Nano Neutralization
Chemical neutralisation is the first cleaning step in the chemical refining route. It has been used for years to remove free fatty acids and phosphatides from crude soft oils like soya and rapeseed oil by adding a well defined amount of acid and caustic soda solution to the oil to be processed. The soapstock is removed from the oil by self cleaning centrifuges and the separated soapstock can be further converted to fatty acid oils by soapstock splitting.
In 2010, Desmet has signed an exclusive agreement with CTI (Cavitation Technology International) to introduce and develop the use of the Nano cavitation technology in oils and fats processes. This new technology has been developed as an alternative for the use of high shear mixers in the neutralization process and is now running in over 65 plants worldwide with very interesting results – considerably lower consumption of chemicals and auxiliaries and better oil yields.
Since 2024, Desmet is full owner of all IP related to the use of Nano reactors in oils and fats applications that were further developed with CTI. Today, the Nano reactors 2G are further optimized to improve the performance of new and existing neutralization lines (as 'add-on’). The working principles and advantages are further explained in more detail here below.
How does it work
The Nano reactors have a very specific and patented design that creates very high shear forces due to the cavitation when the oil is pumped together with the acid and caustic solution through the series of reactors.
This results in imploding ‘nano’ bubbles that create some beneficial mechanical and chemical effects – increased surface area, faster chemical reactions, disruption of molecular aggregates.
Applying this technology in chemical neutralisation of crude oils and fats are giving a lot of proven industrial benefits compared to the classical neutralisation process with high shear mixers:
- Up to 90% reduction of the use of phosphoric or citric acid
- Up to 30% reduction of caustic soda use
- Reduced residual soaps allowing less wash water and/or silica use
- Less oil losses in the soap stock formed (0.2 to 0.4% less)
- Very stable operation of the centrifuges
The nano reactors are existing for all common capacities of neutralisation lines and also can be easily added in an existing neutralisation line with minimal changes, to replace the classical high shear mixers.
Key advantages