JET SAPONIFICATION PLANT FOR SEMI BOILED SOAP
JET saponification is an industrial process for continuous or batch production of semi-boiled soap from vegetable oils and animal fats. By using concentrated caustic soda and controlled steam injection, JET technology produces highly concentrated soap with reduced moisture and efficient processing.
JET Saponification Plant for Semi-Boiled Soap
The JET Saponification Plant is a technology developed to improve the saponification process for the production of semi-boiled soap. Vegetable oils or animal fats and a caustic soda solution are continuously introduced into the JET in the correct proportions. The main characteristic of the JET is that the saponification reaction starts immediately inside a very small volume. A small flow of live steam provides both kinetic and thermal energy, allowing the pumped oil blend and alkali to form a stable and homogeneous emulsion. The resulting emulsion contains freshly produced soap, oil, alkali and water. After leaving the JET, the reagents continue to react and the saponification proceeds without requiring additional energy. In a conventional saponification process, the initial reaction is relatively slow. The JET technology accelerates this initial stage, allowing the reaction to rapidly reach its linear phase.
JET Saponification and Concentrated Soap
One of the main advantages of the JET saponification process is the possibility of working with highly concentrated caustic soda solutions. In conventional saponification plants, using a highly concentrated caustic soda solution, such as 50% NaOH, can produce a non-homogeneous and highly viscous soap mass. This can create difficulties when the soap has to be pumped through continuous reactors operating with high recirculation rates. The JET overcomes this limitation by creating a stable emulsion in a very small volume, allowing the water content of the resulting neat soap to be significantly reduced. At the same time, a controlled flow of steam is introduced into the JET. The steam flow and pressure can be adjusted according to the conditions required to obtain the best emulsion.
JET Saponification Plant – Batch Type
In the batch-type JET saponification plant for semi-boiled soap, the raw materials are pumped through filters in the correct proportions and introduced into the Saponification JET by a dosing group consisting of gear pumps and flow meters. The reaction between the ingredients starts inside the JET and then continues in the Saponification Crutcher, where the reaction is completed. If required, fillers can be added at the end of the saponification reaction. The final moisture content of the soap is determined mainly by the concentration of the caustic soda solution. The combination of the JET and the Crutcher makes it possible to start the saponification process even when using highly concentrated caustic soda solutions. This allows the production of semi-boiled soap with a moisture content of approximately 12%.
Continuous JET Saponification Plant
The Continuous JET Saponification Plant for Semi-Boiled Soap doses the raw materials in the correct proportions through filters and then sends them to the JET and the Continuous Saponification Reactor. A dosing group consisting of gear pumps and flow meters controls the quantities of the different raw materials. The saponification reaction begins inside the specially designed Emulsifying JET, where the oil blend and alkali immediately react to form an oil-alkali-soap emulsion. The emulsion is discharged into a multi-stage reactor operating at atmospheric pressure. It flows slowly through the different stages of the reactor, where the saponification reaction is completed. As with the batch JET system, the final soap moisture content is determined by the concentration of the caustic soda solution. It is therefore possible to obtain semi-boiled soap with approximately 12% moisture.
Steam Injection
Steam injection into the JET has several functions:
- it provides the kinetic energy required to generate a highly effective emulsified interface;
- it provides the thermal energy required to initiate the saponification reaction;
- it immediately increases the relative electrolyte concentration, supporting the rapid development of the saponification reaction.
JET Saponification for Concentrated and Semi-Concentrated Soap
The JET saponification system allows the production of concentrated and semi-concentrated neat soap with different moisture levels. One of its important advantages is the possibility of producing neat soap with the required moisture content while avoiding the addition of unnecessary process water that would subsequently have to be removed by evaporation. A JET saponification plant designed to produce soap noodles can be completed with a drying plant, including a drying and cooling section, or with a simpler and more economical cooling section based on Chill Rolls (Drum Flakers). The Chill Roll option can be used to produce semi-boiled laundry soap and semi-boiled toilet soap. The JET can be used in semi-boiled soap processes together with either an atmospheric continuous reactor or a batch Crutcher. It can also be used in full-boiled plants installed above traditional saponification kettles.
Final Considerations About JET Technology
The JET saponification technology has a minimum steam consumption of approximately 100 kg of steam per hour for every 1,000 kg of soap produced per hour. Maintenance requirements are simple and limited. The JET itself has no moving mechanical parts; the pumps are the only moving components in the process. A conventional semi-boiled soap plant typically produces soap with approximately 58–60% TFM (excluding glycerin) and 28–30% water. The relatively high water content facilitates saponification and helps obtain a homogeneous soap mass. The JET system allows a much wider range of soap concentrations.
Semi-Concentrated Soap
With a water content of approximately 20%, the soap can be cooled directly without evaporation to produce semi-boiled laundry soap. Alternatively, it can be processed through a drying plant with a reduced heat exchanger and reduced vacuum section, removing a limited quantity of moisture to produce semi-boiled toilet soap.
Concentrated Soap
With a water content between approximately 16% and 12%, further drying is not required. The soap can instead be cooled directly to produce semi-boiled toilet soap. A compact Chill Roll plant can be used as the cooling system, avoiding the need for a more complex and energy-intensive vacuum drying plant.
Knowledge Content – Browse by Topic
01. WHAT IS SOAP
02. RAW MATERIALS USED IN SOAP MANUFACTURING
07. SOAP DRYING AND COOLING
08. SOAP FINISHING LINE
09. SOAP PACKAGING