Lactose crystallisation
AssigneesFonterra Co-Operative Group Limited, Auercon New Zealand Limited
InventorsAnthony James Styles, Paul Stephenson
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method of crystallizing lactose from a lactose-containing liquid comprising the steps of providing a lactose-containing liquid comprising less than 80% by weight total solids, providing an evaporator system that comprises a heat exchanger and an evaporation vessel, the heat exchanger comprising a tube or tubes that define a flowpath having an inlet and an outlet, heating the lactose-containing liquid in the heat exchanger to about 50 to about 90° C. such that the lactose-containing liquid passes along the flowpath by forced circulation or thermo-siphoning, concentrating the lactose-containing liquid in the evaporation vessel, to generate crystallized lactose in the lactose-containing liquid in the evaporator system.
Claims23
A method of crystallising lactose from a lactose-containing liquid comprising
- providing a lactose-containing liquid comprising less than 80% total solids by weight,
- providing an evaporator system that comprises a heat exchanger and an evaporation vessel, the heat exchanger comprising a tube or tubes that define a flowpath having an inlet and an outlet,
- heating the lactose-containing liquid in the heat exchanger to about 50 to about 90° C. such that the lactose-containing liquid passes along the flowpath by forced circulation or thermo-siphoning,
- concentrating the lactose-containing liquid in the evaporation vessel, to generate crystallised lactose in the lactose-containing liquid in the evaporator system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.