Cooling-crystallizing plants are designed for instant cooling in a vacuum and subsequent crystallization of condensed whey that leaves evaporator and is intended for subsequent drying in the spray drying plant.

Cooling-crystallizing plant consists of two independently operating units:

  • Vacuum cooling plant.
  • Crystallizing station.

 

Cooling of whey is one of the major processes affecting the crystallization of lactose therein. The sizes and amount of crystals of lactose in whey concentrate can be controlled by several technological methods: the degree of supersaturation of aqueous solution of lactose, cooling rate, mechanical agitation, adding seeding agent that promotes the formation of lactose crystallization grains.

Managing the process of crystallization is carried out through touch-screen monitor by a set algorithm in compliance with the required cooling mode and the temperature gradient.

The automation system is based on programmable logic controller.

The quantity and volume of tanks depends on the amount of processed whey and capacity of the equipment involved in the process.

Specialists of the engineering group PJSC "Kalinovskiy machine building plant" are ready to make the required calculations and the selection of technological equipment required for the processing of whey available.

 

 

The vacuum cooling plant is designed for flash cooling of whey after the condensation process in the evaporator. The cooling process occurs due to adiabatic boiling of the whey concentrate throughout the volume. It is carried out by means of a single cooling cycle. The process takes place at pressure below atmospheric pressure. The pressure required the plant operation is created and maintained by a vacuum pump and the secondary steam concentration on the surface of the tubular condenser. The condensate from the condenser is pumped out of the system by the condensate pump. The cooled product from the cooler is sent by the product pump for further processing. The vacuum cooler is equipped with the spray head. The whole system is mounted on a frame.

Read more ...

Crystallizer may consist of one or more tanks controlled autonomously. The crystallizer is an isolated tank equipped with a special jacket and an agitator of special design due to which the lactose crystals are held in suspension state during the entire process. As the drive of the frame agitator the gear motor is used the motor of which is connected via the frequency converter that controls the agitator rotation speed and provides its reverse.

Design and operation of the crystallizer

The plant consists of crystallizers (in the desired quantity), the tank with return ice water and pipe works. It works in sequence: Vacuum evaporator - Vacuum cooling station, crystallizer and drying plant tanks.

Condensed to the required concentration whey from the vacuum evaporator goes into the vacuum cooling station where it is cooled and goes into the crystallizer. The vacuum cooling station operates simultaneously with the vacuum evaporator; the crystallizers are filled alternatively in controlled time.

Read more ...

© PSC "Kalinovskiy machine building plant" 2011-2023