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AssigneeNiro A/S
InventorsThomas David Henningfield, Richard Andrew Dinesen
Estimating the term…
Crystalline α-lactose monohydrate is recovered frown a viscous lactose-containing aqueous liquid by subjecting said liquid to simultaneous heating, removal of evaporated vapor and mechanical agitation at high shear rate to provide a crystallization promoting decrease of the viscosity of the liquid with crystals formed and suspended therein to progressively concentrate the agitated liquid and simultaneously crystallize lactose therefrom. Subsequent cooling, drying, and disintegration yield particulate α-lactose monohydrate.
A process for evaporative concentration and crystallization of a viscous lactose-containing aqueous liquid, comprising;
A plant for converting an aqueous lactose-containing liquid into free-flowing particles comprising
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Crystallisation; Crystallising apparatus; Separating crystals from mother liquors ; Evaporating or boiling sugar juice: crystallisation;…
Whey
Lactose
Production of sucrose
Term end not estimated
The present invention relates to the recovery of lactose from liquids formed as by-products in the dairy industry and related industries.
More specificly, the invention relates to a process and a plant for converting lactose-containing liquids into easy to handle particulate products having non-caking and free-flowing characteristics.
In the present specification and the attached claims the term “lactose-containing liquids” is used as comprising solutions, wherein all lactose is in a dissolved state, as well as slurries of lactose crystals in lactose solutions.
FIG. 1 schematically depicts an embodiment of a plant according to the invention suitable for performing the process of the invention.
FIG. 2 schematically shows an alternative suitable embodiment of a detail of the plant of FIG. 1.
In FIG. 1 a device wherein the starting liquid is heated and agitated and evaporated and crystallized is generally indicated 1.
This device comprises a cylindrical elongated housing 2 and therein a shaft 3 rotatable by means of a motor 4. On said shaft paddles 5 extend outwardly to a point adjacent to the wall of the housing but the paddles do not contact said housing.
In the embodiment shown, the shaft 3 is axially centred to have all paddles at the same distance from the wall of the housing 2.