Semi-Continuous Deodorizer With External Stripping Vessel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current deodorizers face challenges in efficiently removing free fatty acids (FFA) and malodorous compounds from edible oils with minimal oil/oil cross-contamination during stock changes, excessive steam consumption, and maintenance difficulties, especially when processing oils with varying FFA concentrations, leading to suboptimal oil quality and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A semi-continuous deodorizer design featuring a combined external stripping and scrubbing vessel with a packed stripper that can be bypassed for low FFA oils, allowing for rapid stock changes with minimal downtime and cross-contamination, and enabling low-temperature cleaning of the packed stripper while maintaining high deodorizing tray temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a packed stripper is used to remove FFA from oils with medium to high FFA concentrations, then FFA removal efficiency is improved, but oil/oil cross-contamination increases during stock changes
Solution Approach 1:
The deodorizer is divided into two separate vessels: the first vessel contains the packed stripper for FFA removal, while the second vessel contains the deodorizing trays. This segmentation allows the packed stripper to be isolated and cleaned independently during stock changes, enabling rapid product transitions without extensive cleaning of the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The packed stripper is extracted from the main deodorizer vessel and placed in a separate first vessel. This extraction allows the packed stripper to be bypassed or cleaned independently, reducing downtime and cross-contamination during stock changes while maintaining FFA removal efficiency when needed.
2Manufacturing precision
If deodorizing trays are maintained at high temperature for sufficient deodorization time, then malodorous compound removal is improved, but oil degradation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deodorization process is segmented into two distinct stages occurring in separate vessels: (1) FFA removal in the packed stripper at lower temperatures, and (2) malodorous compound removal in the deodorizing trays at high temperatures. This segmentation allows each process to occur at optimal conditions, reducing overall oil exposure to high temperatures and minimizing degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The two-vessel design enables continuous operation where oil can be processed through the packed stripper for FFA removal, then immediately transferred to deodorizing trays for malodorous compound removal. This continuous flow reduces the need for prolonged high-temperature holding, minimizing oil degradation while ensuring complete deodorization.
3Productivity
If the packed stripper is cleaned in place, then maintenance time is reduced, but accessibility for cleaning is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The packed stripper is segmented into a separate first vessel, isolated from the main deodorizer system. This segmentation provides dedicated access points and manways on the first vessel specifically for packed stripper maintenance, allowing cleaning operations to be performed efficiently without disrupting the main deodorizer vessel or requiring complex in-place cleaning mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design reduces steam consumption, minimizes oil degradation, and facilitates efficient FFA removal across various FFA concentrations, ensuring high-quality edible oils with reduced production costs and improved maintenance accessibility.
Implementation Method 1
a packed stripper of high surface area where the oil forms a thin film and at the same time trickles down, while simultaneously counter-currently contacting the rising steam
Implementation Method 2
oil forms a thin film and at the same time trickles down, while simultaneously counter-currently contacting the rising steam
Implementation Method 3
contaminants are steam stripped and/or thermally decomposed. This is achieved by contacting the oil with steam at high temperature under high vacuum
Implementation Method 4
contacting the oil with steam at high temperature under high vacuum
Implementation Method 5
several trays equipped with steam diffusors that can be, for example, mammoth pumps or circular tubes (known in the field as 'crowns') or simple sparge pipes
Data Source
AI summary
A semi-continuous deodorizer providing a first main vessel, and a second vessel, wherein the second vessel is connected to the first main vessel by a duct for the transport of gases and vapors, the second vessel being connected to a vacuum system, wherein both the first main vessel and the second vessel are made of stainless steel and built hermetically.