At the GIG Karasek Technical Center, the focus is not only on individual tests, scale-up, and R&D projects but also on the opportunities and possibilities in the field of sustainable applications, which are becoming increasingly important. These range from the efficient separation of unwanted components in polymer melts to solvent recovery and waste oil recycling.
1. State-of-the-art product trials at the
GIG Karasek Technical Center
1.1 Solvent – purification and recovery
1.4 Fatty acids from tall oil – separation and purification
1.6 Silicone oil – separation and purification
1.9 Pulp industry – use of side streams
1.10 Phosphoric acid – concentration
1.11 Lactic acid – concentration
1.12 Ionic liquids – concentration
1.13 Polymer melts – purification
2. Sample production / contract distillation
3. Clarification of requirements
Figure 1 Analysis of a material sample in the laboratory of the Technical Center. © GIG Karasek
In the following overview, we present 13 selected products that can be processed in our technical center. We explain the technology used and give you an insight into the trial process in the context of the respective objectives.
Solvents such as isopropyl alcohol (IPA) play an important role in many industrial processes. In addition to attempts to efficiently remove impurities, solvent recycling is also becoming increasingly important. Older technologies such as discontinuously operated stirred tank evaporators are still frequently used to recover solvents. Although these processes work well, they are no longer state of the art. Modern continuous technologies offer a contemporary alternative that enables a higher throughput rate and improved predictability.
In the technical center, the appropriate technologies are selected for solvent tests according to the type of solvent and its specific properties.
For low-viscosity and low-contaminant media, falling-film evaporators or distillation columns are typically used. When dealing with high-viscosity residues, the thin-film evaporator is often the preferred option. Depending on the customer's application, a combination of all technologies is also possible.
The thin-film technology enables efficient and gentle separation of the solvent from impurities or residues. The continuous evaporation process in the thin-film evaporator enables higher product quality and a better recovery rate to be achieved. In addition, the thin-film evaporator offers the advantage of improved process control and optimization.
The pilot plant experiments focus on optimizing the separation and recovery of solvents. Parameters such as temperature, pressure, and flow rate are varied in order to determine the best possible operating conditions for the solvent. In addition, important aspects such as the recovery rates achieved are also taken into account and the quality of the recovered solvent is checked by means of an external analysis.
As part of the trials, samples of feed material, residues, and distillate are taken and passed on to the customer for further analysis. Each sample is accompanied by detailed test reports and measurement data, enabling the customer to make a precise classification.
The development and optimization of waste oil recycling processes is becoming increasingly relevant in the context of a sustainable circular economy. By using advanced technologies, it is possible to convert waste oil into high-quality base oil and reuse it, for example, as a high-quality lubricant in industry or as heat transfer medium for heating systems.
Figure 3: Recycling used oil is becoming increasingly important in order to reduce environmental impact and conserve resources. © Adobe Stock
In the short-path evaporator, the used oil is heated at low pressure and high temperatures above 300 degrees Celsius, causing the volatile components to evaporate and then condense on the built-in condenser. All crack products and long-chain compounds are separated here and not evaporated. The process is already widespread in the USA, where our short-path vaporizers are used successfully.
Extensive tests are carried out to check the suitability of the short-path evaporator for the waste oil product and to determine the appropriate parameters. Particular attention is paid to the resistance of the medium to high temperatures and the occurrence of undesirable thermal degradation processes.
The result is determined by two decisive factors: the yield of the recycled oil and the integrity of the product. The quality of the recycled oil can then be tested in an external laboratory on the basis of the test samples that the customer receives.
Lecithin, a natural oily substance, is extracted from various sources such as soybeans, sunflower seeds, or rapeseed. It usually contains water from the upstream process, which must be removed to make the lecithin suitable for animal feed and food applications. This step requires careful drying of the temperature-sensitive lecithin. Dry lecithin can be used in a variety of applications, e.g. as an emulsifier, stabilizer, or release agent.
Figure 4: Lecithin is a valuable substance that is becoming increasingly important as a natural emulsifier in animal feed and food production. © Adobe Stock
The use of thin-film dryers offers numerous advantages in terms of efficiency and gentle processing of the lecithin. The large surface area of the thin product film enables rapid evaporation, while at the same time minimizing the thermal load on the lecithin. This preserves the quality and valuable properties of the lecithin. Horizontal thin-film dryers are generally used for rapeseed and sunflower lecithin, while vertical thin-film dryers are used for drying soy lecithin.
