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REACTOR COLUMN

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— REACTOR COLUMN—

Reactor column for bar soap production plants

 

The reactor column for bar soap plants is a pressurised reactor used for the neutralisation of fatty acids and the continuous saponification of neutral fats.

These two processes are essential in order to obtain quality soap and it is for this reason that having a reaction column built to a well elaborated design is of paramount importance. Soaptec, a company specialised in the design, construction and sale of saponification machinery, is a renowned supplier of both customised plants complete with reaction columns, and replacement reaction columns for pre-existing installations.

One of the most distinguishing features of the Soaptec reaction column is its very small internal volume.

Thanks to this feature, which makes the component highly versatile, operators can change the soap formulation frequently and this allows companies to be flexible towards market demands and to be able to better satisfy their customers.

REACTOR COLUMN—

Characteristics and technical specifications

 

As with all components of Soaptec’s soap production plants, reactor columns are built to state-of-the-art designs and with top-quality materials, ensuring total customer satisfaction.
To allow companies around the world to use our reaction columns, Soaptec is committed to complying with both EU and international guidelines. At customer’s request, our products are certified according to ASME, Sec. VIII, Div. 1. In addition, the load capacity takes into account UNI,DIN, AFNOR, AGMA, and ISO standards.
Constant commitment to R&D has enabled our engineers to identify AISI 316 stainless steel as the most suitable material for the construction of the parts in contact with soap. The jacket and the rest of the components not in contact with the product, on the other hand, are made of AISI 304 stainless steel.

How bar soap production reactor columns work

The reactor column is a key component of any bar soap production plant. Equipped with an internal agitator to vigorously stir the raw material mixture and impose a bottom-up movement on it, the reactor column is the machinery where the saponification process takes place. As the name suggests, raw materials, which are mixed by the agitator, are brought into contact with each other, allowing the chemical reaction to happen under controlled pressure and temperature.
The speed of rotation of the agitator can be adjusted by means of an inverter connected to the motor and installed in the control panel.
An essential element of the reaction column is the recycle pump, a lobe pump with a high volumetric capacity, whose main function is to help move the mixture counter-current to the flow imposed by the reactor agitator. The cycle loop ensures intensive mixing, which promotes neutralisation or saponification of fatty acids or neutral fats.
The composition of the soap can be monitored and thus corrected thanks to a sensor that controls the pH of the mixture and through the differential pressure regulator. Both of these components are installed in the loop of the recycle pump.
Soaptec pays attention to even the smallest details to ensure excellent performance reactor columns. These products are equipped with instrumentation and operated valves selected amongst the most reliable manufacturers available on the international market.
Soaptec’s team of engineers is available for commissioning, start-up, and maintenance of reaction column plants or to install or repair components in established plants.