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Soap Drying Systems 0 285

Barometric Condensers Barometric condensers are also called direct-contact condensers because they condense the vapors by direct contact with the cooling water. The condensed vapors, the cooling water used for condensation, and the soap fines are discharged together into a hot well. Contact condensers may be designed with water-spraying nozzles or with a traditional plate design. Carbon steel is a common construction material. When the cooling water temperature is higher than 27C, and pellet (noodle) temperature lower than 38C is required, then a steam booster must be used. Surface Condensers Surface condensers are shell-and-tube heat exchangers. The vapors flowing inside the tubes will be condensed by cooling water flowing on the shell side. The cooling water is not contaminated with the soap fines because it does not contact the process side. The condensed vapors that carry the final traces of soap fines are discharged into the hot well, and the clean water, free from soap fines, is recycled. To limit the size and cost of a surface condenser, the cooling water temperature should not exceed 20C. The cooling water can be efficiently used in a closed circuit, using a cooling tower in conjunction with a water chiller. Surface condensers can also be mounted at a lower height than barometric condensers, using a collecting vessel under vacuum and a self-priming pump.

Fig. 10.15. Vapor Condensation and Vacuum Formation.

286 0 L Spitz and R. Ferrari Indirect CoolingWater System (ICS) The ICS (Fig. 10.16) is an alternative system to the previously described surface and barometric types (Fig. 10.15). 'The ICS system consists of a centrifugal pump to circulate water in a closed loop between the hot well and a barometric condenser, passing through a plate heat exchanger, which cools down the recycled water with the cooling tower water. Due to the high heat transfer rate obtained with the plate heat exchanger, this is an economical system which can also be operated with cooling water that exceeds 30C temperature. This system avoids contamination of the cooling tower like one which uses a surface condenser but offers two major advantages: lower investment and installation cost less frequent cleaning, once a month instead of every week or two weeks for the surface condenser
VPe.

Fig. 10.16. "ICS" Indirect Condensation System.

Soap Drying Systems0 287

Vanrum Formation Systems Vmum Pumps Mechanical piston pumps, used extensively years ago, are practically abandoned today due to their high cost, and liquid ring pumps are now the preferred choice. They are available on the market as a skidmounted complete group, with gadliquid separators and plate coolers or shell-and-tube heat exchangers to maintain the seal water at the lowest possible temperature based on local conditions

Fig. 10.17. Vacuum Formation Systems.

Steam Jet Ejectors (Boosters)

Steam jet ejectors are very simple devices consisting of a nozzle, a mixing chamber, and a diffuser. Using motive steam, according to the required operating vacuum level in the dryer, a single-stage or multistage ejector group is used.

n
250
L

SINGLE STAGE OR FINAL STAGE OF MULTISTAGE UNITS

Y
m w a

b o a
W

z
W

5 Ia
3

P
10

24
5

4 o m

Y a
n

20

H
w
O

k 4

Fig. 10.18. Steam Jet Ejectors.

288 0 L. Spitz and R. Ferrari

Typical Steam Consumptionby Soup Dryers

This summary is intended only to provide typical steam requirements, for the purpose of general evaluation of the steam energy cost involved with soap drying. Data relevant to the various energy recovery systems, which may differ between plant suppliers, are not included. No discussion is presented concerning cooling water, chilled water, and electrical power as these are strongly dependent upon local climatic conditions, machine design, plant configuration (for example, the number of plodders), and other factors.

Dryer Typical Steam Requirements Base: Production of 1,000 kg/h soap pellets or bars Laundry Soap 24-26% Moisture Bars Not applicable Yes
40-80
200-220
~

Toilet Soap 13-1 5% Moisture Dry Pellets VLS use Steam Booster use Steam for preheating,
ka/h

Yes Yes
240-270
1 20-1 50 (1 )

Yes No
240-270

No
Yes
240-270 220-250 (2) 460-520

Motive steam for booster, ka/h

~

0
240-270

Total steam, kg/h

360-420

240-300

For toilet soaps, the VLS configuration requires the same amount of steam for the heat exchanger as the configuration without a VLS. A reduced amount of steam is needed for the booster-compare values (1) and ( 2 ) - d u e to the lower amount of vapors released under vacuum that must be sucked by the booster. When the VLS vapors are used to rive a properly designed steam booster, colder pellets are produced at a lower production cost as compared to a booster operated with steam from a boiler. Value (1) can be reduced to zero by proper design. For laundry soaps, very low steam consumption is required for the heat exchanger. Steam for the booster in this case is a must, as laundry bars are normally extruded directly from the dryer plodder for outlet, so that the bar must be cold enough for efficient processing.

