EPA-600/2-76-254
September 1976
Environmental Protection Technology Series
ELIMINATION OF POLLUTION FROM
COTTAGE CHEESE WHEY BY
DRYING AND UTILIZATION
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, Ohio 45268
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RESEARCH REPORTING SERIES
Research reports of the Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, have been grouped into five series. These five broad
categories were established to facilitate further development and application of
environmental technology. Elimination of traditional grouping was consciously
planned to foster technology transfer and a maximum interface in related fields.
The five series are:
1. Environmental Health Effects Research
2. Environmental Protection Technology
3. Ecological Research
4. Environmental Monitoring
5. Socioeconomic Environmental Studies
This report has been assigned to the ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
TECHNOLOGY series. This series describes research performed to develop and
demonstrate instrumentation, equipment, and methodology to repair or prevent
environmental degradation from point and non-point sources of pollution. This
work provides the new or improved technology required for the control and
treatment of pollution sources to meet environmental quality standards.
This document is available to the public through the National Technical Informa-
tion Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161.
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EPA-600/2-76-254
September 1976
ELIMINATION OF POLLUTION FROM COTTAGE CHEESE
WHEY BY DRYING AND UTILIZATION
by
Sidney Boxer
Dairy Research and Development Corporation
Peekskill, New York 10566
Project #12060 DEQ
Project Officer
Max W. Cochrane
Food and Wood Products Branch
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
Corvallis, Oregon 97330
INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
CINCINNATI, OH 45268
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DISCLAIMER
This report has been reviewed by the Industrial Environmental Research
Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and approved for publi-
cation. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the
views and policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, nor does
mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or
recommendation for use.
11
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FOREWORD
When energy and material resources are extracted, processed, converted,
and used, the related pollutional impacts on our environment and even on our
health often require that new and increasingly more efficient pollution control
methods be used. The Industrial Environment Research Laboratory - Cincinnati
(IERL-CI) assists in developing and demonstrating new and improved methodologies
that will meet these needs both efficiently and economically.
"Elimination of Pollution from Cottage Cheese Whey by Drying and Utiliza-
tion" is a summary of this grant project to demonstrate the utilization of con-
verted acid whey components for food purposes. Part of the effort in this
grant project is reported in the annual reports by the grantee for calendar
years 1974, 1975, and 1976. Based on information from the grantee, there were
no new, reportable inventions as a result of this grant. For further infor-
mation, contact the Food and Wood Products Branch of IERL-CI.
David G. Stephan
Director
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
Cincinnati
111
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ABSTRACT
A spray drying process for cottage cheese whey has
been demonstrated as a viable method for pollution control
from the cheese making industry. The process produces a
saleable product consisting of protein lactose sugar and
other nutritious ingredients. The product, readily usable
for animal feed, has recently been accepted for human
consumption. The process was demonstrated by the Dairy
Research and Development Corporation in its plant adjacent
to the cottage cheese plant of the Dairylea Cooperative at
Vernon, New York, at a scale of 500,000 pounds of raw whey
per day.
The process consists of five major steps,
evaporation of the raw whey, crystallization, spray drying,
after drying and packaging of the dry powder.
Operation of the demonstration plant was successfully
concluded after a period of lengthy and troublesome shake-
down and start-upo The cottage cheese whey is now converted
to a saleable dried product. The technology appears amenable
for use in regional service facilities where sufficient cheese
whey supplies can justify essential processing facility.
The projected capital cost for a 500,000 pounds a day (raw
whey) plant of minimum size is approximately $3,000,000.
The operating cost projection is approximately $450,000
per year based on 9,000,000 pounds a year of dried whey
powder.
Profitability for this size plant is determined
proportionately by the sale of the product to the human food
market as against the animal feed market.
This report was submitted in fulfillment of the
requirements of Project #12060 DEQ awarded by the Environmental
Protection Agency to the Dairy Research and Development Corp.
IV
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CONTENTS
Section Page
I CONCLUSIONS 1
II RECOMMENDATIONS 3
III INTRODUCTION 4
IV DEMONSTRATION PROJECT 14
V HISTORY OF PROJECT 24
DESIGN OF PLANT 24
PROCESS DESCRIPTION 24
OPERATING EXPERIENCE 26
DIFFICULTIES 26
SENSITIVITY OF PROBLEMS 28
MODIFICATIONS 33
VI FEASIBILITY 35
CONSOLIDATED CHEESE OPERATION 35
WHEY DRYING PLANT ADJACENT TO
CHEESE PLANT 35
OTHER CHEESE WHEY 36
REGIONAL SERVICE POTENTIAL 36
VII INTEREST AND IMPACT TO CHEESE INDUSTRY 37
PROJECT INTEREST 37
PRODUCT INTEREST 37
VIII WHEY DRYING PLANT PROJECTIONS 39
PLANT DESIGN AND LOCATION 39
CAPITAL COSTS 40
EQUIPMENT 40
BUILDING AND LAND 40
OPERATING COSTS 42
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SUMMARY - PLANT SIZE AND ECONOMICS
IX REFERENCES 44
X APPENDIX 46
XI GLOSSARY 61
VI
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FIGURES
Page
1. PROJECT 12060 DEQ ORGANIZATION
2. DAIRY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CORP.
PLANT AT VERNON, NEW YORK - EXTERNAL
PHOTOGRAPH 20
3. SAME PLANT - EQUIPMENT PHOTOGRAPH 21
4. SAME PLANT - INSTRUMENT PANEL PHOTOGRAPH 22
5. WHEY DRYING PROCESS SCHEMATIC 25
6. WHEY DRYING PROCESS EFD (ENGINEERING FLOW
DIAGRAM) 27
7. PROJECTED CAPITAL AND OPERATING COSTS 41
VI1
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TABLES
Page
1. U.S. CHEESE WHEY PRODUCTION/1972
2. COTTAGE CHEESE WHEY POLLUTION - WASTE
VOLUME AND CHARACTERISTICS AND EQUIVALENTS 5
3. SUMMARY OF VERNON, NEW YORK, PLANT RUNS
DURING PROJECT PERIOD-MONTHLY AVERAGES
OF DAILY PRODUCTION 11
4. U.S. CHEESE AND WHEY PRODUCTION AND
UTILIZATION (1950-69) 13
5. TYPICAL ANALYSIS AND VITAMIN CONTENT OF
ACID WHEY POWDER 16
6. EXAMPLES OF THE UTILIZATION OF WHEY IN
FOODS 18
Vlll
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This project was supported by a demonstration
grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Research and Development, Washington, D. C. Besides the
important financial role of the agency, the project would
not have attained its high degree of success without the
technical support and awareness of the Industrial Pollution
Control Division, particularly William J. Lacy, George Rey,
George Keeler and Max Cochrane.
The research and analysis support of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Dairy Products Laboratory,
Eastern Utilization Service, contributed greatly to the
direction of the project. Dairy Research and Development
Corp. is grateful to all the staff members of the Dairy
Products Laboratory but particular mention should be made
of Dr. Byron E. Webb, Dr. Michael J. Pallansch, Frank E.
