IDM ¦ Technology/IT
Lactoprot performs
pioneering work
RO permeate from acid casein production
becomes raw material
With the development of a plant that concentrates
the salts produced in the production
of acid casein and makes them usable,
Lactoprot has achieved a real pioneering
achievement at its Leezen (Germany) plant.
The company is currently the world's first producer of acid casein
that can return this problematic cargo to the natural cycle
as a basis for fertiliser. IDM was allowed to visit the plant on
site.
Steffen Rode, managing partner of Lactoprot, reports about
increasing difficulties in the past to dispose of the RO permeate
from acid casein production. Fewer and fewer wastewater
treatment plants can cope with the variably high COD and salt
load in the permeate, so that the production residue had to
be transported over ever longer distances. A specific enquiry
about possible solutions at a trade fair then brought Lactprot
into contact with the Dutch company SALTTECH, which specialises
in seawater and industrial water desalination. In a pilot
plant at SALTTECH's Sneek factory, it was then validated that
the permeate from Leezen could be processed with the"DyVaR"
technology; in tests, an extraordinarily high concentration factor
of 1:12 was achieved. The concentrate has approx. 50% dry
matter, it contains mainly monovalent ions such as Cl, Na, K,
but also P, Mg and Ca. The low pH value of 3.7 prevents crystallisation,
the concentrate remains liquid and stable for months.
Evaporation, but different
Under these conditions, Lactoprot decided to commission SALTTECH
with the delivery of a permeate concentration. However,
the project could only be realised after a delay, because the municipality
had great difficulty with the building permit, despite
the project's pronounced sustainability character, and then the
lockdown made things even more difficult. About six months
ago, however, the plant started operation. Since then, it has initially
been running twice a week; after the optimisation phase,
A DyVaR plant from Dutch company SALTTECH concentrates
the RO permeate to 50% dry matter. It was delivered
completely pre-assembled in three sea containers
(photo: Lactoprot)
24 · May/June 2021 ¦ international-dairy.com
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