Previous Page

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 27”C, and pellet (noodle) temperature
lower than 38°C 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 20°C.
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
30°C 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 skid-
mounted 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
Y
SINGLE STAGE OR m w
a
z
FINAL STAGE OF
MULTISTAGE UNITS
250 4
5
L I b o a
W

5I-
W
a
3
4 o m
Ya

24
u n
H
P 20
O
w
10
k
3
4
J
5

0 J
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
Toilet Soap 13-1 5% Moisture Dry Pellets 24-26% Moisture Bars
VLS use Yes Yes No Not applicable
Steam Booster use Yes No Yes Yes
Steam for preheating,
240-270 240-270 240-270 40-80
ka/h
Motive steam for
1 20-1 50 (1 ) 0 220-250 (2) 200-220
booster, ka/h
~ ~

Total steam, kg/h 360-420 240-270 460-520 240-300

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.
 Soap Drying Systems 0 289

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 ICS indirect cooling water system.

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

C STEAM
NEATSOAP

4
HEAT
FEED EXHANGER
N P E MIXER TANK

STMUGE TANK OR

U
TRANSFER FEED
PUMP 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 or mass flow meter
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
e
U
0)

a
7a
Y
.-
Q
v)

i
0
hl
$ 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 pre-
evaporated 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 Viscosity
(Feetlsec) (Meterslsec) (Centipoise)
Viscosity of 30-32% moisture
content 30°C temperature
0 0 2000 -3000
neat soap at different pumping
0.5 0.15 lo00 speeds.
1.0- 2.0 0.3 - 0.6 300 -500
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 %TFM
(KcallkgPC)
0.73 63
0.68 73
0.64 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 100°C, and this is calculated as
follows:

- Tinitid)
SH = 1 kg x 1 kcal/kg/”C x (Tfind = 1 x 1 x (100 - 0) = 100 kcal/kg

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 100°Cto 1 kg of steam at 100°C.

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

where

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) Sensible heat = Ginx Cp (The- TJ

(5) 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

9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Outgoing Dry Toilet Soap Pellets Moisture, Yo

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"
~

+ Moisture removed in Vacuum

0 Chamber,k g h
g 200 -~ -
0
E 150
Q) - ' -A- Moisture removed in Heat
p!
exchanger I VLS, kglh
100 '

STEAM 5
YY - b

HEAT
EXCHANGER VACUUM Vacuum
CHAMBER -
35 45 tOlT

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: Nu = hdlk
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 x"C)
Cp = specific heat (Kcallkg 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 pre-
evaporated 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 U is in the range of 80-200 Kcallm2 x h x "C.The average value
utilized is 150 Kcal/m2 x h x "C.
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 3°C.

Exampk:
Cooling water temperature into barometric condenser: 30°C
Condensate temperature into hotwell (downleg temperature): 34°C
Vapor pressure ofwater at 34°C (absolute pressure): about 41 torr (from Table 10.2)
Actual vacuum in the dryer at 34°C + 3°C = 37°C: 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 2°C. 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: 30°C
Cooling water temperature from surface condenser (or water temperature to ICS plate cooler): 34°C
Condensate temperature into hotwell (downleg temperature): 37°C
Vapor pressure ofwater at 37°C (absolute pressure): 47 torr (from Table 10.2.)
Actual vacuum in the dryer at 37°C + 2°C : 39°C: 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 +- Soap +Water

RCOOH + N a O H -+ RCOONa + H, 0
260 + 40 +- 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 Vapor Pressure of Water
Absolute Absolute AbsolUte
Temperature Pressure Temperature Pressure Temperature Pressure
"C torr "C torr "C torr

0 4.6 27 26.7 36 44.6

~~

5 6.5 28 28.3 37 47.1

10 9.2 29 30 38 49.7
15 12.8 30 31.8 39 52.1
18 15.5 31 33.7 40 55.3
20 17.5 32 35.7 41 58.3
22 19.8 33 37.7 43 64.8
24 22.4 34 39.9 44 68.3
26 25.2 35 42.2 45 71.9
~ ~~~

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

Anhydrous
TFM Soap Glycerine NaOH + NaCl Water
% % % % %

58 63 0.4 0.4 36.3

59 64 0.4 0.4 35.2
60 65.1 0.4 0.4 34.1
61 66.2 0.4 0.4 33
~

62 67.3 0.4 0.4 31.9

63 68.4 0.4 0.4 30.8
64 69.5 0.4 0.4 29.7
~ ~~~~

65 70.6 0.4 0.4 28.6

66 71.6 0.4 0.4 27.5
67 72.7 0.4 0.4 26.4
68 73.8 0.4 0.4 25.3
69 74.9 0.4 0.4 24.2
70 76 0.4 0.4 23.1
72 78.2 0.5 0.5 20.9
~ ~~

74 80.3 0.5 0.5 18.7

76 82.5 0.5 0.5 16.5
78 84.7 0.5 0.5 14.3
~

80 86.8 0.5 0.5 12.1

82 89 0.5 0.5 9.9
84 91.2 0.5 0.5 7.7
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 Engineers’Handboob, 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.