Importance & Function of Dairy Centrifuges and Separators

Importance & Function-

Dairy Centrifuges and Separators Centrifuges and separators play an important role in removing impurities from milk. With efficient machinery and favorable conditions; a considerable amount of leucocytes and bacteria is removed.

What is separator or centrifuge?

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It is centrifugal device Separates milk into cream and skimmed milk Earlier, it was done manually on the farms Now it is done with advanced dairy machines

Mechanism • Rotation of the separator causes the bowl to spin • When spun, heavier milk is pulled outward against the walls of the separators • Lighter cream collects in the middle • Cream and milk is them made to flow out from separate spouts

Milk clarification • Impurities from milk is removed • All centrifuges perform as clarifiers • Machines with high hydraulic capacity, like GEA Westfalia centrifuge, are employed • Clarifier can operate with cold milk (below 8° C) or hot (50-60° C)

Hot milk separation • Largest application of centrifuges is hot milk separation • Separate globular milk fat from serum • Separation takes place at 50-60° C • Fat content of the cream is discharged from the separator

Whey Clarification • Maintain fat separation conditions for long period • Fines are removed from the whey before separation • Centrifugal heretic clarifier is installed ahead whey separator • Flow rates, fines content and skimming efficiency are considered before choosing a clarifier

Cold milk separation • Done at 4-5°C when heating milk is undesirable • Viscosity and other characteristics of the milk is important parameter in this separation • Fat content in the skim milk varies from 0.1% to 0.2% • Maximum fat content of the cream is usually 45% at 4°C

Whey separation • • • •

Whey contains fat ranging from 0.15 to 0.40% Should be removed before processing Condition of whey separation is more favorable Hermetic whey separators can produce cream with high-fat content

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