In the technical center, a special focus is placed on evaluating the possible throughput performance. In the treatment of lecithin, this evaluation is based on a mass comparison to determine exactly how much water is evaporated, condensed, and not evaporated.
Throughput is an important aspect of lecithin treatment, as it influences the productivity and cost-effectiveness of the process. The mass comparison provides precise information about the yield and losses. This enables targeted optimization of the evaporation process in order to achieve a maximum yield of high-quality lecithin with minimum thermal stress.
The initial moisture content of the lecithin is usually between 55% and 40%. Our drying process aims to reduce the moisture content to below 0.5%. The analysis of the residual moisture content is carried out by the customer using the test samples provided.
Thanks to advanced lecithin drying technology, in many cases we can guarantee our customers the desired result even without carrying out specific trials.
You can find a practical example of a successful implementation of a lecithin drying system with horizontal thin-film dryers in a limited space in our blog post "Precision work at Power Oil Rostock".
Figure 5: The lecithin drying plant at Power Oil Rostock was installed in an existing hall © GIG Karasek
Crude tall oil is a byproduct of pulp production from resin-rich woods, such as pine. It can be purified and separated to extract valuable fatty acids that can be used as a raw material for biodiesel production. Tall oil is also used in the manufacture of paints, varnishes, adhesives, and cleaning agents. The chemical industry uses the fatty acids in tall oil to synthesize various chemical compounds.
The separation performance of the process can be optimized by using two evaporator stages, thin-film and short-path evaporators. The coarse separation of the volatile components takes place in the thin-film evaporator and enables more efficient processing in the short-path evaporator. The low-volatility components are specifically separated from the fatty acids in the short-path evaporator under vacuum conditions and at lower temperatures, resulting in improved purity and quality of the fatty acids obtained.
The technical center trial is a complex process consisting of several stages. In the first two stages, the focus is on the separation of water and terpenes in the thin-film evaporator. The aim is to achieve the highest possible cleaning rates and reduce the residual content of these components to a minimum.
The decisive step is the following separation of resin acids and fatty acids in the short-path evaporator. This separation is challenging, as the evaporation points and temperatures of both components are very close to each other. The efficiency of this separation and the content of residual fatty acids and resin acids are examined in detail in order to assess the separation performance and the degree of purity of the fractions obtained.
The results of these trials are essential for assessing the suitability and quality of the product for subsequent process steps, such as biodiesel production. After completion of the trials, the samples and feedstocks are made available to the customer so that they can carry out their own tests and analyses. They serve as a decisive basis for assessing whether the product fulfills the necessary requirements and meets the desired standards.
The raw material basis for biodiesel has changed considerably in recent years, as fatty acids from residual and waste materials are increasingly being used. This also increases the demands on the purification process in order to produce standard-compliant biodiesel. In order to achieve the desired quality, gentle distillative purification is required in the final stage of the process.
The short-path technology plays a decisive role in the purification of biodiesel in order to achieve the required blending quality. It enables the production of biodiesel with ester contents that exceed the prescribed standards. A particular advantage of this technology is its high efficiency in the production of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). The evaporator works with extreme efficiency in terms of raw materials and achieves a FAME yield of up to 99%.
Customers have the opportunity to get their biodiesel feedstock purified in a short-path evaporator in order to test the quality and blending capability of their feedstock. Unwanted impurities such as free fatty acids, water, methanol, and other by-products are removed by distillation.
Around 300 to 500 liters of the feedstock are needed for the trial series. The tests are carried out under proven pressure and temperature conditions. After completion of the trials, usually 30 to 40 samples are made available for further analysis. The trial reports contain important test data such as temperature, pressure, throughput, and energy consumption, which provide the system operator with a solid basis for optimally setting the evaporator for the respective raw material.
Figure 6: Raw biodiesel must undergo final purification by distillation if low-quality raw materials are used. Short-path distillation has proven to be particularly effective for the production of standard-compliant biodiesel. @ GIG Karasek
Your can find a comprehensive white paper on biodiesel distillation here: biodiesel white paper. It deals with various aspects of biodiesel distillation and highlights the advantages and disadvantages of traditional and innovative distillation processes.
