Pilote scale QandA.docx

1. The vessels need to be equipped with heating and cooling:

0. What is the source of heating? Electricity, steam, or mineral oil? If steam—what pressure? If electric—would you want external hot plate or heat tracing with temperature controller?

3kW internal electric heating with temperature controller

0. What is the source of cooling? Tower water—what temperature? Would you want a jacket or internal cooling coil? Note that if electric tracing is provided on shell then a cooling jacket cannot be provided. If steam heating is provided, it can be provided in a jacket on shell. In that case, would you allow water to circulate in the jacket for cooling.

Municipal water supply Cooling coil

1. Heated reagent vessel connected to reaction vessel with at least 2L volume:

1. What heating source ?

1kW internal electric heating with temperature controller

1. Do you want a funnel shaped vessel? Open top?

Cylindroconical, open top

1. Hoppe designed specifically for ….bleaching materials?

2. Do you want a funnel shaped vessel? Open top?

Steep sided conical, open top. Must be correctly designed to ensure free flow of commonly used bleaching materials

1. Pressure Leaf filter:

3. For a small batch of 20L, a pressure leaf filter is not available.

This is a requirement

3. Also, a suitable pump to pump oil slurry at this flowrate is difficult to provide.

This is a requirement

3. Would you accept a bag filter with suction (instead of pressure) to filter the oil? Or we can use (nitrogen) pressure to push oil through the filter? Compressed air would not be recommended in the latter case. Either way, no feed pump is needed.

Not acceptable

1. Vacuum Pump:

4. What kind of vacuum pump would you like? Water ring, oil-ring, or dry? Water ring will be better if there is possibility of moisture or if you are planning to inject steam in the bleacher? If you choose a dry pump, we would need to provide a condenser in the suction line.

Water ring

4. What is the ultimate vacuum desired ?

This is design decision that we rely manufacturer to make based on specific expertise in this application area.

1. Vessel:

5. Are you planning to use a single vessel for degumming, neutralizing, and bleaching?

Yes

5. Do you want the capability of CIP?

CIP is not in the minimum requirements, but it would be useful to the end-user

5. Do you want light and sight glass or just sight glass?

A light is not in the minimum requirements, but it would be useful to the end-user

1. Electric Panel:

6. Do you want an electric panel for start and stop of motors? Assuming all power is 208V, 3 phase, 60 Hz. Would a 230V motor be acceptable?

A panel for pump switches, heater thermostat controls, pressure gauges, and variable speed impeller control required.

208 V is a requirement

6. I am assuming there is no instrumentation; or automated valves; hence no need for a PLC control panel.

A system designed specifically for edible oil refining, as required, would have instrumentation. Pilot systems are intended to mimic production systems at smaller scale. A system with no or inadequate instrumentation does not meet the requirements.

See previous answer. PLC is not in the minimum requirements.

1. There is no mention of deodorization or physical separation of free fatty acid; thus assuming you do not intend to remove odor or physically remove free fatty acids.

Correct

1. Skid: Do you have any space restrictions? Height restrictions ?

Max LWH - 1.5m X 2m X 2m

1. Insulation: We are assuming you would want the main vessel to be insulated.

Insulation is not in the minimum requirements, but it would be useful to the end-user