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Cooling Tower Systems

In Fig. 10.19, two cooling tower system configurations are illustrated for cooling the hot condensing water from the hot well and returning it to the barometric condenser: a standard system, and another illustrating the I S indirect cooling water system. C

Fig. 10.19. Cooling WaterTower Systems.

290 0 L Spitz and R. Ferrari

Solid and Liquid Additive Systems

Soap formulations are becoming more complex, and various liquid and solid ingredients are added to the neat soap to enhance the final produce performance characteristics. Two systems are illustrated in Fig. 10.20. The addition of citric acid, brine solution, mineral oil, and others to toilet soap soaps can be added inline after the heat exchangers. Superfatting agents are normally also added after the heat exchanger to prevent metallic stress correction. Talc and other solid additives are added into a crutcher prior to feeding the soap into the dryer. Silicate and sometimes brine solutions are added inline prior to the vacuum chamber inlet, by-passing the heat exchanger.
FOR SOLIDS AND LIQUIDS

FOR LIQUIDS

NEATSOAP

C STEAM

4
N P E MIXER FEED TANK

HEAT EXHANGER

STMUGE TANK OR

U
TRANSFER PUMP FEED PUMP

Fig. 10.20. Solids and Liquids Additive Systems.

Plant Automation
Instrumentation and Computer C o n m l
Electronic instrumentation is now standard for soap drying installations. The majority of new plants are computerized, and existing ones are converted to computer control. Besides computer control, a modern drying plant should include the following main features: Feed tank level control, a level transmitter operating on the inverter of the soap transfer pump from storage, in order to keep the level in the feed tank stable Soap flow control loop using a magnetic o mass flow meter r Steam pressure control loop (independent for any single heat exchanger) Vacuum chamber residual pressure transmitter (mm H g or mbar) Soap spraying pressure control (for no-spray chambers)

Soap level in VLS

Soap Drying Systems 0 29 1

Pressure in VLS Vacuum in the spraying chamber Temperature at inlet/outlet of cooling water to condenser Computer control systems (CCS) are used for soap dryer process control. CCS based on hardware consisting of PC and PLC are Favored because of lower investment costs and similar capability compared to more costly distributed control systems (DCS), which are more suitable for larger plants (such as those in the petrochemical industry, for example). For small plants the PC can be replaced by an operator panel integrated into the electrical panel board. Depending upon the provided field instrumentation, the CCS memorizes production recipes and operating conditions, summarizes consumption of neat soap, additives, and so on, and records process parameter trends. It also performs emergency procedures and alarm detection. Safety interlocks are used for all motors, doors, high soap levels in the vacuum chamber, and so on. A soap-recycle mode is used for efficient startup and shutdown or in emergencies, using an automatic set of valves that allow the operator to pump the soap from the heat exchanger back to the feed tank. Once the proper temperature is reached, the soap is fed to the spray chamber. Steam cleaning of all the soap pipes with automatic or computerized steam injection valves is part of the overall system. Figure 10.21 shows the flow diagram of a complete, fully instrumented, automated dryer with VLS booster with bypass.

Neat Soap Flow Control

The use of mass flow meters is becoming very popular, since it offers the following important advantages (Fig. 10.22): Instantaneous control of neat soap feed flow rate and monitoring (per shift, day, week, etc.) Very easy calculation of production rate

Easy detection of anomalous conditions (such as no-flow) with consequent activation of proper
alarms/interlocks

CONTROL LOOP PROVIDES

MASS FLOW CONTROL,ALARMS AND/OR

INTERLOCKACTIVATION

Fig. 10.22. Neat Soap Flow Control with Mass Flow Meter.

.L

U 0)

7 a
Y .v) Q

0
h l

Fig. 10.21. Soap Drying Plant Automation and Control.

