Soap Production Using Vacuum Reactive Distillation: Batch Model

Abstract

: This research studies the use of vacuum reactive distillation VRD technique for soap production. Olein and Palmitin in the ratio of 3 to 1 were mixed in a flask with NaOH solution in stoichiometric amount under different vacuum pressures from - 0.35 to - 0.5 bar. It was shown that total conversion could be reached by using the VRD technique. The soap produced by the VRD method was compared with the soap prepared by the reaction - only method which is known as the conventional method. The two kinds of soap were compared in these respects : the yield, the reaction temperature, the volume of the co-product liquid and its composition, FTIR analysis, the density, and the time of production. It was shown that the yield of soap using VRD was 2.45 times that produced by the reaction - only method. The process temperature was reduced 0.11 times. The volume of the co-product liquid was reduced 95.76% and it consisted of water only. The analyses of FTIR for the two kinds of soaps were compared with a commercial soap regarded as a standard and they showed identical functional groups. Very little difference in density was recorded. The time of production using VRD method was shorter than the conventional method giving another priority to the VRD method.