Silicone oils are synthetic oils based on silicon and offer a wide range of applications in various industries. In order to obtain the desired quality of the silicone oils, processing in evaporators is necessary. In industry, silicone oils are widely used as lubricants, sealants, release agents, damping agents, and heat transfer fluids.
Figure 7: The processing of silicone oils in evaporators is crucial to ensure their use in various industries. © Adobe Stock
The trials with silicone oils are mainly carried out in the short-path evaporator. Short-path evaporation enables efficient and gentle separation at low pressures. The high-viscosity evaporator (Viscofilm evaporator) is used for processing high-viscosity silicone oils. This evaporator can be used to process highly viscous media with a viscosity of up to 5,000,000 millipascal seconds (5,000 Pa·s).
Silicone oils are produced in different chain lengths, with each chain length having different properties such as temperature resistance and lubricating properties. During the production process, one specific chain length is generally created, but the process is not selective enough to ensure that no other chain lengths are present in the final product. It is therefore necessary to separate the higher-chain from the lower-chain silicone oils by thermal separation after production in order to obtain the desired chain lengths in the required quality.
In addition, specific trials are carried out in the technical center to efficiently separate certain ingredients from the silicone oil. A common example is foaming agents, which are added to the silicone oil and whose quantity is to be reduced. Furthermore, attempts are made to test both the different chain lengths of the silicone oils and the purification of certain components. The efficiency of the separation processes used is evaluated in order to achieve the desired purity levels. These trials serve to evaluate the performance of the processes and identify possible optimization potential.
Wastewater treatment plants in industrial facilities have a limited capacity for wastewater and can only pass a certain amount hydraulically through their system. To avoid overloads, it is necessary to reduce the amount of water that is fed into the treatment system.
One effective method of reducing the amount of water is to evaporate the contaminated wastewater. The evaporation process brings the remaining liquid to a higher concentration, which means less water is discharged into the wastewater treatment plants.
It should be noted that the evaporation of water through the use of energy is the more economical solution compared to the operation of several cost-intensive treatment plants. Evaporation increases the loading of the wastewater treatment plants, which means that the available capacity can be used efficiently and costs can be reduced at the same time. Instead of investing in expensive new wastewater treatment plants, water evaporation offers a cost-effective alternative to cope with the load on existing plants.
Figure 8: The reduction of wastewater in treatment plants offers the advantage of more environmentally friendly and cost-efficient wastewater treatment. © Adobe Stock
The falling-film evaporator plays a central role in the concentration of wastewater, as it removes large quantities of water and thus increases the concentration. However, in order to achieve specific concentrations for further processing steps, the falling-film evaporator is often used in combination with other technologies. One example of such a combination is the use of a thin-film or short-path evaporator for further processing of the concentrated intermediate product that was previously produced with the falling-film evaporator.
Trials are carried out in the pilot plant to determine the maximum concentration ranges that can be achieved with the falling film evaporator. Whether the product can be further concentrated through the use of thin-film or short-path evaporators is also checked.
The aim is to achieve a certain dry content by evaporating volatile components in order to be able to process the end product further. The specific concentration targets vary depending on the individual requirements and objectives of our customers.
One example of the application of wastewater reduction is a bioenergy refinery that produces polluted wastewater during its process. By evaporating the waste water, a higher concentration can be achieved so that the distillate produced can then be fed back into the process.
In addition to increasing the dry content, other relevant parameters are also examined in the pilot plant trials. This includes measuring the increase in boiling point, determining the tendency for foam formation and fouling, recording temperature and density, as well as distillate and concentrate quantities.
A comprehensive stability analysis of the product is also carried out during the concentration process, as instability and precipitation may occur at certain concentrations. For example, in a product with an initial solids content of 10%, certain precipitations can occur in the concentration range of around 20% or 30%. However, as soon as the concentration is increased above this critical range, the product dissolves again. These changes in the product during concentration are carefully monitored to identify potential property changes and special characteristics.
By continuously recording these parameters throughout the test, mass balances, energy balances, and other important key figures can be calculated. These findings are used to design large-scale systems accordingly and to offer customers safe and efficient solutions.