McDonough and Virginia Holsinger.
/
Appreciation is also accorded to Richard Meyer
of the Food and Drug Administration, U.S., for his interest
and encouragement and patience throughout the numerous
meetings.
Particular recognition is in order for the support
furnished by Dairylea Cooperative, Inc., Pearl River, New
York, in providing technical personnel and the physical
plant with some of its facilities at Vernon, New York,
without charge during the term of the project.
This report was prepared by Sidney Boxer and
Robert W. Bond; its development and execution were under
the direction of Sidney Boxer, with the aid and support
of staff members of the Environmental Protection Agency.
IX
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SECTION I
CONCLUSIONS
1. Cottage cheese whey, popularly referred to as acid
whey, is a difficult substance to dry because of inhibiting
factors, such as its acid content. This is compounded by
the lack of uniformity in the raw whey feed stock due to
many factors, the varying nature of milk in different regions
of the country, handling and sanitary conditions and most
prevalent, the non-standard methodology in the making of
cottage cheese.
2. Of all the processes reviewed for potential use,
including roller drying, reverse osmosis, ultra filtration
and others, the spray drying process was chosen from the
standpoint of achieving pollution abatement in accordance
with the stringent regulations of the various governmental
agencies and at the same time providing the greater potential
for market penetration.
3. Equipment and technology currently available on
the market is not suitable for the extreme requirements
of drying acid whey. Each project should be separately
engineered to the particular needs of the plant or number
of plants being serviced.
4. The processing of the whey must be controlled
from its raw state through the finished product under
rigidly controlled conditions to achieve a high standard
of powder with uniformity and quality that will be acceptable
on a continuous basis to the food industry. In many
instances, this may require the whey processor to be
involved in the cottage cheese making in order to assure
day-to-day standard operational procedures. Training and
supervision of personnel is important in developing their
understanding of the sensitivity of whey drying.
5. The process itself achieved its primary purpose
of producing a nonhygroscopic acid whey powder. The
processing steps are the evaporation and condensing of
the acid whey, crystallization, spray drying and after
drying, milling and bagging the powder. Critical process
parameters are the chemical consistency of the raw condensed
whey, drying temperatures, product moisture level, air
temperatures and humidity. The varying conditions and
changes can be partially overcome by operational procedures
within the design limits.
6. The production of non-hygroscopic acid whey
powder of a uniform quality, within the limits of proposed
edible grade standards, is a basic requirement in the
1
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nenetration of a highly sophisticated food market of today.
"his is particularly true if the product is to be accepted
in the formulations of national food companies, necessary
to absorb the tremendous quantities of whey powder expected
on the market in the not too distant future.
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SECTION II
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based upon the conclusions and results of this
project, following are the recommendations:
1. It has been shown that cottage cheese whey can
be dried, the ultimate need for uniformity requires the
initiation of an intensive study into the basic chemical
components of whey as affected by the various factors in
different parts of the country including feed, handling,
cottage cheese making, etc.
2. Development of more sophisticated equipment and
technology for the drying of whey, particularly acid whey
should be undertaken with a view toward the engineering of
more economical equipment incorporating processing procedures
presently "hand-done" by the operator.
3. A regional whey processing facility should be
undertaken to investigate the feasibility of collecting
whey from satellite plants, the size of the area that
can be served, the transportation costs, the methodology
of collection of the whey, i.e., raw or condensed, the
uniformity and quality control factors, etc.
4. Wider utilization of whey in the edible grade
food market requires extensive research in food formulations,
which should be undertaken commercially by the whey
processors a
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SECTION III
INTRODUCTION
HISTORY AND NEED
The United States is one of the largest, if not
the largest, dairy producing and consuming nations in the
world. The dairy industry, one of the most widespread in
the United States, produces over 120 billion pounds of milk
yearly. (U.S. Department of Agriculture - Economic Research
Service). A major portion of the dairy industry is dedi-
cated to cheese production which concomitantly produces
large volumes of whey as shown in Table 1.
TABLE 1
CHEESE PRODUCTION/1972*
Cheese (All Types except Cottage): 2,604,000.000 Ibs.
Cottage Cheese: 1,115,000,000 Ibs.
-0-
FLUID WHEY (Calculated From 1972 Cheese Production)-*
(A) Sweet-type Whey Cheese x Factor
(from all cheese except Cottage): 2,604,000,000 x 9
23,436,000.000 Ibs.
(B) Acid-type Whey Cheese x Factor
(from Cottage Cheese): 1,115,000,000 x 6
6,690,000,000 Ibs.
Total Whey Production:
(A) + (B) 30,126,000,000 Ibs.
-0-
CALCULATED WHEY SOLIDS/1972
Total Equivalent Whey Solids:*** Fluid Whey x % solids
30,126,000,000 x 0.065
' - 1,958,000,000 Ibs.
* Crop Production Board, SRS, USDA, Da 2-1 (73)
** Whey Production: approximately 9 Ibs./I Ib. cheese produced
(except Cottage)
approximately 6 Ibs./I Ib. Cottage cheese
produced
*** Average total solids content of whey: 6.57o
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Unfortunately, the whey waste from cheese is one
of the worst offenders because of its high biochemical oxy-
gen demand (BOD concentration^) (See Table 2).
TABLE 2
WASTE VOLUME AND CHARACTERISTICS OF COTTAGE
CHEESE WHEY (1)
4. Dan Franklin Dairy (2)
a) Cleaning
Design Flow 0.0717 MGD
Susp. Solids 256 ppm 153 ppd
Vol. Susp. Solids 182 ppm 109 ppd
5-Day BOD 480 ppm 288 ppd
b) Cheese Wash
Design Flow ' 0.0317 MGD
Susp. Solids 270 ppm 72 ppd
Vol. Susp. Solids 245 ppm 65 ppd
5-Day BOD 2,625 ppm 695 ppd
c) Whey
Design Flow 0.012 MGD
Susp. Solids 3,900 ppm 390 ppd
Vol. Susp. Solids 3,600 ppm 360 ppd
5-Day BOD 37,400 ppm 3,740 ppd
d) Total Flow, Excluding Whey
Design Flow 0.103 MGD
Susp. Solids - 260 ppm 225 ppd
Vol. Susp. Solids 210 ppm 174 ppd
5-Day BOD . 1,190 ppm 983 ppd
e), Total Flow. Including Whey
Design Flow 0.115 MGD
Susp. Solids 640 ppm 615 ppd
Vol. Susp. Solids 555 ppm 534 ppd
5-Day BOD 4, 920ppm 4,723 ppd
POLLUTION EQUIVALENT
POUNDS OF RAW WHEY PEOPLE
30,000,000,000 20,000,000
(1) Reference 17 - FORT PLAIN-NELLISTON SEWERAGE STUDY
(2) 11,000 pounds cheese per day
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Many of the cheese operations are located in small
communities in or near the rural milk production areas.
Because of excessive waste load of whey, the waste treatment
facilities of most communities cannot tolerate the cheese
whey. The cost of facilities to treat cheese whey would
be prohibitive for the industry, as well as non-productive.
