Novozymes is in the business of producing biological solutions to industrial problems. But when the company made a breakthrough in 2000 and developed a new lipase for oil modification called Lipozyme® TL IM, they suddenly found themselves having to deal with engineering problems and issues. This is no ordinary enzyme. It is immobilised and placed in a packed-bed reactor so that it can be used again and again. That’s why Novozymes began talking to Desmet Ballestra, an engineering company specialising in the supply of equipment and services to the oils and fats industry. Desmet Ballestra has supplied small and large plants to some 1,500 oil millers around the world, including 30 chemical interesterification plants.
“We came up with the new technology together,” says Marc Kellens, Technical Director of Desmet Ballestra. “Novozymes revealed their process know-how and we put our ideas for improving reactor design on the table. Then we ended up with a reliable and competitive technology for enzymatic interesterification that we can both confidently present to the oils and fats industry.”
Four reactors
The principle is to have not just one but four reactors. They are connected in series with a countercurrent flow, with the oil coming into contact with the oldest bed of enzymes first.
The first reactor acts partly as a purification step. It has the lowest level of activity because the enzymes have been in contact with oil the longest. If there are any impurities in the oil that are harmful to enzymes, they will only affect this reactor and be absorbed by the enzymes. The most active reactor is the last one, which is also the best protected.
“There is a growing interest in enzymatic interesterification, but it is still a new technology and that means it is associated with a calculated risk,” says Marc Kellens. “The calculated risk has to be minimised by assuring potential customers that they can make a commodity product at the same cost or lower than traditional chemical interesterification. I believe we can do this today.”
The first customer to purchase an enzymatic interesterification plant from Desmet Ballestra was the Argentinian company Flora Dánica, and they are very pleased with the results.
Three sizes
Three sizes of reactor are available from Desmet Ballestra, with enzyme capacities of 100 kg, 200 kg and 400 kg respectively. That means a total of 400 kg (4 x 100 kg), 800 kg (4 x 200 kg) and 1,600 kg (4 x 400 kg) of enzymes respectively, giving a capacity to produce 20-25 tons, 40-50 tons and 80-100 tons of fat per day respectively. In Desmet Ballestra’s experience, this will cover the needs of 95% of the market.
For conducting trials on a pilot scale, individual Plug & Play reactors are available on loan, and Desmet Ballestra can supply 10 kg and 20 kg pilot reactors as well. If a company is ready to embark on large-scale industrial production, Desmet Ballestra can give a quote and supply a four-stage countercurrent reactor design that is state-of-the-art technology.
“The automation, process control and safeguards make our process design failsafe. That is our competitive advantage,” stresses Marc Kellens of Desmet Ballestra. “We know how to build a process that is reliable and efficient. That will save customers money in the long run.”
Hans Christian Holm, senior manager for Oils & Fats Marketing at Novozymes, adds: “We are very satisfied with our work with Desmet Ballestra in this area as our joint team is now able to deliver a proven and reliable technological solution.”