After the wastewater has passed through the treatment process in the sewage treatment plant and has been purified, sewage sludge remains as a residue. As a rule, this sewage sludge is dewatered in the sewage treatment plant using decanter centrifuges to increase the dry matter content to around 20% to 25%. If further utilization or incineration of the sewage sludge is planned in the absence of a supporting flame, further drying is required to further reduce the moisture content.
The thin-film dryer enables effective drying of the sewage sludge by removing a large proportion of the water it contains. This reduces the sewage sludge to a lower moisture content, typically to values of around 40% to 85% dry matter. The dried sewage sludge can then be used for various purposes, for example as fertilizer, fuel, or for soil improvement.
The pilot plant trials play a central role in the optimal design of the thin-film dryer for sewage sludge drying. As part of these trials, the customer is provided with important data relevant to the drying process. These include parameters such as temperature, pressure and feed quantity, which are used to determine the drying area required to effectively dry the material in the desired quantity.
The customer is also provided with information on the temperature of the energy source used. If the customer wishes to carry out the drying process with hot water instead of steam, the temperature is adjusted accordingly.
In addition to the main product pulp, pulp production also produces by-products that are dissolved in side streams. These biogenic residues offer the potential to produce various useful chemicals that can be offered on the market as end products or intermediates. GIG Karasek can offer various solutions here, including the testing and development of new processes to separate side streams and obtain a valuable product from them.
The technologies used for the trials in the technical center are closely linked to the respective side streams or pulp derivatives. Each product has unique characteristics and requirements that require a customized approach to achieve optimal results.
We offer the opportunity to comprehensively test and scale up new process solutions as well as sample materials from side streams. Through intensive trial series with customer sample material, we provide a solid database to assess whether a profitable value product can be obtained from the side stream. Secondary pulp products can also be tested, such as hemicellulose, which is to be used in the production of clothing.
Further information on possible value-added products from sulfite liquor can be found in our white paper "Evaporation Technologies in the Pulp Industry Using the Sulfite Process".
Figure 9: Recovery of by-products in the pulp industry (exemplary scheme). @ GIG Karasek
The concentration of phosphoric acid is relevant for various applications such as the production of fertilizers, industrial processes, water treatment, and analytical purposes. Concentration can be used to increase the phosphorus content in order to improve product quality, increase process efficiency or meet specific requirements.
The system in the pilot plant consists of a compact falling-film evaporator. Phosphoric acid is known for its corrosive nature and can cause damage to system components if the material is not sufficiently resistant. For this reason, the evaporator and the entire piping system, including the components that come into contact with the product such as the circulation pump and screw connections, are made of materials that are resistant to phosphoric acid. The system can also be used for other acids if the material is classified as resistant to the requested acids.
Figure 10: The corrosive properties of phosphoric acid require high material resistance of the system equipment. © Adobe Stock
Experiments are carried out in the technical center under strict safety measures to determine the maximum concentration of phosphoric acid. Small sample plates are placed at the head part of the system to check the material resistance. At the end of the trial, which usually lasts 1–2 days, the samples are removed, rinsed thoroughly and weighed again to determine the degree of material abrasion by the phosphoric acid.
A concrete example of a trial scenario is the increase in concentration of a mixture of phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid, which was used as a product by a wastewater company. The aim was to bring this mixture to a higher concentration. During the trial, various materials were placed in the system to observe and evaluate the effects of the boiling phosphoric acid on the materials.
Concentrating lactic acid is a crucial step in achieving a higher concentration and purity of the acid, which is required for various industrial applications. One prominent example is the production of polylactides (bioplastics), in which highly concentrated lactic acid is used as a feedstock. Lactic acid is also used in a wide range of applications in industries such as food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and environmental technology, to name just a few examples.
Figure 11: The concentration of lactic acid plays a central role in the production of bioplastics, food, cosmetic products, and in numerous other industries. @ Adobe Stock
The combination of falling-film evaporator, thin-film and short-path evaporators offers a gentle and efficient method for concentrating lactic acid.
High temperatures over long periods of time can lead to the breakdown and decomposition of lactic acid. In the food industry in particular, it is important to avoid a colorization , which can be caused by the breakdown of lactic acid.
Short residence times, low temperatures, and very low pressures minimize the thermal load on the lactic acid in order to avoid any impairment of quality due to decomposition or degradation.
