcontrol and
top-quality results.
Alfa Laval has simplified dryfractionation into a process that
is easyfor the operator to interface, and thustransformed the
technology, statesKenny Liew, Deputy Plant Manager forIOI Edible
Oils Sdn Bhd in Malaysia.
The Alfa Laval advantageAlfa Laval crystallization and
filtrationequipment for fats modificationprocesses features upward
flexibility the modulardesign makes it possible to
increaseproduction capacity to keep pacewith demand, by adding
morecrystallizers and extending filtercapacity.
excellence in process andengineering solutions by designingand
specifying the most suitable keycomponents, such as
crystallizers,membrane filters, pumps andinstruments, the Alfa
Laval systemensures high process efficiency.
highly effective crystallizer design using the best vessel
engineeringdesign, construction materials,surface finishing, design
of thecooling coils and agitation thatproduce crystallized slurry
ideallysuited for membrane filtration.
Oil in- and outlet
Cooling water outlet
Cooling water intlet
Alfa Laval crystallizer
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Slope oil
Cyclone
Filter
Filtercake
Compressed air
Vacuum
Flashtank
Heater
Drop tank
Reactor
Intermediatetank
Economizer
SteamSteam
Water
Steam
Oil in
Hydrogen
Vacuum
Vacuum
VacuumCitric acid system
Filter aid Bleaching earth
Filter
Slope oil
Cyclone
Final cooler
Post-treatmentsystem
Compressed air
Steam
Cooling water
Oil out
VacuumCatalyst
tank
Feed tank
Steam
Hydrogenation
6 Fats modification
Many routes to results
Essentially, this process consists ofbubbling hydrogen gas
through theoils, normally at temperatures of150200C (302392F),
underpressure, and in the presence of acatalyst. This adds the
hydrogen atomsto the double bonds of unsaturatedfatty acids, to
either reduce them or toproduce fully saturated fats.
Hydrogenation raises the melting pointof oils and fats, and
improves a rangeof other properties, including taste andkeeping
qualities.
The diagrams above and to the leftshow two alternative systems
thatAlfa Laval provides for catalyst removal,based on filtration
and continuouscentrifugal separation.
The versatile way to modify fatsOils and fats from virtually all
kinds ofraw materials and ingredients can bemodified into hard fats
by altering theirmolecular structure.
This is done by hydrogenation thename given to the process in
whichhydrogen is chemically combined withunsaturated oils and fats,
by making itlink up with the double bonds of theunsaturated fatty
acid chains.
A diagram of the hydrogenation process
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Fats modification 7
The Alfa Laval advantageAlfa Laval hydrogenation
equipmentfeatures low production costs, due to- high heat recovery
using efficienttypes of heat exchangers that heatthe incoming oil
and cool thehydrogenated product at thesame time.- full energy
recovery from theexothermic reaction, using a closedloop cooling
system.- use of exactly the right quantities ofhydrogen special
agitationtechniques ensure that most of thehydrogen is incorporated
into the oilbefore it reaches the reactor headspace. Vortices on
the surface of theoil also force the hydrogen in thehead space back
into the oil.- the low speed/high flow agitation,which ensures good
catalystdistribution and contact with the oil.The filtration rate
is improved, as thecatalyst is not converted to colloidalform.- the
use of a closed loop coolingsystem and natural recirculation
toreduce the temperature approachbetween oil and water. This
avoidswater hammer effect and improvestemperature control.
Catalyst
Vacuum
Oil
Oil outlet
Hydrogen
Cooling water outlet
Cooling waterinlet
high flexibility, due to- a wide range of operatingparameters
including hydrogen flowrate and pressure, reactiontemperature,
degree of agitation andamount of catalyst. These make itpossible to
produce saturated orpartially hydrogenated fats with manydifferent
specifications.- variable batch size.- a wide range of plant
capacities.- feed and drop tanks that increaseproduction and allow
heat recovery.- reduced oil volume in the heatexchangers. This
makes stockchanges easier and reducescontamination.
high degree of safety, due to- explosion-proof design becausethe
hydrogen is kept within thereactor.- special seals with leakage
detector.
Alfa Laval spiral heat exchanger
AlfaRex economizer
Unlimited flexibilityThe Alfa Laval hydrogenation plantsupplied
to CALSA features a feed, adrop tank and a dead-end reactor.
Heat recovery is done by a highlyefficient AlfaRex TM20 plate
heatexchanger. Catalyst removal isundertaken in two steps, using
directfiltration followed by a post-treatmentsystem.
The plant is fully automatic, controlledby a PLC unit.Alfa Laval
supplied us with a highlyefficient plant, with the lowestproduction
costs in terms of energy,hydrogen and catalyst consumption. Itgives
us unlimited flexibility to produceany type of fats we want,
statesMr Alejandro Murillo, plant manager ofCALSA Cia Argentina de
LevadurasS.A.I.C. Argentina.
Alfa Laval reactor
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Vacuum
Vacuum
Filter
Cyclone
Polishingfilter
Oil cooler
Filter
Post-treatmentsystem
Catalyst handling unit
Citric acidsystem
Bleachingearth
Catalyst
Compressed air
Steam
Steam
Filtercake
Slope oil
Cooling water
Oil out
Oil in
Interesterification
As an alternative, the catalyst can bedeactivated with water in
the washingtank. The soap generated in thisprocess is removed using
a disc stackcentrifuge. The oil is then dried andsent to the
post-treatment stage.
