Use of Nano Reactors in Edible Oil Processing 102nd AOCS Annual Meeting May 1-4, 2011 Cincinnati, OH Use of Nano Reactors in Edible Oil Processing Wim De Greyt1, Marc Kellens1,Tim Kemper2 and Jim Willits2 1Desmet Ballestra Group, Zaventem, Belgium; 2Desmet Ballestra North America, Marrietta, GA www.desmetballestra.com 1

Refiner’s Challenge EFFICIENCY QUALITY SUSTAINABILITY REFINING CONDITIONS REFINING TECHNOLOGY QUALITY SUSTAINABILITY www.desmetballestra.com

Alkali Neutralisation Physical deacidification Deodorizer Distillate Oil Refining Processes OILSEEDS Mechanical Pressing Oil Extraction Deoiled Meal Solvent extraction Crude Oil Water degumming Gums LECITHIN Chemical Physical WDG Oil Alkali Neutralisation Acid degumming Soapstock Acid Gums Bleaching Spent bleaching earth Bleaching Physical deacidification Deodorization Deodorizer Distillate Deodorization Refined Oil www.desmetballestra.com

Alkali Neutralisation Physical deacidification Deodorizer Distillate Oil Refining Processes OILSEEDS Mechanical Pressing Oil Extraction Deoiled Meal Solvent extraction Crude Oil Water degumming Gums LECITHIN Chemical Physical WDG Oil Alkali Neutralisation Acid degumming Soapstock Acid Gums Bleaching Spent bleaching earth Bleaching Physical deacidification Deodorization Deodorizer Distillate Deodorization Refined Oil www.desmetballestra.com

Oil Refining Processes OILSEEDS Mechanical Pressing Oil Extraction Deoiled Meal Solvent extraction Crude Oil Developments in Wet oil pretreatment Water degumming Gums LECITHIN WDG Oil Acid degumming Soapstock Alkali Neutralisation Acid Gums Bleaching Spent bleaching earth Bleaching Physical deacidification Deodorization Deodorizer Distillate Deodorization Refined Oil www.desmetballestra.com

Developments in degumming Enzymatic Degumming * PL-C on high PL-containing crude oils (RSO, SBO) * PL-A on crude/WDG oils Main driver Higher Oil Yield soya rape www.desmetballestra.com

More intensive mixing requiring higher energy input Alkali Neutralisation - Degumming MORE EFFICIENT GUMS/FFA REMOVAL Using less chemicals Trend towards more intensive mixing Static Dynamic High Shear Ultra High Shear (single stage) (multi-stage) Silverson IKA More intensive mixing requiring higher energy input How to improve efficiency further ? www.desmetballestra.com

Generation, growth and collapse of bubbles Nano Reactors Nano Reactors Generation, growth and collapse of bubbles Release of large magnitudes of energy over small location (high energy density) Locally very high temp/pressure with overall ambient conditions ‘Mechanical’ Effects *High turbulence *High shear forces *Fine emulsions ‘Chemical’ Effects *Fragmenting of molecules *Formation of radicals www.desmetballestra.com

Can Nano Reactors be applied in Oil Processing ? POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS OF NANO REACTORS Process intensification (faster-higher yield-more selective) Cell disruption (biotechnology) Microbial disinfection/destruction contaminants Many other specific applications Can Nano Reactors be applied in Oil Processing ? Ref : Gogate – Chemical Engineering and Processing 47 (2008),515-527 www.desmetballestra.com

Acoustic Process ACOUSTIC PROCESS (SONOCHEMISTRY) *No industrial application due to inherent drawbacks * Effect depends on distance from source (not uniform) * Batch process, not suitable for large scale processing * High energy requirement * Generated by Ultrasound waves *Tested successfully for degumming Moulton and Mounts (1999) > 90 % PL removal www.desmetballestra.com

Typical velocity and pressure profile in a hydrodynamic Nano reactor Hydrodynamic Nano Reactors HYDRODYNAMIC NANO REACTORS * Less studied than ultrasound process * Generated by passage of a liquid through a constriction * Much more energy efficient than acoustic process * Suitable for larger scale, continuous processes Typical velocity and pressure profile in a hydrodynamic Nano reactor www.desmetballestra.com

Proprietary design of CTI Nano-Reactors NANO-REACTORS * Unique internal geometry * Generation of very small ‘nano’ bubbles in liquid streams * Liquids (homogeneous/heterogeneous) are fed to nano-reactor with HP pump * Mechanical and chemical effects - Formation of very fine emulsions - Increased surface area - Strong shear forces - Activation of atoms, molecules - Formation of radicals - Initiation of chemical reactions * Reactor, more than just a good mixer Proprietary design of CTI www.desmetballestra.com

Nano-NeutralisationTM Standard Neutralisation Nano- Neutralisation NaOH Nano- reactor www.desmetballestra.com

Nano-NeutralisationTM - Patent pending technology - Add-on process to existing oil refinery neutralisation system - Process benefits (industrial proven) No addition of H3PO4 (NHP converted in HP in nano-reactor) No acid retention tank Less NaOH required (no need for H3PO4 neutralisation) Less soaps in nano-neutralized oil reducing need for silica or wash water Improved oil yield due to improved separation of soapstock (Less neutral oil/no salts in soapstock) 14 www.desmetballestra.com

Nano-NeutralisationTM Industrial plant : 500 TPD 15 www.desmetballestra.com

Water-degummed soybean oil Classical caustic refining Nano-NeutralisationTM 500 TPD Nano-neutralisation of soybean oil Industrial data Feedstock Water-degummed soybean oil (120-150 ppm P; 0.45-0.55% FFA) Nano-neutralization Classical caustic refining Process parameters Phosphoric acid (ppm) NaOH (% 16.6 °Be) -Pressure (bar) -Temperature (°C) 0-100 0.7 60 75 850-900 1.2 Refined Oil Quality P-content (ppm) Ca & Mg (ppm) FFA (%) Soaps (ppm) 1-3 < 1 < 0.03 < 100 6-8 < 0.05 200-300 16 www.desmetballestra.com

Nano-NeutralisationTM Industrial plant : 500 TPD Proven Process Advantages 90% less phosphoric acid 40-50% less caustic soda min. 0.2% extra refined oil yield less silica consumption 17 www.desmetballestra.com

Still in testing phase, not proven yet Other possible applications 1. Nano-degumming of crude/WDG oils Deep degumming to allow physical refining 2. Nano-degumming of palm oil Replacing the ‘dry’ phosphoric acid degumming Also suitable in biodiesel feedstock pretreatment 3. Enzyme assisted nano-degumming Still in testing phase, not proven yet www.desmetballestra.com

Summary - Conclusions * Efficiency, Quality and Sustainability are key criteria for new/improved processes in edible oil refining * Enzymatic degumming meets all these criteria and is therefore being applied more * Hydrodynamic Nano Reactors is interesting technology for edible oil refining * Nano-neutralisation is being implemented on industrial scale * Nano-degumming (in combination with enzymes) is tested on lab/pilot scale www.desmetballestra.com

Thank You For Your Attention 102nd AOCS Annual Meeting May 1-4, 2011 Cincinnati, OH Thank You For Your Attention Wim De Greyt1, Marc Kellens1,Tim Kemper2 and Jim Willits2 1Desmet Ballestra Group, Zaventem, Belgium; 2Desmet Ballestra North America, Marrietta, GA www.desmetballestra.com 20