Lactose Powder Plant
Lactose is a disaccharide with a molecular formula of C12H22O11, composed of D-galactose and D-glucose linked by a β-1,4 glycosidic bond. The aldehyde group of the glucose moiety remains free and is able to be oxidised, therefore, lactose is a reducing sugar. Lactose monohydrate is created by crystallizing lactose, the main sugar in cow’s milk, into a dry powder. Lactose monohydrate appears as a white solid powder or pale yellow crystalline solid with a specific odour identical to milk. Lactose monohydrate is soluble in water.
Usage and Advantages of Lactose Powder.
- It has a longer shelf-life and is cheaper than real milk. Cheaper prices and longer shelf-life are the key benefits of using Lactose monohydrate. It is the most commonly available and most widely utilized milk sugar because of its stabilizing effect and easy solubility with water.
- Lactose monohydrate is primarily used as an additive in the formulation of several pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, foods and beverages.
- It is used in tablets, capsules, ready-mix infant formulas, chocolates, biscuits, ready-to-make foods, candies, ice-cream and bread and bakery products to enhance aroma and flavour
- Lactose monohydrate has been found to have a bland flavour and is utilized as a stabilizer for formulations.
- Lactose monohydrate is used in pharmaceuticals and animal feed as a filler because of its physical and chemical stability.
- Lactose monohydrate is easy to mix with other ingredients and does not absorb water.
- Fillers like lactose monohydrate bind to the active drug in a medication so that it can be formed into a pill or tablet that can be easily swallowed.
- lactose in some form is used in over 20% of prescription medications and over 65% of over-the-counter drugs, such as certain birth control pills, calcium supplements, and acid reflux medications
Process Description:
1 DCP precipitation and Filtration
Main feed materials for lactose manufacturing is ultra-filtered whey permeate. Mostly from
sweet cheese whey. Whey contains 95% of the original water, most of the lactose, 20% of the
protein, and traces of fat.
Before ultrafiltration whey permeate is heated to certain temperature and added with
coagulant agent. The heated slurry and hold for some time and then filtered in cross
filtration. DCP is filtered out from solution before proceeding to filtration.
2. Thermal Evaporator for Concentration
A multi-effect evaporator (MEE) with combination of falling film and Forced Circulation Calandrias is used for concentration of solution. In evaporator care is taken not to overheat the solution which may degrade the lactose and fouling is avoided or controlled to minimum possible. The predetermined specific residence time and temperature for evaporation is employed.
3. Crystallisation
Crystallisation is a function of purification and separation process, as much as a crystal
recovery step.
Crystallisation of lactose is usually performed by slow batch cooling of evaporated permeate
in large tanks cooled externally. Crystallisation produces large lactose crystals that can
be separated, washed and dried. Crystallisation rates rely on a complex set of interactions
determined by lactose solubility, supersaturation, α/β lactose mutarotation, nucleation,
temperature, and agitation, and is affected by the type and concentration of impurities in
solution.
4. Disc Centrifuge
Crystallised solution containing large Lactose Crystals and other by-products with residue
are sent to centrifuge to remove the mother from the solution. The mother liquor from which
lactose is crystallised, comprises a complex mixture of minerals, peptides and organic
acids.
Mother liquor is recycled back to the stage before evaporator.
5. Recuperative Paddle Dryer
Crystallized solids are then taken into Paddle Dryer. Paddle Dryer works under slight on vacuum produced by a Rotary compressor which sucks in evaporated vapours from the top hood of the dryer, compress it and again put into the jacket of the dryer where the thermal energy is reused without wasting in. Condensate is recycled to process water based on the conductivity. In this type of Dryer the Drying cost per kg of powder is lowest than compared to conventional methods.
6. Milling of Dried Powder.
The dried product is then passed to Air Classifying mill for size reduction as per end user
requirements.
This type of mill operates on the principle of impact grinding and employs high rotor speeds
with a striking edge velocity of up to 120 m/s. Size reduction takes place by the impact of
material particles on the rotating grinding surfaces (hammers or pins) and on the fixed
liner or grinding track. Designed with an integral classifier, particle size, distribution
and cut point can be accurately controlled by variable classifier speed.
7. Powder Packing
Product is cooled and in a pneumatic conveying system or Screw Cooler and then passed on to packing machine hopper, where it is continuously packed under dehumidified condition.
Features:
- Low temperature extraction, Evaporation and drying which maintains the qualities of Lactose.
- cGMP construction of equipment to maintain high hygiene level.
- Fully automatic, compact and energy efficient system to ensure smooth and ease of operation.
- Plant foot print is planned as per availability of land from customer.
- Complete sanitary design with CIP system