Continuous crystallization system with controlled nucleation for milk fat fractionation

摘要

An apparatus for fractionating a melt of mixed triglycerides, the apparatus comprising: i) a heat exchanger for super cooling the mass of mixed triglycerides; ii) a nucleator for controlling the energy and condition of the melt of mixed triglycerides, the nucleator having an inlet and an outlet and including an agitator means, the inlet of the nucleator being connected to the heat exchanger; and iii) a crystalliser connected to the outlet of the nucleator; where the heat exchanger is capable of providing the Gibbs free energy threshold for nucleation. Also described is a method of fractionating a mass of triglycerides, the method comprising the steps of: i) heating the mixed mass of triglycerides to form a melt; ii) cooling the melt to a temperature below the temperature sufficient for crystal growth and above the critical temperature of the melt to form a supercooled solution; iii) inputting energy to the super cooled solution sufficient to form crystal nuclei; and iv) growing the crystal nuclei into crystals in a static solution.