(Reference 1-pgs. 400-413). As concluded in the Harper
Report on pg. 413 (Reference 1) from a survey of 175
consulting engineering firms -: "All organizations are
in agreement in their opinion that whey and the wash water
from cottage cheese operations should be excluded from
biological treatment facilities."
The larger communities with adequate waste
treatment facilities accepting the discharge of the cheese
whey, are required by governmental regulations to charge
proportionate treatment costs which ultimately will become
prohibitive as costs escalate in the improvement and
maintenance of these plants. Further in adding these
costs to the price of cheese, the cheese itself will
lose its competitive value in the market place. Waste
treatment lacking a future, the recovery of the cheese
whey becomes a better alternative. (Reference 2).
Production of raw whey amounts to over 30 billion
pounds per year, equivalent to the pollution by 20 million
people. The building of new sewage plants or the addition
to old ones necessary to accommodate the whey waste would
cost approximately 1% billion dollars not including the
sewers. The additional cost of maintenance annually would
amount to well over 40 million dollars annually. In a
Comprehensive Sewerage Study undertaken by New York State
of a small town with a moderate plant producing an average
of 11 thousand pounds of cheese per day, the annual costs
for handling the whey wastes from that cheese plant would
be 90 thousand dollars annually. (Table 2 and Reference
18).
Faced with these economic and environmental
pressures, many cheese plants closed and more may have
to be closed. The economic disposition of whey is still
recognized as the most compelling problem facing the
cheese industries throughout the United States. Besides
the serious implications in the towns and villages where
cheese plants are the dominant industries, there will be
the additional impact in the reduction of farms and the
satellite businesses and services.
Some whey has always been dried or condensed
with the bulk of the product destined for the animal feed
market. This was mostly sweet whey of inferior quality,
viewed as a "waste" with marketing in the form of a
"dumping" operation.
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The dairy industry and government and universities,
long concerned with this problem, have undertaken at various
times research looking toward a solution,, However this has
been limited by funds, economics, lack of continuing
communication and a "hit or miss approach striving usually
for solution of one phase of the overall problem. (Reference
6).
Approximately 3.8 billion pounds of cheese is now
produced in the United States resulting in over 30 billion
pounds of fluid sweet and acid whey. If all this whey were
dried, there would be approximately 1% billion pounds of
sweet whey powder originating from the cheddar and other
hard cheeses and over 500 million pounds of acid whey
powder originating from cottage, cream and soft Italian
cheese. (Table 1)
Much of the fluid sweet whey and practically
all the fluid acid whey that had been produced in this
country was diverted to streams or municipal sewer systems
and irretrievably lost as a food. Not only does the unused
food whey pollute the waterways and place heavy burdens
on the sewage system, the nutritional loss is incalculable
since 54% of the nutrients of milk are left in the fluid
sweet whey while 7370 of the nutrients of milk appear in
the fluid acid whey from cottage cheese.
SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM
Dairy Research and Development Corp. was organized
to undertake a research and development program to accomplish
the twofold task of abating the pollution by whey waste and
utilizing the whey components for food purposes. (Figure
1). In 1968 Dairy Research and Development Corp. received
a grant #12060DEQ from Environmental Protection Agency to
demonstrate the feasibility of eliminating pollution of
acid whey waste by conversion to a dry powder and the
utilization of the acid whey powder for food purposes.
In the course of deciding on the project objectives,
numerous types of equipment and processes were evaluated
for their potential in resolving the whey problem - roller
dry equipment, reverse osmosis, ultra filtration, electro-
dialysis, etc. It was determined that the most suitable
method for attaining the objectives of the project was
spray drying. (References 6, 7 and 8).
During the course of the evaluation, it was
decided to investigate readily available spray drying
equipment and processes on the market for adaptation,
rather than spend years in engineering and development
which would undoubtedly require a pilot plant phase.
7
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FIGURE 1
DAIRY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORP.
PROJECT 12060-DEQ ORGANIZATION
oo
DRYER CONSTRUCTION &
PILOT TESTING
ON SITE CONSTRUCTION
&
ENGINEERING
VERNON PLANT LEASE
&
PROCESS EQUIPMENT
OPERATIONS &
MAINTENANCE CONTRACT
PROJECT DIRECTION
LABORATORY
PROGRAM &
ASSISTANCE
(DRD Staff)
CONTRACTS &
NEGOTIATIONS
TECHNICAL
PLANNING &
ECONOMICS
ENGINEERING
&
SUPERVISION
FOOD TECHNOLOGY, etc.
1. USDA
2. Consultants
a. Universities
b. Chemical
companies
3. FDA (U.S.)
EPA
PROJECT OFFICER
ACCOUNTING &
COST CONTROL
OPERATIONS & PRODUCTION
(Vernon Plant Staff)
1
Raw
Whey
Collection
Plant
Operations
Testing
Program
1
OFFICE MANAGEMENT
Plant
Startup
Dry
Whey
Storage
Sale
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The De Laval Separator Company offered a process, equipment and the use of
its pilot plant in which limited tests had demonstrated capability of drying
acid whey. Accordingly, the basic objectives of the project, that is, the
drying of acid whey to a non-hygroscopic consistency in a scaled up commercial
size, appeared possible. Their system was accepted with some qualifications
and the project was able to proceed quickly with location of a site and.instal-
lation. The scale of operation chosen satisfied the requirement of the pro-
ject that the commercial feasibility be proven, rather than the more conser-
vative approach of intermediary scale of pilot plant testing, to establish
a firm technological basis. (Reference 23).
The Dairymen's League Cooperative Association, Inc. of New York, NY
offered facilities at Remsen, NY together with personnel, labor, engineering
and laboratory technicians for the project. The final site selected was
Vernon, NY in a powder plant next door to a new cottage cheese plant being
erected by Dairylea. It was felt that this would be more convenient, pro-
viding better control of the raw whey since the raw whey could be piped
over directly from one plant to the other.
Plans were drawn in late 1969 and early 1970 and by 1971, the necessary
building construction and installation of the equipment was completed. As
explained later in this report, the equipment modifications were made during
the course of the next year while various tests of the equipment and the pro-
cess were made. There were many failures as was to be expected but the know-
ledge gained resulted in the gains later described. One of the most import-
ant lessons learned was that the pilot plant technology was not a criterion
for scaling up to the commercial size plant due to the differences in contact
"time-temperature" change and unknown scale up parameters.
During the late 1971 and into all of 1972, the commercial size plant at
Vernon, NY became a large scale pilot plant with the disadvantages of large
costs and the lack of fine, controlled conditions available at a small pilot
plant. This was outweighed however by the advantages of obtaining true
results on a commercial scale without the conjecture of a scaled up operation
from a pilot plant, and, most important, successful outcome of the testing
resulting in an instant commercial operation.
A significant increase in the amount of material processed was achieved
in October, 1972, and day to day production was instituted by November, 1972;
the major factor was quality control of the feed stock, by pasteurization as
drawn from the vats to inhibit bacterial action, and by maintaining the mois-
ture level of the feed stock from the main dryer within a 10% to 14% range.
