Produção de lecitina a partir da goma do processamento do óleo de soja

Abstract

This work aims at the realization of a preliminary project aimed at the production of soybean lecithin, using as raw material the degumming gum from soybean oil processing. Soy lecithin is an emulsifier of natural origin, and there is a growing trend in its use due to changes in consumer preferences, in addition to a promising market for importing Brazilian soybean lecithin. The raw material to be processed contains approximately 52.3% oil, 26.7% phosphorus, which make up the lecithin and fatty acids (soybean oil). The designed process and dimensioned plant mainly involve the purification of phospholipids present in raw gum. For this, film evaporators were used in the initial stages of water and oil removal, followed by lecithin bleaching after adsorption of pre-bleached adsorbents, and then activated charcoal. The degree of lecithin purity to be produced would allow its commercialization as an emulsifier for the food industry. The industrial unit was designed for a daily production of 6,295.25 kg/day and an annual production of 2,070,000 kg, in 330 working days. Through a location analysis criterion, the implementation of the industrial plant in the municipality of Três Lagoas, Mato Grosso do Sul, was chosen. The project has five main areas, being Area 100 for raw material reception, Area 200 for purification, Area 300 for hexane and water removal, Area 400 for solvent hexane recovery, and finally, Area 500 for storage and lecithin dispatch in 200L drums, producing a total of 21,450 barrels per year. An investment of R$ 10,443,591.24 was calculated for the creation of the industrial unit. In the end, an annual production of 1,869.3 tons of commercialized lecithin was obtained, totaling R$ 11,660.00. The economic analysis demonstrated that from the third year, there would be an annual net profit of R$ 10,532,309.52, making possible a payback of approximately 2.5 years, a Net Present Value (NPV) of R$ 5,962,292.76, and an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 36%. Finally, the project was able to demonstrate a theoretical model of the implementation of a soybean lecithin manufacturing unit, with an in-depth study of the main technological routes currently existing, dimensioning of equipment, and cost estimation of the same.