Soap Drying Systems 0 293

Appendix
This appendix includes the following: Definitions and terminology relating to drying and heat transfer Material balance calculations (Equation 1) and graphs for liquid neat soap to dry toilet soap pellets (Fig. 10.23) and laundry soap bar conversions (Fig. 10.24) Formulas for calculating the amount of water evaporated (flashed off) under vacuum and preevaporated in the heat exchanger (Equations 2 and 3), and a graphic illustrating toilet soap dried to different moisture levels (Fig. 10.25) The well-known formulas for heat exchanger duty (Equations 4 and 5 ) and/or heat transfer coefficient calculation for sizing a heat exchanger (Equation 6) Overall material balancesfor toilet soap (with and without VLS) and laundry soap drying (Fig. 10.26, 10.27, and 10.28)

A guide to determine the actual operation vacuum (absolute pressure) and the relationship to the
condensed water discharge temperature (downleg temperature) into the hot well in a drying system with a barometric or a surfacelindirect condenser Total fatty matter (TFM) and moisture content (%) calculation table for toilet soaps (Table 10.3)

Definitions and Terminology

Density: The density or specific weight of a fluid is its weight per unit of volume. The density of common neat soap base is 59.3-62.4 Ib/ft3(950-1000 kg/m3).

Speczjic gravity: The specific gravity of a fluid is the ratio of its density to the density of water (dimensionless). kporpmssum: The vapor pressure of a pure liquid is the pressure (at a given temperature) at which a liquid will change to a vapor. If this liquid is mixed with nonboiling substances (e.g., water with soap), the vapor pressure must be corrected by the mole fraction of water.
Kscosity: The viscosity of a liquid is a measure of its tendency to resist a shearing force. Neat soap behaves as a non-Newtonian fluid exhibiting a nonlinear shear stresskhear rate behavior. Its viscosity decreases with increasing shear rate (velocity).
Velocity (Feetlsec) (Meterslsec)

Viscosity (Centipoise)

0 05 . 1 0- 2.0 .

0
0.15 0.3 - 0 6 .

2000 -3000 lo00 300 -500

Viscosity of 30-32% moisture content 30C temperature neat soap at different pumping speeds.

294 0 L Spitz and R. Ferrari

SpeczjL heat (Cp): The specific heat of a substance is the amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of a unit mass by one degree. The following formula is used to calculate the amount of heat gained (lost) by a given mass due to a change in temperature:
Q = m x Cp x AT
where Q is the amount of heat (kcal), m is mass (kg), Cp is the specific heat (kcal/kg/C), and ATis the change in temperature ((2). The specific heat is calculated according to the water content in the neat soap using the following formula:

Cp = 0.6 x % anhydrous soap + 1 x % H,O

Specific Heat (BtullbPF)or
(KcallkgPC)

%TFM

0.73 0.68 0.64

63 73
84

%mulconductivity (k): This value depends on the water content and is expressed by the formula

k = (0.58x W) x 0.9 + (0.15 x S) x 0.9

where S = Yo of soap and W = % of water. k is expressed in kcal/m/C.

Sensibfe heat: The sensible heat (kcal/kg) is the heat necessary to increase the temperature of a liquid from an initial to a final temperature without starting evaporation of the liquid. For example, it takes 100 kcal to bring the temperature of 1 kg of water from 0 C to 100C, and this is calculated as follows:

SH = 1 kg x 1 kcal/kg/C x (TfindTinitid) x 1 x (100 - 0) = 100 kcal/kg =1

Here 1 kcal/kg/C is the specific heat of water.
Latent heat

ofvaporization: The latent heat of vaporization (kcallkg) is the heat that produces a change of state (e.g., from liquid to vapor) without a change in temperature. For example, it requires 540 kcal to convert 1 kg of water at 100Cto 1 kg of steam at 100C.

Material Balances
In the soap industry, the production of soap dryers refers to the plant output at a given moisture. The quantity of incoming liquid neat and the resulting quantity of finished product at various moisture levels is given by Equation (11, and it is represented for pure toilet and laundry soaps in Fig. 10.25 and 10.26.

Soap Drying Systems 0 295

(1) where

Gin= Go,,(1 00 - Mo,) / (100 - Min)

Gin= incoming neat soap quantity (kg/h) Gw,= outgoing dry soap quantity (kg/h) Mi"= incoming neat soap moisture (%) MoUf = outgoing dry soap moisture (%)
The quantity of water evaporated by vacuum expansion is

where

Wv= quantity of water evaporated by vacuum expansion (kg/h) LH, = latent heat of water at vacuum chamber conditions (kcal/kg)
Cphc specific heat of soap at heat exchanger outlet (kcal/kg/"C) = The temperature of soap at heat exchanger outlet ("C) = 7'' = temperature of soap in vacuum chamber ("C)

