Whey Protein Microfiltration Recirculation for Yield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for obtaining whey protein concentrate through ultrafiltration and microfiltration result in a substantial loss of protein during microfiltration, reducing the overall yield and leaving unwanted fat fractions, which are undesirable for nutritional purposes.
Innovation Solution
The process involves separating the retentate stream into fat-enriched and fat-depleted substreams, recirculating the fat-depleted substream back into the microfiltration arrangement, and using chemical-physical adjustments to enhance fat separation, thereby increasing protein yield in the permeate while maintaining low fat content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If microfiltration is applied to reduce fat content in whey protein concentrate, then fat content is reduced, but protein yield is substantially lost
Solution Approach 1:
The retentate stream from microfiltration is segmented into multiple substreams based on fat content. A first fat-depleted substream is separated and recirculated back to the microfiltration arrangement, while a second fat-depleted substream with lower fat content is directed to further processing. This segmentation allows selective recirculation of protein-rich, fat-depleted portions to recover protein that would otherwise be lost.
Solution Approach 2:
The first fat-depleted substream is recirculated back to the microfiltration arrangement as a feedback loop. This recirculation allows the microfiltration membrane to further process and separate additional fat from the recirculated stream, while retaining and concentrating the protein fraction in the permeate, thereby reducing protein loss and improving overall protein yield.
2Quantity of substance
If protein concentration is increased for nutritional purposes, then nutritional value is improved, but fat fraction becomes more concentrated and undesirable
Solution Approach 1:
The process segments the retentate stream into multiple substreams with different fat content characteristics. By separating and recirculating the first fat-depleted substream, the process achieves progressive fat removal while concentrating protein in the permeate, thereby increasing protein concentration without proportionally concentrating fat.
Solution Approach 2:
The process changes the fat content parameter of the recirculated stream by separating and removing fat-enriched portions before recirculation. This parameter change ensures that the recirculated stream has reduced fat content, allowing the microfiltration process to produce permeate with high protein concentration and low fat content simultaneously.
3Loss of substance
If recirculation of reduced-fat substream is implemented, then protein yield is increased, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retentate stream is segmented into multiple substreams using separation means, creating a structured flow path that directs different portions to different destinations. This segmentation, while adding a separation step, uses straightforward flow division and recirculation logic that can be integrated into existing microfiltration systems without requiring complex control mechanisms.
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 approach significantly increases the protein yield in the permeate stream by 5-10% of the incoming whey protein concentrate, while keeping the fat content low, facilitating large-scale economical production of a high-protein, low-fat product.
Implementation Method 1
the whey protein concentrate is supplied as a feed stream to a microfiltration arrangement, and from its retentate stream
Implementation Method 2
a whey protein concentrate, obtained as a retentate from an ultrafiltration of whey
Implementation Method 3
as a diluent, a reverse osmosis permeate that occurs in the overall process flow of a dairy operation from a reverse osmosis process can, for instance, be used
Data Source
AI summary
For increasing the yield, a process for obtaining a constituent from whey protein concentrate by microfiltration (4) provides for separating from the retentate stream from the microfiltration (4) a reduced-fat substream (14) in two stages (5.1, 5.2) and recirculating it to microfiltration (4).