Various parameters such as temperature, pressure, flow rate and residence time are systematically tested in the pilot plant to determine the optimum process for concentrating lactic acid. By varying these parameters, both the efficiency of the process and the quality of the end product can be improved.
The lactic acid concentration process takes place in two successive stages.
The customer receives a comprehensive trial report with all relevant process data such as feed quantities used, pressures, and temperatures (heating temperature and temperatures for the individual concentration stages).
In addition, information on the ratio of residue to distillate is provided. However, it should be noted that there are limitations, especially if only small quantities (in the range of 1 to 0.5%) were previously separated. In such cases, precise weight determination with scales is not useful due to the uncertainty and is therefore not recommended.
The harmonious matching of all process components is of crucial importance to ensure optimum functionality in the concentration of lactic acid. Particular attention is paid to the condensers used in the second stage of the process. It is essential that these condensers have the correct dimensions and temperatures.
Problems often occur when customers purchase condensers from other suppliers or manufacture them themselves using inadequate dimensions or excessively high temperatures. As a result, process efficiency and stability may be impaired. Careful coordination of the condensers is therefore highly relevant in order to ensure that the concentration process runs smoothly and efficiently.
Ionic liquids are salts which, due to their chemical structure, are already liquid at low temperatures and do not contain conventional solvents such as water. As a result, they have unique properties that enable a wide range of applications. They are used, among other things, as alternative solvents, electrolytes in batteries, additives in lubricants, adhesives, and coolants, as well as in separation processes and heat transfer.
The technical center's technology is flexible and versatile to cover a wide range of trials with ionic liquids. The spectrum ranges from low-viscosity applications, in which the liquid is evaporated, to high-viscosity applications, in which it is separated from biological mixtures.
For example, trials to remove impurities such as residual water or acids from ionic liquids are also conceivable. An example of this would be that the feedstock has a dry content of 5%, while the end product, the concentrate, has a dry content of 95%.
After successful completion of the trial series, we hand over the samples and feedstock to the customer. These are freely available for carrying out in-house research and analysis. They form the basis for the critical assessment of whether the product meets the requirements and desired quality standards.
The polymer industry is heavily influenced by regulatory requirements, particularly with regard to the use of recycled plastics in specific applications such as food packaging. The targeted removal of impurities therefore plays a decisive role in expanding the possible uses of recycled plastics.
The high-viscosity evaporator is particularly suitable for polymer melts due to its high efficiency in removing impurities.
The melting process takes place in a heated and stirred storage tank with a capacity of around 200 to 250 liters and takes several hours. The melted polymer mass is then fed into a high-viscosity evaporator, which is able to process the material within one to one and a half hours. This efficient evaporation allows impurities and other unwanted components to be separated from the polymer, resulting in a high-quality starting compound for further processing steps.
As part of the pilot plant tests, the components that can be separated from the polymer melts in a vacuum are being investigated. Careful testing is carried out as part of an external analysis to determine which impurities can be effectively removed and which residues may remain in the high-viscosity evaporator. The aim is to achieve the highest possible purity and quality of the end product.
In sample production, smaller production batches of 5 to 10 liters are typically manufactured in order to demonstrate the effectiveness and performance of a planned system. This approach is particularly useful for plant engineering companies that purchase our equipment and develop customized complete solutions for their customers. It enables the end customer to receive sample products before investing in a more extensive production system and to test them for their specific requirements and quality criteria. In addition, sample production offers customers the opportunity to check prices and market acceptance for the product at an early stage.
In addition to sample productions, we also offer the possibility of contract distillation in our pilot plant. In contract distillation, the product is distilled continuously in a 3-shift operation and filled directly into intermediate bulk containers. However, it is important to note that contract distillation is not part of GIG Karasek's core business and is only carried out to a very limited extent.
With a strong focus on customer needs, our experienced experts work closely with customers to understand their individual requirements and develop customized solutions. Understanding the expected viscosities and other relevant factors plays a decisive role in successful pilot plant trials.
To enable a detailed assessment, we ask our customers to fill out a questionnaire with substance data. This approach enables our experts in the pilot plant to better understand the customer's project and offer sound advice tailored to their specific needs right from the initial consultation.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for further information and to clarify your requirements.