Interesterification does not affect thedegree of saturation of
the fat, nor thelocation of the cis/trans chemicalbonds. It is
largely done to control theconsistency of the oil or fat at
differenttemperatures, a parameter that iscrucial for your
customers in the foodindustry.
8 Fats modification Alfa Laval Plate heater technology 13
The necessary detour
When you want to combine an efficient,flexible production set-up
with the abilityto satisfy your customers manyconstantly changing
demands,interesterification is an alternative answer.
By combining different oils and fats,interesterification makes
it possible toproduce hard fats from a wide range ofraw materials
and in a way thatconforms to modern market demands.
Traditional interesterification is carried outby using a
chemical catalyst (normally
sodium methylate) to bring about aregrouping of the position of
the fattyacids on the basic glycerol molecule.
The mixture of oils and fats is pumpedfrom the mixing tank to a
steam heaterand then to the reactor under vacuumfor drying. To
improve drying efficiency,the oil is pumped through a
recirculationsection.After drying the oil, a catalyst isintroduced
into the oil recirculationstream, using the special catalyst
dosingdevice. When the catalyst reaction is
completed, the oil is discharged to thepost-treatment reactor.
Here, the catalystis deactivated with acid and the oil istreated
using bleaching earth.
A diagram of the interesterification process (catalyst
deactivated with acid)
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Vacuum
Process water
Catalyst handling unit
Citric acidsystem
Vacuumdryer
HeaterDisc stack centrifugeWashingtank
Oil in
Condensate
Steam
Steam
Vacuum
Vacuum
Steam
Processwater
Filter
Steam
Citric acid
Acidulation
Catalyst
Oil topost-treatment
Interesterification
The Alfa Laval advantageAlfa Laval interesterification
equipmentused in fats modification processesincludes a specially
designed catalysthandling system. This comprises catalyst handling
unit. This is ahermetically sealed handling unit inwhich the
catalyst bags can bemanipulated with no direct contactbetween the
product and the operator,thus ensuring a safe, inert environment.
catalyst dosing unit. This ensuresthat accurate amounts of the
catalystare used, with no exposure to theatmosphere. catalyst
pre-mixer. To ensure thatthe catalyst powder is introduced to
Fats modification 9
the oil inside the vacuum reactor, thecatalyst is dosed in a
blender where itis dissolved in the recirculation oilstream.
catalyst neutralizer. Two alternativesare available for catalyst
neutralization using acid or water.Other special Alfa Laval
featuresinclude oil conditioning. By recirculating thehot oil to
the reactor under vacuum,the Alfa Laval system ensures that theoil
has a low moisture content. Thisresults in the best possible
catalystefficiency and consumption. post-treatment equipment.
Thisincludes the Alfa Laval hermetically
A diagram of the interesterification process (catalyst
deactivated with water)
Alfa Laval disc stack centrifuge
sealed earth transportation and dosingsystem, and a
post-treatment reactorwith steam or mechanical agitation,designed
for continuous or batchoperation.Because of the design of
thecomponents and the rigorousspecifications used, Alfa
Lavalinteresterification equipment keepsthe consumption of energy
and otherutilities to a minimum, resulting in loweroperating
costs.
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10 Fats modification
Make the right connections
Process know-howOne of the key advantages of workingwith Alfa
Laval to install, update andextend your fats modification systemsis
our extensive practical experience.
Alfa Lavals proven ability to design andconfigure a wide range
of processvariants to meet specific customerrequirements can
provide you with thebenefits of a vast body of
accumulatedknow-how.
Project implementationAlfa Laval has a specialist group
whosesole focus is the design andengineering of fats and oils
projects,with years of experience and anextensive, proven track
record of plantsdesigned, installed and in operation.
The process and engineering team alsohas constant access to the
mostrecent technologies and solutionsimplemented by Alfa Laval all
over theworld. This means you benefit directlyfrom Alfa Lavals
renowned know-howin the fields of thermal engineering,separation
technologies and fluidhandling, and from the latestbreakthroughs in
other related industrialprocesses.
Engineering for automationThe automation of key plant
operatingprocesses either wholly or in part makes it possible to
achieve new levelsof flexibility when you need rapid,reliable
resettings and adjustments tomeet new specifications. Alfa Laval
canprovide you with the exact degree ofautomation you need to meet
yourparticular requirements.
Alfa Laval provides a wide range ofeasy-to-operate control and
monitoringsystems, which are also straightforwardto integrate into
existing plant controlsystems.
Engineering servicesAlfa Laval provides a wide range
ofsupplementary engineering servicesthat can help ensure that your
newinstallation comes on line as rapidlyand efficiently as
possible.
We can also provide you withconsiderable 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 accordancewith international standards
installation supervision commissioning and start-up operator
training documentation operational, maintenance and
servicesupport.
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Alfa Laval in briefAlfa Laval is a leading global provider
ofspecialized products and engineeredsolutions. Our equipment,
systems andservices are dedicated to helpingcustomers to optimize
the performanceof their processes. Time andtime again.We help our
customers to heat,
cool, separate and transport productssuch as oil, water,
chemicals,beverages, foodstuffs, starch andpharmaceuticals.Our
worldwide organization works
closely 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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Alfa
Rex
isatrad
emarkregistered
andow
nedbyAlfa
Lava
lCorporateAB,Swed
en.
ALF
ALA
VALis
atrad
emarkregistered
andow
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en.
2004
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