Method for cleaning piping of equipment for producing edible oils and fats

Abstract

To provide a method for removing oil stains in edible oil and fat manufacturing sites, which achieves reductions in work burden and environmental burden during the oil stain removing operation.SOLUTION: Oil stains in edible oil and fat manufacturing sites are removed by utilizing wastewater generated from the refining process of edible oils and fats, either directly or after dilution, as a cleaning agent for oil removal. According to the present invention, a by-product generated in refining process during the edible oil and fat manufacturing can be utilized to clean oil stains, eliminating the need to prepare a separate cleaning agent. This can provide a cleaning method that reduces burden on workers, does not require consumption of new prepared materials, and causes little environmental burden.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning agent for removing oil, including wastewater generated in the process of producing edible oils and fats, and a cleaning method using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In the production of edible oils and fats, cleaning is widely carried out to remove oily stains from the equipment and facilities used in the production, and the materials to be cleaned are diverse, including metal, ceramic, plastic, glass, etc. Furthermore, the oil to be removed also has various properties, including liquid oil, denatured oils and fats, and grease. As cleaning agents for such oil stains, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a cleaning agent containing sodium hydroxide derived from coal ash, and Patent Document 2 discloses a cleaning agent containing a cationic polymer, sodium hydroxide, an organic solvent, and water. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a cleaning agent containing 1-heptanol, a water-soluble solvent, and water. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-26293 [Patent Document 2] JP 2012-193287 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2018-193540 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Although these disclosed cleaning agents have high cleaning power, the work of preparing the cleaning agents itself places a burden on workers at production sites, and they also contribute to environmental loads in that they consume materials.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for removing oil stains which reduces the workload and environmental impact of the oil stain removal work at edible oil and fat production sites. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of extensive investigations aimed at solving the above-mentioned problems, the inventors have found that the above problems can be solved by using wastewater generated in the refining process of edible fats and oils, and have thus completed the present invention. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, since oil stains can be cleaned using by-products from the refining process, which is a manufacturing process for edible oils and fats, there is no need to prepare a separate cleaning agent. Therefore, a cleaning method that reduces the workload of workers, does not require the preparation and consumption of new materials, and has a low environmental impact can be provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Specific embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below. However, the following description is merely one embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the invention. In addition, "to" in a numerical range indicates from above to below unless otherwise specified, and includes both ends of the numerical range. When the upper limit and the lower limit of a numerical range are indicated, the upper limit and the lower limit can be appropriately combined, and the numerical range obtained by combining them is also disclosed.

[0009] The oil removing cleaning agent according to the present invention utilizes wastewater generated during the refining process of edible oils and fats. The wastewater generated during the refining process of edible oils and fats will be described below.

[0010] [Refining process of edible oils and fats] In general, edible oils and fats are refined through the processes of squeezing the oil raw material, degumming, deacidification, bleaching, and deodorization. The degumming process is a process for hydrating and removing gums, the main component of which is phospholipids, contained in the oil, the deacidification process is a process for removing free fatty acids contained in the oil as soap by treating with alkaline water, the bleaching process is a process for removing pigments contained in the oil by adsorption onto activated clay or the like, and the deodorization process is a process for removing volatile odorous components contained in the oil by steam distillation under reduced pressure.

[0011] [Wastewater generated during the refining process of edible oils and fats] The wastewater that can be used as an oil removal cleaning agent is that generated during the refining process of edible oils and fats, but is preferably that generated during the deodorizing process, and since it is an alkaline aqueous solution, it has properties suitable for washing away oil stains. More preferably, it is wastewater generated in the deacidification process. The wastewater generated in the deacidification process contains free fatty acids contained in oil as soap, but is an alkaline aqueous solution and is discharged at a temperature of about 70°C or higher, so it has the property of being able to easily wash away oil stains and can be used as it is as a cleaning agent for removing oil, or it can be stored in a storage container before being used.

[0012] [Oil removal cleaning agent] In the present invention, the oil removal cleaner may contain components other than wastewater generated during the refining process of edible oils and fats. For example, components that are usually used in cleaners, such as abrasives, emulsifiers, and sequestering agents, can be used as necessary.

[0013] The temperature of the oil removal cleaner during cleaning work can be selected from the range of preferably 40° C. or higher, more preferably 50° C. or higher, and particularly preferably 60° C. or higher. From the viewpoint of worker safety, the temperature can be selected from the range of preferably 90° C. or lower, more preferably 80° C. or lower, and particularly preferably 70° C. or lower.

[0014] [Item to be cleaned] Any type of hard surface can be cleaned, including metal surfaces such as aluminum, copper, iron, and alloys of these metals, hard resin surfaces such as plastics, and ceramic surfaces such as tiles. There are no particular limitations on the places to be cleaned, and examples include edible oil and fat manufacturing equipment and facilities, kitchens, bathrooms, and areas around washstands, but since there is a risk of chemical burns from alkaline wastewater, it is preferable to use the product in edible oil and fat manufacturing plants where the handling of such equipment is accustomed, to remove oil stains from edible oil and fat manufacturing equipment and facilities.

[0015] [How to clean using oil removal cleaner] In the present invention, the method of cleaning using the oil removal cleaner is not limited, and includes a method of applying or spraying the undiluted solution directly to oil stains and scrubbing, a method of soaking a cloth such as a rag with the undiluted solution to clean the oil stains, and a method of cleaning using a diluted solution obtained by diluting the undiluted solution with water. Among these, the method of applying or spraying the undiluted solution to the oil stains and cleaning them is preferred because of its good cleaning properties. When diluting with water, the undiluted solution may be diluted 2 to 100 times.

[0016] The timing of using the oil removing cleaner of the present invention is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use it in the primary cleaning step because the liquid is alkaline. After the primary cleaning step, a step of removing the oil removing cleaner, such as washing with water or alcohol, may be performed. EXAMPLES

[0017] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the gist of the present invention is not limited thereto. In the following examples, unless otherwise specified, "%" means "% by mass". Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, "parts" means "parts by mass".

[0018] The wastewater obtained during the deacidification process in the production of edible oils and fats was heated to 70°C, and equipment parts used in the production of edible oils and fats with oil stains were immersed in the wastewater for 10 minutes, and the weight loss of the equipment parts was measured to evaluate the dirt removal performance. The dirt removal performance was evaluated using tap water in the same manner. The results of the cleaning performance are shown in Table 1.

[0019] Example 1, which used wastewater generated in the deacidification process of edible oil, demonstrated superior oil stain removal power to Comparative Example 1, which used tap water as the cleaning liquid.

[0020] [Table 1]

Claims

1. A cleaning agent for removing oil, including wastewater generated during the manufacturing process of edible oils and fats.

2. The oil removal cleaning agent according to claim 1, wherein the wastewater is generated in a deacidification process of oils and fats.

3. 3. A method for cleaning oil and fat adhering to edible oil and fat manufacturing equipment using the oil removal cleaning agent according to claim 1 or 2.

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