The next three months were then devoted to varying the conditions of produc-
tion, pressures, temperatures, time and condensed solids, resulting in mostly
poor quality product. Such wide ranges were tested as to be meaningless,
except for the condensed whey solids (Table 3). By the end of January 1973,
the plant was producing a high quality, edible grade of uniform non-hygroscopic
whey powder. The basic conditions for achieving these results were settled
at a range of 41% to 44% condensed whey solids, running at a rate of 1600 to
1800 pounds of powder per hour with moisture not to exceed 2.5% (range of 2.0%
to 2.5%).
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The unit cost per Ib. for drying the whey during the final year of the
project, 1973, ranged from a monthly low of $.0432/lb., to a high of $.1045/
Ib. The month of May, which ran $.3850/lb., is not considered as represent-
ative. During the project period, the most probable cost is estimated at
$.088/lb. As can be seen from Table 3, the day to day production ranges,
during the 1973 project period, had such low and high ranges as to render the
cost data erratic and misleading.
The major factors in achieving low unit cost are high hourly rate of
production and large volume of feed stock input. Neither of these was achieved
during the 1973 project period, except in rare instances insufficient to
draw satisfactory conclusions as to uniit cost with any exactitude.
By October 1973, the entire production of the plant was sold for the
balance of the year 1973, 80% into human grade products and 20% into animal
feed. Market acceptance of the product was aided by the prior development
of uses of whey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Cornell University.
(References 13, 14, 16, and 17). Dairy Research and Development Corp. had
also instituted research and developed products for the utilization,-of acid
whey powder. It is anticipated that numerous processes and greater facilities
for conversion of whey to beneficial food products will be developed. (Ref-
erences 3, 4, 5, 11 and 20).
10
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TABLE 3
SUMMARY OF PLANT RUNS DURING PROJECT PERIOD AT
VERNON, N.Y. PLANT OF DAIRY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
CORP. - MONTHLY AVERAGES OF DAILY PRODUCTION
1971
MAY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Condensed Whey
Total Sol
RANGES
Low & Hiqh
48.68-50.67
43.36-51.45
48.31-50.32
ONE RUN
47.53-51.99
40.91-52.54
Percent
ids
AVERAGE
50.01
49.39
49.32
51.61
49.13
46.00
WHEY POWDER POUNDS
RANGES-LOW & High
400-1000
Test Runs - No Prod.
"
"
11
600-1350
DAILY
Production
Average
630
820
1972
JANUARY
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
ONE RUN
ONE RUN
40.55-44.88
ONE RUN
42.46-42.50
40.90-42.85
40.80-43.06
40.76-42.83
39.21-45.84
37.19-43.57
52.65
43.82
42.07
41.46
42.48
41.82
41.87
41.87
41.65
41.33
450
2050
1350-6340
MODIFICATION TESTS -
250-2700
1700-7122
1500-5659
1100-8150
4750-16,250
1650-13,000
3600
NO PROD.
1475
4465
4000
5170
10,800
8660
1973
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
38.56-45.54
38.99-44.75
37.23-45.07
38.86-44.54
42.98-43.07
41.31-44.17
39.70-45.03
39.01-44.11
38.10-43.20
42.47
42.39
42.90
42.42
43.02
42.69
42.30
41.94
40.94
4200-18,300
650-16,650
5350-19,650
2250-19,050
7900-14,850
1650-12,950
2000-14,500
2150-14,550
1200-16,400
12,000
12,650
14,670
12,030
11,375
7,685
10,500
12,450
13,500
11
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PROCESSES FOR WHEY UTILIZATION (1969 STATUS)
The whey utilized in 1969 was almost exclusively
sweet whey from the production of hard cheeses. The forms
in which whey was used were as follows:
Raw or "as is" state
Condensed
Dried
Fractionated
The use of raw whey was seriously limited due
to the high cost of transporting a low solids liquid and
the tendency of the product to putrefy. Utilization of
condensed whey enjoyed a more favorable distribution cost,
more resistance to putrefication but, unless stored under
the proper conditions, the crystallization of lactose was
troublesome. Dry whey was the most generally accepted
form because of its stability and ease of handling.
(Table 4).
SPRAY AND ROLLER DRYING
Most whey was dried in roller dryers which were
unsanitary, produced many scorched particles and products
of widely varying quality. Some whey was dried in spray
dryers. All the dried whey was sweet whey because a
commercially feasible process did not exist for drying
acid whey.
OTHER
Relatively large quantities of whey were
fractionated by crystallization of the lactose which
was separated from the whey protein and salts. The
protein and salts were generally dried in a roller
dryer to a hygroscopic product.
12
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***
TABLE k.
/--Cheese vhey production and utilization, United States, 1950-6?
Tear
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
I960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
Production I/ " ;
Total
cheese Z/
Mil. Ib.
1,191
I,l6l
1,170
1,344
1,383
1,367
1,388
1,407
1,399
1,383
1,478
1,635
1,592
1,631
1,724
1,755
1,854
1,913
1,938
1,986
'. liquid
sweet
; whey^
Mil. Ib.
9,528
9,288
9,360
10,752
11,064
10,936
11,104
11,256
11,192
11,064
11,824
13,080
12,736
13,048
13,792
14,040
14,832
15,304
15,504
15,888
: Cottage :
: cheese 4/:
Mil. Ib.
413
462
488
530
573
604
711
745
763
803
838
824
838
855
886
892
887
890
928
966
Liquid
acid
whey 5_/
Mil. Ib.
2,060
2,310
2,440
2,650
2,860
3,020
3,560
3,720
3,820
4,020
4,190
4,120
4,190
4,280
4,430
4,460
4,440
4,450
4,640
M30
: Dried
! Pro- !
I duction |
Mil. Ib.
155-6
139-9
164.1
174.7
177.6
211.0
212.0
232.4
233-3
247-3
276.9
271.5
28>*. 8
316.9
371.9
404.3
470.9
492.8
498.8
502.5
whey
Whey
equivalent
6/
Mil. Ib.
2,100
1,890
2,215
2,358
2,398
2,848
2,862
3,137
3,150
3,339
3,738
3,665
3,845
4,278
5,021
5,458
6,357
6,653
6,734
6,784
Utilization
Crude milk sugar
Pro-
duction
Mil. Ib.
39-3
50.2
33-6
25-9
32.5
36.3
33-3
37-5
35-4
47-3
50.1
35-5
52.3
39-4
41.3
65.0
65.1
79-3
83.0
92.9
: Whey
: equivalent
: 7/
Mil. Ib.
980
1,260
840
648
812
908
832
938
885
1,182
1,252
888
1,308
985
1,032
1,625
1,628
1,982
2,075
2,322
Condensed whey 8/
Pro-
duction
Mil. Ib.
N.A.
N.A.
N.A.
N.A.
123-4
184.1
180.9
139-3
121.5
103.4
87.0
99-2
85.6
114.2
145-9
151.0
193-6
177.8
158.3
179-8
\ Whey
_' equivalent
Mil. Ib.
___
...
...
