CREAM SEPERATION

UNIT II
By
Dr. Nandini Dutta
 CREAM SEPERATION
•Cream or fatty product of milk is a richly flavored product, which makes it desirable for
use in applications such as butter, desserts, cakes chocolate confectionery, and beverages like
coffee and cream liqueurs.
•In dairy industry, the process of separating milk into cream and skim milk is known as
separation. Cream comprises of fat concentrate in milk.

• Milk fat in the form of globules rises to the surface of the milk due to density difference

•Two immiscible liquid having different density under the influence of gravitational
force and centrifugal force
•Separation of milk is possible because of difference in density between the fat (0.93) and
the skim milk (1.036) at 20°C.
•Two types of cream separation : i) under gravity ii) under centrifugal force
 SEPARATION OF CREAM BY GRAVITY
•Two immiscible liquid having different density under the influence of gravitational force
•Rate of separation is determined by Stoke's law.
•A solid particle or liquid droplet moving through a viscous fluid medium under the
influence of gravity will eventually attain a constant velocity.
•The rate of rise of spherical particle (FG) in a liquid medium (skim milk) is represented
as:

Where: V= velocity of rise (cm)/sec; d1 = density of the dispersion medium (liquid or serum);
d2 = density of the sphere (fat globule or particle); r= radius of the sphere (FG or particle) in
cm, η = viscosity of liquid or serum (in poise); g = gravitational force (981 dynes)
 SEPARATION OF CREAM BY GRAVITY
Rate of cream separation depends on:
Directly proportional to differences in densities of fat and serum and to the square of fat
globule radius
Inversely proportional to the viscosity of serum
•Creaming rate will be maximum when density difference is maximum and viscosity is
minimum
•Prominent b/w 10-30°C and much less above 50°C
•Creaming process in milk is faster than estimated by Stoke’s law (avg. diameter of FG is 4µ).
The reason is clustering of FG to larger size leads to rapid rate of rise. Clustering is
facilitated by a protein. At high temp. this protein is denatured
•Buffalo milk contains higher fat content with relatively large FG. The cream layer
formed are thicker than cow milk
•Under gravity, it is a slow and inefficient process for small scale purpose
 SEPARATION OF CREAM BY CENTRIFUGATION
•When a mass is made to revolve in a circular path around its axis, a kind of force is
generated, which is called centrifugal force.
OPERATION:
• Milk is fed into the rapidly spinning bowl, at the centre of the discs.

• Milk distributes itself in the space between the parallel discs rotating at high speed
creating centrifugal force.

• Heavier portion, i.e. the skim milk is thrown to the periphery of bowl (due to
centrifugal force)
• Lighter portion, i.e., fat gathers in the central portion (centripetal force)

• Two passages (outlets) are provided at the top of the bowl for cream (near center of
rotating spindle) and skim milk (lower to cream outlet) to pass out of the bowl
 Rate of separation (V) of particle in centrifuge (Stoke’s eq.)
V = velocity of movement of a single FG
r = radius of FG
ds = density of skim milk
df = density of fat
N = speed of bowl (r.p.m)
R = distance of fat globule from the axis of rotation
K = constant
ƞ = viscosity of skim milk
Advantages of Centrifugal Separation over Gravity Separation
• Speed of separation is greater (instantaneous) for centrifugal separation.
• Bacteriological quality of cream and skim milk is superior in centrifugal separation than
gravity separation.
• Greater fat percentage of cream is possible using centrifugal separation (25-80%) vs.
gravity separation (10-25%).
• Fat recovery in cream is 99-99.5% for centrifugal separation. Such value for gravity
separation is about 75% or so.
Cross – section of a cream separator
• Bowl : outer shell consist of large number of cone-
shaped discs (stainless steel)
• No. of discs = 10 to 250 (relates to its capacity )
• Disc spaces = 0.3 to 1 mm
• Angle of inclination of disc = 45-60° to the
horizontal
• Density difference = 20 to 400 kg/m3.
• Bowl discs revolve at 5500-6000 rpm
• Speed of driving motor = about 1440 rpm
• Regulating the cream discharge opening (affecting
the flow) by adjusting the cream screw, we can
maintain the desired fat % in cream.
• Temperature for separation is 35°- 45°C.
• Clogging occurs if fat in cream is above 55-60%.

• Please watch :
 Factors influencing Fat percentage of cream
**If quantity of cream discharge is regulated at the outlet of separator, the amount of fat % in cream also varies
1. Position of the cream screw: Cream outlet have a small threaded, hollow screw. The screw can be driven IN and OUT; thus
bringing it nearer or away from the centre of rotation to adjust the fat % in cream. The screw regulates the quantity of cream
coming out.
** If screw is moved IN (towards the centre of rotation) the fat % in cream will be higher (i.e. smaller proportion of cream will
come out with same quantity of fat separated and vice versa. That means higher amount of fat % is present in smaller proportion
of cream. Screwing out the cream produces thinner cream i.e. lower fat %

2. Fat % in milk: Higher fat % in milk gives higher fat % in cream during separation

3. Speed of bowl: Higher the speed (higher centrifugal force) i.e. more rapidly will the skim milk leave the bowl (i.e. increase
in capacity of skim milk discharge and lesser cream is discharged which is having same quantity of fat)
** Smaller proportion of cream is discharged with high fat content

4. Rate of milk inflow: Higher the rate of milk inflow, the lower the fat % in cream and vice versa.
** If rate of milk inflow increases the rate of cream discharge will also increase i.e. higher proportion of cream with same amount
of fat which means less fat %

5. Temperature of milk: Lower the temp. of milk, higher is the fat % in cream and vice versa (effect of viscosity of fat and
skim milk due to temp.)

6. Amount of water or skim milk added to flush the bowl: Greater amount of water or skim milk added to flush the bowl,
the lower the fat % in cream (cream gets diluted)
 CLARIFICATION VS. CREAM SEPERATION

In general, the clarifiers are quite similar to cream separator. The difference between clarifier
and cream separator are as follows:

• In clarifiers there is only one inlet and one outlet. In cream separator there is one inlet and
two outlets (cream and skim milk).

• The discs in the clarifier are smaller in diameter to provide a large space for the
accumulation of sludge than separators.

• The milk distribution holes are at the outer edge of the disk in the clarifier but near the axis
of rotation in the separators.
*****DETAILS OF CREAM COMPOSITION AND TYPES WILL BE
DISCUSSED IN UNIT IV

END