Installation of ultrafiltration system in gelatine industry

Phil Black - PII Editor 22/07/2014

380 1 minute read

Listen to this article

GEA Wiegand delivers membrane filtration plants (GEA Filtration) and evaporation plants for the process steps of clarification, desalination, concentration, and sterilisation

GEA Wiegand/GEA Filtration were placed an order for a revamp of an old evaporator and for a new direct-steam sterilisation unit of a German gelatin manufacturer.

After the commissioning phase of the evaporation plant, the customer will replace the existing ion-exchanger and install an ultrafiltration system with diafiltration unit for desalination of the gelatin solution. Moreover, process water streams occurring in several production steps in the factory, will be treated and recovered in a reverse osmosis system.

Another order was placed by a company of the gelatin industries in Turkey. A complete GEA Wiegand gelatin concentration line is concerned, consisting of ultrafiltration/evaporation and sterilisation. This plant is controlled via a PCS7-system.

Gelatine and glue are high-quality natural products. The technical range of applications of gelatine in the food, nutriceutical, pharmaceutical, and photo industries is extraordinarily wide. Concentrated glue broths are mainly used in the adhesives industry.

Gelatine is extracted from leather waste, veal, bovine, and porcine hides, bones, and fish skins. The raw materials are chemically treated in the extraction. The cross-connections between the chain molecules in the collagen protein of the raw materials are split using acids or caustic solutions. The high-molecular collagen fragments are then extracted with warm water as glue or gelatine. Depending on the treatment process, this takes place in several steps at different pH values and temperatures.

In the further process, the extractions are clarified, desalinated, concentrated, if necessary, sterilised, dried and packed. GEA Wiegand delivers membrane filtration plants (GEA Filtration) and evaporation plants for the process steps of clarification, desalination, concentration, and sterilisation.

In the relevant brochure of GEA Wiegand various concepts for the processing of the extracted gelatine solution are described. Furthermore, the recovery of protein from several side streams is presenteda