864
1,289
1,266
975
850
724
609
694
599
799
1,021
1,057
1,355
1,245
1,108
1,259
: Fed, used
: for fer-
tilizer or
: wasted 9/
Mil. Ib.
8,508
8,448
8,745
10,396
10,282
9,555
10,337
10,414
10,552
10,201
10,719
12,300
11,474
11,666
11,658
10,888
10,610
10,496
10,781
10,985
U)
***
DAIRY SITUATION - ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE, U.S. DEPT. of
Excludes whey from casein, now only minor.
Excludes cottage cheese and full-skim American cheese.
Estimated at 8 pounds per pound of cheese.
Adjusted for duplication between curd and creamed cottage cheese;
5/ Estimated at 5 pounds per pound of cottage cheese.
6/ One pound dry whey equals 13-5 pounds liquid whey (USDA Statistical Bulletin |62).
77 One pound lactose equals 25-0 pounds liquid whey (USDA Statistical Bulletin 362).
"§/ One pound condensed whey equals 7 pounds liquid whey.
gl Assumes half.of reported condensed whey is dried.
AGRICULTURE
SEPT., 1970
includes full-skim American cheese.
-------
SECTION IV
DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT
The description of the project granted Dairy
Research and Development Corp. by the Office of Research
and Development, Federal Water Pollution Control Administration
reads, "a development and full scale demonstration for a
process for the conversion of dairy whey into saleable
food products by evaporation and spray drying methods.
The conversion of whey to a usable food product in lieu
of its disposal as a waste product from cheese manufacturing
is the pollution abatement method to be developed and
demonstrated. Research will be conducted on the use of
dry whey as a supplement to various food products."
Restated in a concise manner, the objectives of this
project on cheese whey were:
Pollution abatement
Conservation of nutritional food material
Economic feasibility
PLAN OF ACTION
/-
The pollution abatement requirement in this
project could have been solved in a number of methods
had this been the only constraint. The last two
requirements, conservation of food material and economic
feasibility, necessitated consideration of food plant
sanitation standards, process costs vs. "market value"
of the finished product and therefore evaluation of the
demands of the food ingredient market and the potentially
competitive food ingredients.
DRD's plan of action consisted of six phases
designed to achieve all requirements of the project.
Phase 1. Determine and define the food
ingredient market's current opportunities for products
which could be produced from whey;
Phase 2, Select the equipment best suited to
carry out the basic process steps forecast from DRD's
finished product selection;
Phase 3. Select a cheese plant from which to
draw whey and whose management was aggressively interested
in pollution abatement;
Phase 4. Construct necessary building and
install equipment;
Ik
-------
Phase 5. Develop the most desirable process
conditions, equipment requirements and make such changes
as required;
Phase 6. Establish a market for the whey product
as a nutritious food ingredient for formulated human foods.
Phase 1 was a most important part of the project
because the segment of the food ingredient market selected
had to represent a large volume potential, commensurate
with potential supply of whey solids. The market selected
dictated the characteristic of the product required to
fulfill the specific market requirements. The characteristics
of the finished product, (moisture, hygroscopicity,
particle size), defined within narrow limits the type
of equipment required for the processing of raw whey
into such a finished product,, (Reference 15). Generally,
equipment of this type has a very limited flexibility in
the type of finished products it is capable of producing.
Therefore, market selection can be a "make or break" for
a project of this type.
Acid whey, by-product or co-product produced in
the production of cottage and other soft cheeses, contains
the desirable components which have various market demands.
(Table 5).
As most nutritionists and those knowledgeable
in the value of food components realize, there is strong
demand by the food industries for good proteins, high
protein efficiency ratio (P.E.R.) and proteins which
contain large amounts of the essential amino acids in
which lower P.E.R. proteins are deficient. Though
knowledge is seriously lacking in the function and
requirement for certain trace elements (minerals) in
our diet, there exists a market demand for products
containing the number of trace elements found in whey.
Food acidulants are also in demand to enhance the flavor
of certain formulated foods. Such market needs may be
met or satisfied by the use of one or more commodity
ingredients, the use of several pure or fractionated
materials or, as is more common, a combination of
commodity food ingredients and pure or refined
ingredients. (References 3, 11 and 16).
The food femulator's choice of ingredients
to be used for the production of a consumer product is
based on essential considerations, such as, customer
appeal, customer satisfaction, nutritional value and
cost of the finished product. Consumer products which
are not at least on the average competitive on these
points may be expected to have a short market life.
Therefore, considering the value of components of
15
-------
TABLE 5
ACID WHEY POWDER COMPONENTS *
TYPICAL ANALYSIS
Moisture 3.0%
Lactose 67.0%
Protein 12.5%
Lactic Acid 8.5%
Ash 9.0%
pH 4.4%
Acidity (as Lactic Acid) 6.0%
Calcium 1.8%
VITAMINS rag/100 grams
Thiamine 1.06
Riboflavin 2.55
Niacin 0.675
Ascorbic Acid 2.8
* Source - References 19, 20 and 21
ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS
Solid Whey Powder (mg/gm)
Lysine 8.13
Histidine 1.31
Ammonia .766
Arginine 2.78
Aspartic 9.55
Threonine 5.18
Serine 4.98
Glutamic 20.7
Proline 7.83
Glycine 1.67
Alanine 5.03
Cystine N.C.
Valine 5.68
Methionine 1.25
Isoleucine 5.45
Leucine 10.3
Tyrosine 3.17
Phenylalanine 3.35
Tryptophan 6.32
16
-------
whey solids, the value of commodity ingredients available
to food formulators and the comparative cost-price
relationships, the current and near future food ingredient
market requirements are volume-price related.
DRD's survey of the food ingredient market
showed rapidly growing demand for materials from which
nutritionally superior products could be formulated.
(References 3, 11, 16 and 22). The broad competitive
position of such food ingredients as flours, sugars,
food acidulants and the concentrates and isolates of
amino acids, whole proteins and vitamins were carefully
considered. Generally the processing costs and market
prices are directly related to the type and complexity
of the process by which the ingredient is manufactured.
As an example, a protein isolate may be priced at 3 to
10 times the price of the protein in the parent commodity.
It was concluded that volume food ingredient markets
needed to absorb the volumes of whey available or that
would soon be available, could best be penetrated with
total acid whey powder at the lowest price possible in
comparison to the prices necessary to make fractionated
whey products. (Table 6).
Phase 2 was limited to consideration of the
best equipment available to produce a non-hygroscopic
food grade acid whey powder. Consideration was given
to most known methods of reducing soluble and slurry
solids mixture, as found in acid whey, to a dry powder.
The drying techniques reviewed for use were roller,
tunnel, spray, freeze, microwave, infrared, fluid bed,
air suspension and combinations of these techniques.
The review was conducted by reading all the literature
available, the technical bulletins from the various
companies manufacturing the equipment, discussion
with the engineers of these various companies,
respecting the operation of the equipment where
allowed, usually very limited and discussion with
the staff members of the Environmental Protection
Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
(References 7 and 8). Based on this information and
the inspection of the De Laval pilot plant in operation,
it was concluded that a modification of the De Laval
Separator Company's milk dryer was the best starting
combination of drying conditions available for acid
whey.
