Method and system for processing milk
AssigneeTetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
InventorsMagnus ÖNNHEIM, Anna LOSERIUS
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for processing milk, including separating raw milk into cream and skim milk, determining protein contents in the skim milk and the cream, dividing the skim milk into a first skim milk portion and a second skim milk portion, filtering the second skim milk portion into a permeate and a protein rich retentate, determining protein content in the permeate, calculating which flow rates are required for the first skim milk portion, the cream remix portion and the permeate to obtain a predetermined protein content of a mixture of the first skim milk portion, the cream remix portion and the permeate, which together form a standardized milk product.
Claims15
A method for processing milk, said method comprising;
- separating raw milk into cream and skim milk, wherein the cream is fed to a main cream pipe and the skim milk is fed to a main skim milk pipe,
- determining protein content in the skim milk,
- determining protein content in the cream,
- dividing the cream in the main cream pipe into a cream remix portion fed into a cream remix pipe and a surplus cream portion fed into a surplus cream pipe,
- dividing the skim milk in the main skim milk pipe into a first skim milk portion fed into a first skim milk pipe and a second skim milk portion fed into a second skim milk pipe,
- filtering, by using a filtration device, the second skim milk portion into a permeate fed into a permeate pipe and a retentate fed into a retentate pipe, such that the retentate has a higher protein content than the permeate,
- determining protein content in the permeate,
- calculating, based on the protein contents of at least the skim milk, the cream remix portion and the permeate, flow rates that are required for the first skim milk portion, the cream remix portion and the permeate to obtain a predetermined protein content of a mixture of the first skim milk portion, the cream remix portion and the permeate,
- controlling a set of valves that are arranged to regulate the flow of the first skim milk portion, the cream remix portion and the permeate, such that said calculated flow rates are obtained, and
- combining at least the first skim milk portion, the permeate and the cream remix portion into a standardized milk product.
A system for processing milk, said system comprising:
- a separator arranged to receive raw milk via a raw milk pipe and to feed cream into a main cream pipe and skim milk into a main skim milk pipe,
- a skim milk protein content determining device arranged to determine protein content in the skim milk,
- a cream protein content determining device arranged to determine protein content in the cream,
- wherein the cream in the main cream pipe is divided into a cream remix portion fed into a cream remix pipe and a surplus cream portion fed into a surplus cream pipe,
- wherein the skim milk in the main skim milk pipe is divided into a first skim milk portion fed into a first skim milk pipe and a second skim milk portion fed into a second skim milk pipe,
- a filtration device arranged to filter the second skim milk portion into a permeate fed into a permeate pipe and a retentate fed into a retentate pipe, such that the retentate has a higher protein content than the permeate,
- a permeate protein content determining device arranged to determine protein content in the permeate,
- a control arrangement configured to, based on the protein contents of at least the first skim milk portion, the cream remix portion and the permeate, calculate flow rates that are required for the first skim milk portion, the cream remix portion and the permeate to obtain a predetermined protein content of a mixture of the first skim milk portion, the cream remix portion and the permeate,
- a set of valves arranged to regulate the flow of the first skim milk portion, the cream remix portion and the permeate, such that said calculated flow rates are obtained,
- wherein the control arrangement is further configured to control the set of valves that are arranged to regulate the flow of the first skim milk portion, the cream remix portion and the permeate, such that said calculated flow rates are obtained, and
- a standardized product pipe, wherein the first skim milk pipe, the permeate pipe and the cream surplus pipe feed into the standardized product pipe such that at least the first skim milk portion, the permeate and the cream remix portion are combined into a standardized milk product.
A control arrangement for controlling a system comprising a separator arranged to receive raw milk via a raw milk pipe and to feed cream into a main cream pipe and skim milk into a main skim milk pipe, wherein the cream in the main cream pipe is divided into a cream remix portion fed into a cream remix pipe and a surplus cream portion fed into a surplus cream pipe, wherein the skim milk in the main skim milk pipe is divided into a first skim milk portion fed into a first skim milk pipe and a second skim milk portion fed into a second skim milk pipe,
- a filtration device arranged to filter the second skim milk portion into a permeate fed into a permeate pipe and a retentate fed into a retentate pipe, such that the retentate has a higher protein content than the permeate,
- a set of valves arranged to regulate the flow of the first skim milk portion, the cream remix portion and the permeate, such that said calculated flow rates are obtained,
- a standardized product pipe, wherein the first skim milk pipe, the permeate pipe and the cream surplus pipe feed into the standardized product pipe such that at least the first skim milk portion, the permeate and the cream remix portion are combined into a standardized milk product,
- said control arrangement comprising
- a data receiver configured to receive input data related to a protein content of cream, a protein content of skim milk, and a protein content of permeate,
- a data processor configured to determine control signals for a set of valves by calculating, based on the protein contents of at least the skim milk, the cream remix portion and the permeate, flow rates that are required for a first skim milk portion, a cream remix portion and the permeate to obtain a predetermined protein content of a mixture of the first skim milk portion, the cream remix portion and the permeate,
- a control signal output device configured to output the control signals to the set of valves that are arranged to regulate the flow of the first skim milk portion, the cream remix portion and the permeate, such that said calculated flow rates are obtained.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.