High-Concentration Starch Milk Viscosity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The enzymatic hydrolysis sugar-making process faces challenges in controlling viscosity during the liquefaction stage and achieving high glucose yield due to the limitations of initial starch milk concentration, leading to increased energy consumption and production costs.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a two-step pre-liquefaction process with medium-temperature and high-temperature alpha-amylases, lipase, and neutral protease, followed by flash evaporation and saccharification using a composite enzyme containing pullulanase and glucoamylase, to manage viscosity and enhance glucose yield in starch saccharification products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the initial concentration of starch milk is increased to improve productivity and reduce energy consumption, then the viscosity of starch during heating gelatinization is sharply increased making liquefaction control difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by conducting pre-liquefaction treatment before the main heating gelatinization process. Medium-temperature alpha-amylase is added in advance to partially break down starch molecules, reducing the viscosity increase that occurs during subsequent high-temperature gelatinization. This preliminary enzymatic action prepares the starch milk to better withstand high concentrations without becoming uncontrollably viscous.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by optimizing multiple process parameters simultaneously: controlling pH to 6.0-6.5 for enzyme activity, maintaining temperature at 50-60°C during pre-liquefaction, and adjusting enzyme dosage. These parameter optimizations work together to manage viscosity while maintaining high starch milk concentration, resolving the contradiction between productivity and ease of operation.
2Loss of energy
If the initial concentration of starch milk is increased to reduce energy consumption in evaporation process, then the glucose yield is reduced due to composite reaction generating disaccharide and trisaccharide
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the saccharification process into distinct stages with different enzyme systems. First, alpha-amylase performs liquefaction to break down starch into dextrins. Then, glucoamylase and pullulanase are added in a second stage to convert dextrins into glucose while preventing composite reactions. This segmented approach allows high initial starch concentration to be used without reducing glucose yield.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuity of useful action by maintaining enzymatic hydrolysis throughout the entire process without interruption. The multi-enzyme system ensures continuous conversion of starch to glucose, preventing the accumulation of intermediate products that would otherwise undergo composite reactions. This continuous action maximizes glucose yield even at high starch milk concentrations, eliminating the need for energy-intensive evaporation.
3Speed
If spray liquefaction is used to rapidly heat starch milk and limit viscosity increase, then the starch gelatinization phenomenon is still severe and the initial concentration cannot be increased to 35% or more
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by adding medium-temperature alpha-amylase before the spray liquefaction process. This enzyme begins breaking down starch molecules in advance, creating a more fluid substrate that can be sprayed more effectively. The pre-treated starch milk gelatinizes less severely during rapid heating, allowing higher initial concentrations (40-50%) to be processed through spray liquefaction without clogging or excessive viscosity.
4Temperature
If indirect heating is used to heat starch, then the heating time is too long resulting in excessively high viscosity of the liquefied liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/thermal heating system with an enzymatic system for the pre-liquefaction stage. Instead of relying solely on thermal energy to gelatinize starch, medium-temperature alpha-amylase is used to chemically break down starch molecules at lower temperatures (50-60°C). This substitution dramatically reduces the time required while achieving better viscosity control compared to prolonged indirect heating.
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 method effectively reduces viscosity, increases the initial starch milk concentration, and improves glucose yield, resulting in reduced energy consumption, increased productivity, and lower production costs while ensuring continuous operation and high filtration rates.
Implementation Method 1
adding medium-temperature alpha-amylase, high-temperature resistant alpha-amylase, lipase and neutral protease into starch milk
Implementation Method 2
the viscosity of high-concentration starch is sharply increased in the heating gelatinization process
Implementation Method 3
performing spray liquefaction on the first starch milk, carrying out heat preservation for 3-5 min and then implementing flash evaporation
Implementation Method 4
adding a composite saccharifying enzyme containing pullulanase and glucoamylase and removing transglucosidase, and carrying out heat preservation and saccharification
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method for continuously producing starch saccharification products by using high-concentration starch milk.