The total amount of water to evaporate is

The water to be pre-evaporated in the heat exchanger is

When the plant includes a VLS it can be assumed that all this water is removed in the VLS before soap enters into the vacuum chamber. In most cases the water eliminated in the VLS is slightly more, due to a small expansion between the outlet of the heat exchanger and the VLS. The heat exchanger duty is the sum of the following two partial duties:

(4) (5)

Sensible heat = Ginx Cp (The TJ Latent heat = Whcx LHhe

where LH, = latent heat of water in the heat exchanger (kcal/kg). The amount of water evaporated (flashed) by expansion into the vacuum spray chamber and the quantity pre-evaporated in the heat exchanger, per Equations (2) and (3), is illustrated in Fig. 10.26 for 32.5% moisture content neat soap and dry toilet soap pellets at different moisture levels. The overall material balance for dry toilet soap pellets produced from neat soap with a single-stage vacuum spray dryer (with and without the VLS) is summarized in Fig. 10.26 and 10.27. Balance for laundry soap bars is represented in Fig. 10.28.

296 0 L. Spitz and R. Ferrari

10

11

12

13

14

15

Outgoing D y Toilet Soap Pellets Moisture, Yo r

Fig. 10.23.Toilet Soap Mass Balance per 1000 Kg/h of Dried Product.

1190 1170

1070

1050
22

23

24

25

26

Outgoing Dry Laundry Soap Bars Moisture, %

Fig. 10.24. Laundry Soap Mass Balance per 1000 Kgl of Dried Product

400
-

- ~-

-Total
-

removed moisture, k g h

I"
g
Q)

_ _

200
-

-~

Moisture removed in Vacuum Chamber,k g h Moisture removed in Heat exchanger I VLS, kglh

p!

E 150
100
'

'

-A-

STEAM

5
YY

VACUUM CHAMBER Vacuum 35 45 tOlT

HEAT EXCHANGER

1290 K@Q

62% TFM

Fig. 10.26. Toilet Soap Drying Material Balance.

298 0 L. Spitz and R. Ferrari

Fig. 10.27. Material Balance for Toilet Soap Drying with "VLS" System.

Fig. 10.28. Laundry Soap Drying Material Balance.

Soap Drying Systems 0 299

Heat Transfer Rate

Soap behaviour is pseudo-plastic, and its viscosity range under shear is from 50 to 100 cps at working temperatures in the heat exchanger. The global heat transfer rate, tube side, is calculated by the following quantities Reynolds number: Re = DVp/p Nusselt number: N = hdlk u Prandtl number: PY= CpCJk using the following formula:

The value of h can be determined and substituted in

u=1 ( l l h + x/ks t l/hu)

obtaining the overall heat transfer rate, where

D = tube diameter (mm) V = velocity of soap flow (m/s)

p = density (kg/m3) N p p = viscosity in cPoisc x 3.6
d = equivalent diameter (mm) k = thermal conductivity (Kcal/m x h Cp = specific heat (Kcallkg x " C )
x"C)

L = tube length (cm)

h = heat transfer coefficient (soap side) (Kcal/m2 x h x " C ) hu = heat transfer coefficient (steam side) (Kcal/m2 x h x " C )
x = tube wall thickness (mm) ks = steel thermal conductivity (Kcallm x h x " C ) U = overall heat transfer coefficient (Kcal/m2 x h x " C )

Except for the production of a few types of laundry soaps, the water evaporated by expansion under vacuum is normally not enough for industrial drying purposes. The rest of the water must be preevaporated in the heat exchanger. Heat transfer areas utilized for vacuum dryer shell-and-tube heat exchangers are 20, 25, or 30 m2/ton of dry soap; the size selected depends on the dry soap's final moisture and the product type. Laminar flow is assumed for calculating the required heat transfer area. This allows for an adequate safety margin, since turbulent flow occurs when water starts boiling (pre-evaporation) in the heat exchanger. Applying the equation

we see that the heat transfer coefficient utilized is 150 Kcal/m2 x h x "C.

U is in the range of 80-200 Kcallm2 x h x "C.The average value

300 0 L Spitz and R. Ferrari

Practical experience indicates that a minimum 4-5 cm/s velocity must be considered for soap inlet into the heat exchanger tubes. This speed will avoid preferential flow of the soap to the central tubes and allow some chocking the other tubes.

