First customer for new solution

But when the company made a breakthrough and developed a new lipase for oil modification called Lipozyme TL IM, they suddenly found themselves having to deal with engineering problems. That’s why Novozymes began talking to Desmet Ballestra, an engineering com-pany specialising in the supply of equipment and services to the oils and fats industry.

“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.”

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 customer to purchase an enzymatic interesterification plant from Desmet Ballestra was the Argentinian company Flora Dánica. Four packed bed enzyme reactors from Desmet Ballestra have been producing 20 tons of interesterified oil a day at Flora Dánica in Argentina since July 2005.

Three sizes of reactor are available from Desmet Ballestra with enzyme capacities of 100kg, 200kg and 400kg respectively. That means a total of 400kg (4 x 100kg), 800kg (4 x 200kg) and 1600kg (4 x 400kg) of enzymes, 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 percent of the market.

For conducting trials on a pilot scale, individual Plug & Play reactors are available on loan, and Desmet Ballestra can supply 10kg and 20kg pilot reactors as well.

Four packed bed enzyme reactors from Desmet Ballestra have been producing 20 tons of in-teresterified oil a day at Flora Dánica in Argentina since July 2005