GEA delivers skid-based evaporation plant to prepare a silver nitrate solution

Published: 22-Jul-2020

In May 2020, GEA received a repeat order for an evaporation plant for the treatment of silver nitrate from the production of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil from KD Pharma Group

The first plant was successfully commissioned in autumn 2019 in Bexbach, Germany. There, high-quality omega-3 fatty acids are extracted from fish oil, which are used in the food supplement and food industry.

In this special process, a solution with approx. 11% dry matter (DM) of dissolved silver nitrate is concentrated to approx. 50% DM in the GEA falling film evaporation plant.

The concentrated silver nitrate solution can be reused in the process.

The plant, with a feed capacity of 1500 kg/h of silver nitrate solution, operates in a vacuum at comparatively low temperatures, so that the concentration takes place gently and the concentrate can be discharged at 60 °C.

The plant operates in an energy optimised way with heat recovery. The evaporated vapours are compressed in a mechanical compressor and thus raised to a higher temperature level so that they can be used to heat the plant.

As the customer has little space available, the evaporation plant was designed as a skid. It will be transported preassembled 8 months after receipt of the order and will be final assembled mechanically and electrically on site.

The second plant is almost identical in design to the first one and will start up in spring 2021 - only 9 months after the order was placed - at the Seal Sands (Middlesbrough) plant in the UK.

KD Pharma Group is a specialist producer of pharmaceutical products and dietary supplements. One of KD Pharma Group's main focuses is the chromatographic separation of lipids: they are the only company in the world capable of commercially offering lipid and omega-3 concentrates in a purity of up to 99.5%.

The natural, marine oils are mainly extracted from the liver of anchovies, sardines and cod. The oil is then processed in plants in Norway and Alaska.

The high-purity, concentrated oils are produced in Germany and serve as the basis for capsules produced in the USA and liquid oils produced in Norway. The KD Pharma Group distinguishes itself as a globally operating expert.

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