Maltitol Raffinate Processing With Hydrogenation And Membrane Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for preparing liquid maltitol and liquid polyols from raffinate are complex, inefficient, and do not effectively utilize the components of the raffinate, particularly the maltitol, leading to low added value.
Innovation Solution
A method involving hydrogenation of the raffinate to reduce reducing sugar content, followed by membrane separation to obtain liquid polyols and concentrated maltitol solution, which is then mixed with a high-content maltitol solution to meet China national standards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If chromatographic separation technology is used to obtain three different types of raffinate, then the added value of the raffinate can be increased, but the process becomes complex and difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes the maltitol component from the raffinate through hydrogenation and membrane separation, converting it into high-value liquid maltitol product. This selective extraction approach avoids the need for complex multi-component separation while still increasing the added value of the raffinate by producing a high-purity maltitol product.
2Quantity of substance
If glucose saccharifying enzymes and dry yeast are added for fermentation, then the sorbitol content increases, but the saccharification and fermentation time are long, affecting efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the processing parameters by using hydrogenation instead of biological fermentation, operating at controlled temperatures and pressures to achieve rapid conversion of reducing sugars to maltitol. This parameter-based approach eliminates the time-consuming fermentation process while maintaining high sorbitol and maltitol content in the final product.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the biological fermentation system with a chemical hydrogenation system. Instead of using enzymes and yeast to convert sugars, the process uses catalytic hydrogenation to directly convert reducing sugars into maltitol, significantly reducing processing time while achieving similar or superior product composition.
3Productivity
If membrane separation is used to separate dilute liquid and concentrated maltitol solution, then the production efficiency improves, but the equipment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a membrane separation unit as an intermediary device between the hydrogenation reaction and the final product formulation. This membrane separation step efficiently concentrates the maltitol solution and removes excess water and impurities, enabling high production efficiency while keeping the equipment design relatively simple and modular.
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
The method simplifies the process, enhances the added value of the raffinate by producing high-quality liquid maltitol and polyols efficiently, with reduced impurities and a shorter production cycle.
Implementation Method 1
hydrogenating the raffinate including maltitol to reduce the content of reducing sugar in the raffinate
Implementation Method 2
using membrane separation to obtain liquid polyols and concentrated maltitol solution, separately
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a method for preparing liquid maltitol and liquid polyols from a raffinate including maltitol. The method comprises the following steps: obtaining a hydrogenated liquid by hydrogenating a pre-treated raffinate including maltitol, obtaining a post-treated liquid by post-treatment of the hydrogenated liquid to remove impurities, obtaining a dilute liquid and a concentrated maltitol solution by membrane-separation of the post-treated liquid, and using the dilute liquid as the liquid polyols, and obtaining the liquid maltitol by mixing the concentrated maltitol solution with a prepared maltitol solution with a maltitol content of over 50%, wherein the liquid maltitol has a maltitol content greater than or equal to 50% and meets a China national standard. Before the membrane separation process, the present disclosure reduces the reducing sugar content in the liquid by hydrogenation to lower the risk of yellowing during the process and to improve the quality of the final product. The present disclosure is simple to operate, has a short production cycle, and achieves comprehensive utilization of by-products, resulting in good economic benefits.