Dairylea Cooperative, Inc. was selected under
Phase 3 as having a forward-looking management and the
interest in working with DRD Corp. on the acid whey
demonstration project. The initial plant selection
was at Remsen, N. Y. due to its immediately available
building space. However, careful calculations of the
freight costs to obtain the raw whey volume required
-------
TABLE 6
EXAMPLES OF THE UTILIZATION OF WHEY IN FOODS *
Food
Quantity of Outstanding Contributions
Whev Solids of Whey Components Besides
Low Cost and Good Nutrition
Baked goods 3.
(% of flour wt.)
sweet goods, bread, crackers
Dry mixes 10.
Dry whey flow agent to
absorb oils 93.
Ice cream 2.7
Sherbet 4.
Water ice on a stick 2.6
Confections (8) 10.
Icings, frostings 6.
Jams, apple butter 4.
Batter mix 5.
(for frying)
Whey-soy beverage, 6.
citrus flavor
Whey-soy beverage 16.5
sterilized, 35% T.S.
Process cheese 10.
Whey-2/3, Soy 1/3, 66.
dried
Whey-soy blends for food 40.
manufacture
use fat free soy flour
Flavor, texture, shortens
dough time, improves keeping
quality
Tenderize, color, flavor
Carrier for fats, oils
Flavor, acid and fruit
stability
Furnish Ca, P, lactic acid,
retard tooth erosion
Flavor, body, moisture
retention, whipping
properties
Color, flavor
Lactic acid, flavor
Flavor, body
Body and flavor
Masks soy flavor
Masks soy flavor, high
protein
* SOURCE - REFERENCE 16
18
-------
for a minimum size, commercially feasible whey processing
plant, showed this location to be impractical. Dairylea
was planning the construction of a new modern cottage
cheese plant at Vernon, N. Y. The planned amount of cheese
production and consequently, the available raw whey,
as well as other factors made Vernon, N. Y. a preferable
location for the project.
Figure 2 shows the DRD plant in the background
with the enclosed pipes carrying the raw whey from the
new Dairylea cottage cheese plant in the foregoing, an
ideal situation for maintaining quality control of the
raw product from its source to the whey processing plant.
Phase 4, construction of the necessary building
and installation of equipment was essentially complete in
mid 1971. Figure 3 shows the main chamber, the cyclones
and the conveyor, etc.; Figure 4 shows the control panel.
Phase 5, was started in the earliest stages of
the project because successful completion of the project
was dependent on the development of a total process for
the manufacture of a uniform, high quality, non caking,
non-hygroscopic food grade acid whey powder. Though
sweet whey had been satisfactorily dried (Reference 22),
the high lactic content of acid whey and its extreme
susceptability to scorching or heat damage, had thwarted
previous efforts to produce a quality powdered product.
(References 15, 19 and 21.)
The first step in the development of a
manufacturing process was to seek the consultation and
assistance of persons experienced in the production of
?roducts in the fields of dairy, grain, protein,
ermentation, sugar and chemicals, as well as experts
in drying and related problems. DRD drew this assistance
from EPA, USDA, universities and industry. Coupling
this background with the results of previous laboratory
experiments (References 9, 15 and 19), it was felt that
there was sufficient knowledge of the intrinsic
characteristics of acid whey to initiate plant scale
testing limited at first to small batches of 10,000
to 20,000 Ibs. of raw whey.
The process steps in spray drying are some
of the most difficult to develop because there is
seldom any way to simulate the spray dried product
so subsequent process step development can proceed
simultaneously. Furthermore, spray drying operations
are hard to scale up from laboratory or pilot scale
to full scale operations. Each scale up resembles a
new start up. For these reasons the process development
was more or less an "Edisonian Cut and Try" technique.
19
-------
rmnn
Mil
FIGURE 2 DAIRY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CORP. PLANT AT VERNON, NEW YORK
EXTERNAL PHOTOGRAPH
-------
FIGURE 3 SAME PLANT EQUIPMENT PHOTOGRAPH
-------
FIGURE 4 SAME PLANT INSTRUMENT PANEL PHOTOGRAPH
22
-------
The details of the development will be given later in
the report.
Phase 6. establishment of market, was outlined
in a "Market Plan" prepared in 1972. This plan was held
in abeyance pending confirmation of the plant's ability
to produce satisfactory finished product on a daily basis.
The marketing plan was initiated during the first quarter
of 1973. Basically, the plan was to advertise the
availability of a quality acid whey powder and recommended
application. Advertisements were placed in the leading
food industry journals and promotional literature was
mailed directly to key personnel in potential customer
organizations. Samples, detailed analysis, suggested
formulations and technical assistance were used to
promote interest and use of the product.
Concurrent with launching the promotion of acid
whey powder to the food industry, development phase
finished product in warehouse was offered on a person-
to-person basis to the animal feed blending industry.
The strategy was to clear the warehouse of all start-up
product and establish a feed grade market to which future
off-grade and start-up product might be sold.
23
-------
SECTION V
HISTORY OF PROJECT
DESIGN OF PLANT
As previously explained, a modification of De
Laval Separator Company's milk dryer was selected as the
available equipment best suited to develop a process for
drying acid whey to a non-hygroscopic food grade powder.
The decision was made with due regard for the unknowns,
answers to which could be obtained only by runs on plant
equipment. The major unknowns at that point were the
effect of the tackiness of the partially dehydrated
acid whey solids on the performance of the various
dryer units and the crystal growth rates of lactose
monohydrate under the various dryer conditions.
The process was designed to provide the best
estimate of the proper equipment for concentrating,
cooling and crystallizing acid whey. The De Laval
Separator Company provided the basic equipment with
facilities to spray dry, convey and belt dry; also,
air-borne dryers, air-borne cooler, packer and the
necessary cyclone, fans, pumps, air locks, heaters
and instrumentation. Early test runs indicated the
belt units were not adaptable to the process and were
replaced with a vibrating conveyor.
PROCESS DESCRIPTION
A schematic of the flow of product and air
streams is shown on Figure 5. Condensed acid whey is
pumped into the spray dryer from the condensed whey
crystallizers through a high pressure pump. Hot air
flows into the top of the spray dryer after having
passed through the spray dryer inlet air heater.
This is automatically regulated to dry .a predetermined
amount of pounds per hour of whey by a temperature
controller. The air from the spray dryer is drawn
by the main exhaust fan through two dust collecting
cyclones before being exhausted to the atmosphere.
The product falls from the bottom cone of the
spray dryer at moisture levels of 870 to 147o onto a
vibrating conveyor, which transports the spray dryer
product to the air-borne dryer. Product entrained
in the exhaust air from the spray dryer is removed
from the air stream in either the first or second
dust collecting cyclones and is returned to the
second product conveying line.
From the vibrating dryer, the partially dried
whey solids are discharged into the first product conveying
2k
-------
FIGURE 5
SCHEMATIC OF FLOW OF PRODUCT AND AIR
STREAMS AT VERNON, NEW YORK, PLANT OF
DAIRY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORP.
