Manufacturing Natural Soap Part 2
The extra moisture is flashed under 45-60 mm Hg
vacuum and removed as vapor after scrubbing to regain any soap
fines carried-over with the exiting vapor stream. Good control
of moisture, temperature, vacuum, flow rate, nozzle pressure,
and scraper function guarantees the drying of acceptable quality
soap pellets. Typically these soap pellets are conveyed pneumatically
to storage bins/silos that act as surge for the soap finishing
process. Soap storage silos are assembled of stainless steel and
have angled bottoms that direct soap pellets toward centrally
located twin discharge screw conveyers for efficient transfer
to the finishing lines. 3
Soap Finishing
The initial point for soap finishing is usually
the amalgamator, a horizontal mixer that coarsely blends
soap pellets with minor ingredients such as color and fragrance.
The soap mix from amalgamation is conveyed to subsequent processing
stages like milling and refining to give reasonable
homogenization and working of the soap before extrusion.
A mixer/refiner process is also accessible for blending of soap
pellets with minor ingredients on a more constant basis. Sufficient
running of the soap through fine-mesh screens in the refining
stages gives uniformity and frictional heat essential to create
acceptable-quality billets for pressing into bars. The final finished
product is extruded from the last plodder as a continuous slug.
Vacuum is provided at the final extrusion chamber to evacuate
entrained air. This step makes certain the extrusion of
a uniform slug that will not divide or exhibit surface bubbles/deformities.
A multi-blade chain cutter or uni-blade cutter with blades separates
the extruded slug into individual "billets" that are stamped
with a press into soap bars of the desired size and shape.
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