Low Ash Lactose Production via Clarifier pH Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of lactose from whey permeate is hindered by the presence of calcium phosphates, which co-precipitate with lactose, leading to high ash levels that exceed the 0.3% limit required for infant formulas, necessitating additional costly processing steps and energy-intensive methods.
Innovation Solution
A process involving centrifugal clarification and pH adjustment to form and remove calcium phosphate precipitates, followed by acid addition to dissolve remaining precipitates, resulting in lactose with ash levels below 0.2% without further purification, and allowing for energy savings by omitting heating and cooling steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional calcium phosphate precipitation methods are used to remove salts from whey permeate, then calcium phosphates are removed from the permeate, but the resulting lactose has ash levels above 0.3% due to incorporated Ca and P in the formed lactose crystals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by adjusting the pH to between 6.0 and 8.5 and heating the whey permeate to between 60°C and 90°C before calcium phosphate precipitation. This pre-treatment optimizes the precipitation conditions to form larger, more separable calcium phosphate particles while controlling their composition, thereby preventing excessive ash incorporation into the subsequent lactose crystals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by specifically controlling the pH range (6.0-8.5) and temperature range (60°C-90°C) during calcium phosphate precipitation. These parameter optimizations alter the precipitation kinetics and particle morphology, producing calcium phosphate precipitates that can be more effectively removed by centrifugation while minimizing ash incorporation into lactose crystals, achieving ash levels below 0.3%.
2Manufacturing precision
If ultrafiltration and ion-exchange at high temperatures are used to obtain whey permeate with low ash levels, then ash levels below 0.3% are achieved, but the establishment and operating costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by optimizing pH to between 6.0 and 8.5 and temperature to between 60°C and 90°C during calcium phosphate precipitation. This creates optimal conditions for forming large, centrifugable calcium phosphate particles, achieving low ash levels in lactose through a simpler, more cost-effective process than ultrafiltration and ion-exchange.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the extraction principle by directly removing calcium phosphates from whey permeate through controlled precipitation and centrifugal separation. This eliminates the need for expensive ultrafiltration and ion-exchange processes, achieving the same low ash level objective through a more economical extraction approach.
3Productivity
If evaporation is used to concentrate whey permeate to higher solids content before lactose precipitation, then lactose concentration is improved, but calcium phosphates precipitate on heat surfaces causing reduced heating efficacy and additional maintenance downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by removing calcium phosphates from whey permeate through pH adjustment and centrifugal clarification before the evaporation step. This pre-removal prevents calcium phosphate precipitation on heat surfaces during subsequent concentration and lactose precipitation, maintaining heating efficacy and eliminating maintenance downtime while preserving high lactose concentration capability.
4Device complexity
If calcium phosphates are not removed from whey permeate, then the production process is simpler, but calcium phosphates co-precipitate with lactose resulting in high ash levels that require additional costly processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing pH adjustment to between 6.0 and 8.5 followed by centrifugal clarification to remove calcium phosphates before lactose precipitation. This relatively simple pre-treatment prevents co-precipitation of calcium phosphates with lactose, achieving low ash levels without requiring complex additional processing steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process achieves low ash levels in lactose crystals, reducing production costs and increasing the versatility of dairy production lines to produce both high-grade and low-grade lactose, thereby improving process economy and meeting stringent ash content requirements.
Implementation Method 1
separation of the calcium precipitate by use of a clarifier to remove precipitated calcium phosphates
Implementation Method 2
adding acid to dissolve any remaining precipitates of calcium phosphate
Implementation Method 3
heating to about 80°C. The precipitated calcium phosphate can then be removed
Data Source
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AI summary
A process for the production of low ash levels lactose crystals comprising clarifying a whey permeate after calcium precipitation followed by pH-adjustment to dissolve precipitates of calcium phosphates not removed by clarification.