Process and installation for producing lactose crystals

摘要

To increase the percentage of crystallized lactose obtained from lactoserum substantially without noticeably increasing investment costs or energy consumption, the first phase of crystallization is effectuated in a continuous crystallization stage wherein seeds of crystallization are added to the lactoserum to initiate crystallization, the lactoserum is concentrated, the concentrated lactoserum is brought to a supersaturated state and maintained at this stage by evaporation to obtain a mixture of mother liquor and lactose crystals, which is subjected to two centrifugal drying stages to obtain a first portion of large lactose crystals and a second portion of such crystals grown by cooling.