What Is a Whey Separator?
A whey separator may not be the most high-tech piece of dairy equipment in your milk processing plant, but it has an important role to play. The centrifuge-like machine is often the first step in your milk production process, separating tiny globules of butterfat (cream) from the watery part of milk that becomes skim milk or whey after heating. The separator’s operation is based on the fact that these two parts have different densities. The centrifugal force produced by the spinning bowl forces heavier milk fats to the outer edges of the bowl and the lighter cream into the center. The resulting skim milk, whey and butter, can then be directed into new channels for further processing.유청분리기추천
As industrial dairy production has shifted away from small family farms, separation has become more of an industry procedure rather than something that happens on individual farmsteads. Separators are found in nearly every milk processing plant, from large cheese factories to small bottled milk companies.
The basic separator design hasn’t changed much since it was invented in the 1930s. It consists of a spinning bowl containing a set of disks that are spaced apart and rotate at very fast speed. The milk supply tank sits beneath the bowl, supplying the milk to be separated. As the centrifuge bowl spins, it throws the entire milk mixture into a series of openings between the rotating disks. The thinner milk films are forced out between the plates, with the heavier cream and the whey accumulating on the outer edges of the bowl. The cream then moves up into a spout near the center of the separator’s wall, while the whey is directed into an outlet at the bottom of the bowl.
Modern whey separators have some features that aren’t available in older models. For example, they can be equipped with a dual-valve discharge system that provides accurate and rapid liquid discharge while minimizing shear, air entrapment and foaming. These machines also have more advanced materials in their contact areas with the product, which helps prevent contamination and reduce maintenance costs.
Some whey separators are designed to remove heat-resistant bacteria and spores from the whey. This is done by using a special centrifuge called a bactofugation separator. These devices have higher temperature settings than regular separators, which make it easier to kill bacteria.
Another way in which a whey separator can improve milk processing is by helping to save water. These machines can help a company reduce its use of cooling and operating water by smart control that matches the device to the technical conditions. For example, a GEA separator with the Add Better optimization concept can reduce the total consumption of the hood, sludge catcher and solids catcher by 48% without compromising performance. This can reduce the cost of the whey separator and other components in the dairy processing line. This can have a direct impact on overall operating costs and margins.베어그릭스