Operating Vacuum (AbsolutePressure) and Condensate Temperature WithBarometric Condenser

For plants with direct-contact barometric condensers, it can be estimated that the residual pressure in the vacuum spray chamber will be that corresponding to the vapor pressure of condensate (cooling water + condensate process vapors) at the downleg temperature, increased by 3C.
Exampk: Cooling water temperature into barometric condenser: 30C Condensate temperature into hotwell (downleg temperature): 34C Vapor pressure ofwater at 34C (absolute pressure): about 41 torr (from Table 10.2) Actual vacuum in the dryer at 34C + 3C = 37C: about 47 torr (from Table 10.2)

With Sugace Condenser and ICS For noncontact surface condensers, it can be estimated that the residual pressure in the vacuum spray chamber will be that corresponding to the vapor pressure of condensate process vapors at the downleg temperature, increased by 2C. A pressure drop of 2-3 torr through the unit also must be taken into account .
Example: Cooling water temperature into surface condenser or water temperature from ICS plate cooler: 30C Cooling water temperature from surface condenser (or water temperature to ICS plate cooler): 34C Condensate temperature into hotwell (downleg temperature): 37C Vapor pressure ofwater at 37C (absolute pressure): 47 torr (from Table 10.2.) Actual vacuum in the dryer at 37C + 2C : 39C: about 54 torr (from Table 10.2.) Plus 3 torr due to pressure drop, or 54 torr + 3 torr: 57 torr

Total Fatty Matter (TFM) and Moisture Content of Toilet Soaps

Assumptions:

80:20 tallow/coco mixture with an average 2 16 acid value

Average molecular weight (MW): 56,100 / 2 16 = 260

63% TFM neat soap contains 0.40% glycerine, 0.05% N a O H , and 0.35% NaCI
Samplp Calculation and Formulas:

Fatty Acid

+ Caustic Soda

++-

RCOOH + N a O H 260 + 40

-+

Soap +Water RCOONa + H, 0

282

+ 18

The ratio between TFM (or TFA) and anhydrous soap in this case is 282 / 260 = 1.0846. This means that neat soap with 63% TFM will in reality contain 63% x 1.0846 = 68.3% anhydrous soap.

Soap Drying Systems 0 301

Table 10.2. Vapor Pressure of Water

~ ~~~

Water Vapor Pressure Temperature Absolute Pressure torr 4.6 6.5 9.2 12.8 15.5 17.5 19.8 22.4 25.2

Vapor Pressure of Water Temperature Absolute Pressure torr 26.7

~~

Temperature

"C
0

"C
27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35
~

"C
36 37 38 39 40 41 43 44 45

AbsolUte Pressure torr 44.6 47.1 49.7 52.1 55.3 58.3 64.8 68.3 71.9

5 10 15 18 20 22 24 26

28.3 30 31.8 33.7 35.7 37.7 39.9 42.2

~~~

Table 10.3.Total Fatty Matter (TFM) and Moisture Content

TFM % 58 59 60 61 62 63 Anhydrous Soap % 63 64 65.1 66.2 67.3 68.4 69.5 70.6 71.6 72.7 73.8 74.9 76 78.2 80.3 82.5 84.7 86.8 89 91.2 Glycerine % 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4
~ ~~~~

NaOH + NaCl
%

Water % 36.3 35.2 34.1 33

~

0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5
~ ~~

31.9 30.8 29.7 28.6 27.5 26.4 25.3 24.2 23.1 20.9 18.7 16.5 14.3 12.1 9.9 7.7

64
65
66

0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
~

67 68 69 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84

0.5
0.5

0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5

0.5 0.5 0.5

302 0 L Spitz and R. Ferrari

References
Bassett, G. H. Tubular DryingofSoap. U.S. Patent 2,710,057, 1955. Griffiths, J.J.; RJ. Wilde. British Patent 1,237.084, 1971. Mazzoni, G. U.S. Patent 2,945,819, 1960. Mazzoni, G. Italian Patent 386,583, 1940. Mazzoni, G. S.p.A. Italian Patent 623,670, 1961. Miag GmbH. British Patent 1,063,715, 1964. Palmason, E.H. Concentration of Foaming Materiab. US.Patent 3,073,380, 1963. Perry, RH. Chemical EngineersHandboob, 8th ed.; McGraw-Hill: New York,2007. Spitz, L. Soaps and Detergents, A %eontical and Prartical Rrviw, Spin, L., Ed.; AOCS Press: Champaign, IL, 1996; pp. 207-242. Weber and Seelander. European Patent 0123812, 1984.