Fat Splitting Process

INTRODUCTION TO TECHNOLOGY

Among the different steps of the whole downstream edible oil industry, a prominent role is played by fat splitting (also known as hydrolysis), the process of breaking down triglycerides, present in edible oils and fats, into their basic components: glycerol  and free fatty acids (FFA).

This is an essential step in the production of fatty acids for various applications, including the production of soap, green plastics, detergents, surfactants, fatty alcohols, special esters and  – of course  – primary components for the cosmetics and pharmaceuticals industry

To split triglyceride into the two different products we mentioned, we need to use the water.

Until the mid-1950s, to carry out the fat splitting process, it was necessary to use a catalyst to enhance the reaction. Later, with the introduction of the Colgate-Emery process, continuous fat splitting was adopted, which made it possible to allowed  abandon the use of catalysts.

This innovation brought several advantages, including:

• Higher purity of fatty acids, since catalysts can introduce impurities or unwanted by-products. Without catalyst, the fatty acids produced are purer, reducing the need for post-treatment or purification;
• Avoiding catalyst contamination, with no residual catalyst in the final product, also reducing the risk of equipment corrosion caused by acidic or alkaline catalysts;
• No chemical waste, eliminating the need to neutralize and dispose of chemical catalyst, reducing the environmental impact and avoiding toxic residues risks;
• Suitability for a wider range of feedstocks, since some oils and fats contain impurities that can deactivate catalysts.
• Easier equipment maintenance, because catalysts can cause scaling, fouling or corrosion in reactors and pipelines, while a catalyst-free process increases lifespan and reduces maintenance costs.

In concrete terms, here’s how the modern fat splitting process works: the reactor is a tall plug-flow tower, where water fed into the top flows down, while fat at the bottom rises. Fatty acids exit the tower from the top and sweet water (consisting of water and glycerol) goes out from the bottom.

The conversion is an equilibrium reaction but the excess water compared to that in solution in the organic phase removes the glycerol, which is more soluble in water. This action allows an almost complete splitting of the triglyceride.

A key element for the reaction to take place, is maintaining the water in a liquid state: that’s the reason why the reaction is carried out at high temperature and consequently at high pressure.

TECHNOLOGY ADVANTAGES

Fat splitting offers several advantages in various industrial sectors.

It is worth mentioning that the process allows the extraction of high-purity free fatty acids, which are essential for the production of soaps, cosmetics and food products, but FFAs can be further processed into many other products suitable for specific industrial applications.

Moreover, the glycerol obtained as a by-product has a high value in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food industries.

The other main advantages of this technology can be summarized as follows:

• Versatility of feedstocks
• Reliability
• Environmental sustainability
• Cost-effectiveness and scalability

FURTHER ADVANTAGES OF CMB TECHNOLOGY

Although the fat splitting process is certainly mature and used by all companies wishing to produce FFA, it is the details that make the difference between a good quality and an excellent production.

The CMB R&D team has perfected its fat splitting process, optimizing each single phase and bringing both the engineering of the systems and the implementation of the various steps of the overall process to the state of the art.

The splitter is mainly an empty space, however, there are a number of internal components required to achieve the conversion.

For example, steam distribution is critical: in the splitter there are two phases, the fat/fatty acid phase that rises and the sweet water phase that descends. It is essential that the introduced steam condenses immediately to avoid mixing of the two phases with reconversion of the fatty acids and glycerol into triglycerides (backmixing effect). This is achieved by operating at a pressure of a specific number of bars above the vapor pressure of the water and with a proper steam distributor.

Among the most obvious advantages of choosing a fat splitting technology designed and built by CMB, there are certainly:

– Energy optimization

– Maximum care in selecting the most functional materials

– End-to-end plant design and construction

– Cost-efficiency

– Reduced environmental impact

– Professional and punctual global support

Get in touch with CMB consultants for more information about your new plant by writing to: info@cmb.com. Let’s find out together how to increase your business!