CONDENSED ACID WHEY
HOT AIR---» SPRAY DRYER ^PRIMARY DUST CYCLONE
i j~ -
HOT AIR >FLUID BED DRYER » \ /7j I
I T I *
J. l I SECONDARY DUST CYCLONE
HOT AIR ^Ist PRODUCT CONVEYING LINE'A '
HOT AIR--»2nd PRODUCT CONVEYING LINE--)! DISCHARGE TO ATMOSPHERE
^
COLD AIR >PRODUCT COOLING LINE
w
MILL
SCALPER SCREEN
BAGGING STATION
PRODUCT FLOW
-AIR FLOW
-------
line and carried by warm air through the first hot tube
and into the first hot cyclone from which the product is
discharged onto the second product conveying line. The
air discharge from the first hot cyclone is introduced
into the spray dryer discharge air line ahead of the
first dust collecting cyclone.
The second product conveying line carries the
product from the first hot cyclone and from the first
and second dust collecting cyclones through the second
hot tube and into the second hot cyclone. The product
from the second hot cyclone discharges into the cooling
line. Cool air conveys the product through the cold
tube and into the cold cyclone. The discharge air
from both the second hot cyclone and the cold cyclone
are drawn through an exhaust fan and discharged into
the air duct between the first and second dust collecting
cyclones.
The product collected in the cold or final
product cyclone passes through an air lock to a mill
and onto the finished product screen. The screen
separates the over-size product particles from the
product of desired particle size. The over-size
particles (rice size) are discharged into a separate
bagging system to be used for animal feeds. The
finished product discharges into the duct leading to
the bag packer. Figure 6 details the engineering flow
diagram of the DRD dryer as modified.
OPERATING EXPERIENCE
DIFFICULTIES
Operating experience and learning were developed
slowly in the initial phase of the start-up of the plant
due to the lack of knowledge and data on the characteristics
of acid whey solids under the conditions of this process.
Our method of operating the spray dryer was not the normal
method used in such equipment.
In early 1971, DRD undertook phase one of the
start-up which was to institute the step-by-step start-
up of the Vernon acid whey drying plant. The plan was to
first develop the evaporator conditions necessary to
condense the acid whey from the cottage cheese plant
from 6% Total Solids to 50-53% T.S. Next, the condensed
acid whey was to be cooled in such a manner as to
crystallize a portion of the lactose sugar present
before endeavoring to dry the condensed whey in the
drying equipment. This phase of the start-up continued
until December 1971. Our experiences are described
later in this report.
26
-------
1X3
-0
Main Heater
and
Fan
*»41Vt f - *' I
duct conveying line
_* * y
1st pro- \ /
duct convey- y
ing line j
s"\ \b
Vibrating _Dr<
Packer
A
* »
Heater
and
Fan
FIGURE 6 - ENGINEERING FLOW DIAGRAM AS MODIFIED OF DRYER AT VERNON, N Y PLANT OF DAIRY
DEVELOPMENT CORP.
-------
The second phase of the Vernon whey drying
project was initiated in December 1971 and continued
through November 1972. During this phase of the work,
there were continuing difficulties with the concentration
and crystallization steps of the process. Some finished
product was produced with great effort but limited to
short runs due to operating problems. Between October
1972 and the end of November 1972, satisfactory progress
was made as judged by the length of the dryer unit runs
and the improving quality of the finished acid whey
powder.
The last phase of the whey dryer start-up
program, initiated December 1972, was designed to
produce commercially acceptable quality and quantity
of acid whey powder to support the Marketing Program.
The Marketing Plan or Program included all the actions
necessary to develop a customer demand for acid whey
powder and establish this product as a commercially
accepted human food ingredient. Both portions of
phase three are considered to have been successfully
accomplished. Process improvements and expansion of
the markets for acid whey powder are and will be
continuing activities, as in any viable industrial
enterprise.
SENSITIVITY OF PROBLEMS
The reader can understand and appreciate the
problems experienced during the development of this
process for drying acid whey if one bears in mind the
lack of adequate analytical data existing in this portion
of the dairy industry. Examples of the inadequate state
of the analytical methods available are undetectable
changes in raw whey which are manifested in the drying
characteristics, inability to determine instantaneously
the extent of lactose crystallization and quantification
of the degree and cause of tackiness of a semidehydrated
whey product.
Raw whey as drawn from the cottage cheese vats
was found to vary significantly, judging by the day-to-
day analysis and operating experiences in the dryer unit.
The total solids of the raw whey varied depending on the
amount of wash crater included and the fines present.
Total acidity as lactic acid and pH varied with changes
in the fermentation in the cheese vat. There also
appeared to be day-to-day changes other than in solids,
acidity and pH which altered the processing characteristics
Pasturization of the raw whey immediately after it was
drawn from the vat and proper storage conditions prior
to concentration were found to be .necessary to minimize
day-to-day variations of raw whey quality.
28
-------
Other sensitive problems experienced with
condensed acid whey included variation in total solids,
lactose crystal uniformity, extent to which lactose
could be crystallized, viscosity and tendency to become
aerated or foam. We experienced periodic difficulty
producing the desired total solids level in the condensed
whey. This problem appeared to be related to the solids
content in the raw whey, presence of fines and the extent
-of denaturation of the whey protein. Extreme problems
were experienced with over 50% total solids condensed
whey, as higher solids were found to maximize all problems
listed above as well as adversely affecting the drying
characteristic.
Obtaining the desired crystallization of the
lactose to the mono-hydrate form presented problems of
particular sensitivity. Crystal size and the amount of
the lactose in crystal form in the condensed whey as
pumped to the dryer unit have a major influence on the
performance of the total dryer operation. There appeared
to be an optimum level of lactose crystallization for
satisfactory drying characteristics, though this area
of the process has little theoretical basis to explain
the behavior of condensed whey.
Variations in viscosity of condensed acid whey
were to be expected from information reported by Webb
and Johnson (Reference 9) on the effect of denaturation
of protein and the increased asymmetry of the unfolded
molecules. This problem was experienced when excessive
mechanical energy or shear rate was imposed on condensed
whey. The emulsifying properties of whey were encountered
when the incorporation of air into condensed whey resulted
in a stable air-in-whey emulsion of high viscosity and
poor pumping characteristics.
Many of the viscosity characteristics of
condensed acid whey were discovered in the crystallizers.
The nature and rate of agitation were found to be
critical. Inadequate agitation resulted in poor crystal
growth rate and size, crystal separation from the mass
and adhesion on the internal surfaces of the crystallizer.
Excessive agitation resulted in a high viscosity, aerated
product which was unmanageable. The crystallization time
required to achieve the desired amount of solid state
lactose is dependent on the total solids in the condensed
whey, the temperature cycle employed and the rate of
agitation. Periodically, abnormally slow crystallization
rates were experienced, necessitating modification of
the conditions.
The spray drying principle employed when drying
lacteal materials is the technique normally applied to
spray drying materials. The usual spray dryer operation
29
-------
is one which is based on converting the liquid feed in
the dryer to a solid while the material is air-borne in
the body of the dryer. Precautions are usually taken to
minimize the amount of material which contacts and adheres
to the inner wall of the dryer body. The technique
employed in this project was to adjust the air flow,
dryer feed spray pattern and drying conditions to promote
in the dryer, a non-tacky consistency of the material
which could be readily handled in the after dryers.
Difficulties were encountered in developing the
proper drying conditions. Acid whey is subject to heat
damage resulting in the development of off color or
brownish cast, if the whey solids are overheated.
Hygroscopic whey products exposed to room
conditions have a strong tendency to absorb moisture
from the air and form hard cakes or lumps. For these
reasons, careful control of drying conditions is necessary
to reduce the production of undesirable hygroscopic
product. Air flows which permitted product to contact
high temperature surfaces, such as the lip of the inlet
air duct, resulted in excessive scorched particles in
the finished product.
Spray dryer nozzle selection was a problem.
Because of the need for curing the whey on the wall of
the spray dryer, the smallest obtainable droplet size
from a spray nozzle was not the optimum, as such particles
were more prone to carry over with the spray dryer
discharge air before becoming properly cured. Large
droplet size tended to strike the spray dryer wall
before having been dried sufficiently and therefore
caused wetting and running of condensed whey on the
wall. The net result was a spray dryer product unsuited
for further processing.
The preferred dryer spray pattern and air flow
was found to be the combinations which gave the maximum
amount of whey solids striking the dryer wall at an
optimum moisture level. These conditions were achieved
by the use of a wide angle spray nozzle system and a
minimum of turbulence in the inlet air.
It was found that the condensed whey feed to
the spray dryer and all spray dryer conditions must be
adapted to obtain a product from the spray dryer suitable
for further dehydration to a satisfactory finished product.
The critical whey product characteristics in spray drying
are particle configuration, degree of tackiness, moisture
content, crystallization of the lactose and the tendency
of the particles to agglomerate after discharge from the
spray dryer.
30
-------
A major problem encountered was the adhesion or
build up of whey solids in the ducts discharging air between
the spray dryer and the first dust cyclone. The whey solids
entrained in the discharge air were of two distinct types,
fine semi-dry particles which appeared to have passed
through the spray dryer without contacting the wall surface
and large particles such as those in the spray dryer product
discharge. The problem was minimized by adjustment of
spray dryer conditions to the drying characteristic of
the condensed acid whey feed liquor.
The DRD spray dryer unit was equipped with two
dust collecting cyclones to remove solids from the various
air streams before the air was discharged to the atmosphere.
These cyclones discharged product through a venturi into
the second Product Conveying Line. The product particles
discharged from the primary dust cyclone had a slight
residual tackiness and were prone to build up in the
lower portion of the cyclone and approach to the venturi.
This condition was minimized by accurate control of the
air pressure and air balance. The second or Secondary
Dust Cyclone product particles were smaller but still
exhibited a tendency to adhere to the approach to the
venturi. This build up was not critical.
The spray dryer product discharged onto a
conveyor which transported the product to the next dryer
process, a fluid bed dryer. The first problem experienced
with this conveyor was adhesion of the spray dryer product
to the rubber belt. This complicated the proper loading
of the fluid bed dryer and created an unnecessary sanitation
condition. The belt conveyor was replaced with a vibrating
conveyor. The vibrating conveyor caused some accumulation
of product under the spray dryer discharge which was
minimized by modification of the conveyor. The period
of vibration was found to be critical.
The function of the fluid bed dryer or secondary
dryer in the production of a non-hygroscopic acid whey
powder is multi-purpose in the DRD system. While in the
fluid bed dryer, the semi-dry whey must undergo a sufficient
increase in the lactose mono-hydrate crystal content to
insure a non-hygroscopic final product and an adequate
reduction in moisture content, in order to complete the
drying process in the flash drying steps of the process.
The first difficulty encountered in the fluid bed unit
was adhesion of the whey product to the perforated bed
plate. This was controlled by changes in the spray
dryer conditions and adjustments in the fluid bed
dryer. There were two problems with the fluid bed
dryer which limited the capacity of the total process;
insufficient retention time for the product in the fluid
bed and inadequate drying capacity.
31
-------
The first product conveying line as designated
by De Laval Separator Co. was a flash drying unit consisting
of an air filter, air heater, fan, ducts, hot tube, hot
cyclone and exhaust fan. The product from the fluid bed
dryer entered the first product conveying line down stream
of the fan. With an air supply fan to the system, an air
exhaust fan from the cyclone and a venturi discharge for
the product from the cyclone, air balance was very sensitive.
Air temperature had to be accurately controlled as well
as the moisture entering the system, to prevent adhesion
and eventual charring of product within the system.
Minor problems were experienced in accumulation of
product in the dead space in the low pressure side of
the venturi which drew the product from the first hot
cyclone in the first product conveying line into the
second product conveying line.
The second product conveying line consisted of
an air filter, air heater, ducts, hot tube, hot cyclone
(second hot cyclone) and an exhaust fan. It should be
noted that the exhaust fan for the second product conveying
line was also the fan which drew the air through the
product cooling system. This interlock of the two
systems necessitated meticulous adjustment of the air
balance between the two systems for proper operation
of the unit. Most problems experienced with the second
product conveying system were directly related to this
critical air balance. Improper air balance caused
malfunction of any and all of the four venturi by which
product is introduced to the system or withdrawn from
the system. The most frequent trouble was experienced
with the venturi under the second hot cyclone with
transferred product from the second product conveying
system to the cooling system.
The product cooling system consisted of an air
filter, air cooler, ducts, cooling tube, cold cyclone,
mechanical air lock through which product passed from
the cold cyclone to the mill and an exhaust fan in common
with the second product conveying line. The two major
sources of trouble with this portion of the whey drying
unit, beside the air balance mentioned above, was
redeposition of moisture on the product in humid
weather and/or product hanging in the air lock.
Proper conditioning of inlet air to the cooling system
eliminated the moisture redeposition problem and much
of the air-lock sticking. The air-lock was an internal
double gate type and has been found to be very sensitive
to product moisture. Surface moisture was most detrimental
and total moisture approaching the tentative acid whey
specification had been troublesome.
The mill between the cold cyclone and the
scalping screen was moisture sensitive to the same degree
-------
as the air-lock. The mill was found to be of marginal
capacity even under the best of conditions. The scalping
screen between the mill and bag packer functioned well.
The double head manual packer supplied as
original equipment was completely unsatisfactory. It
lacked adequate provision for dust pick-up, the dry
valves were not sufficiently tight to prevent drawing
empty bags into the spouting. One packer could not
handle the production rate.
The major sensitivities of DRD Corp.'s acid
whey drying process may be summed up as follows:
1. Analytically undetected changes in the
raw and condensed whey which altered
processing characteristics.
2. Drying temperature vs0 product moisture
level.
3. Air balances within unit.
4. Changes in ambient conditions.
Day to day variations in the crystallization
characteristics of the condensed whey necessitated changes
in drying conditions. Unless drying conditions were
modified to meet the changes in the condensed whey,
undesirable physical states were experienced with in-
process product such as high moisture, poor curing rate,
plastic granules, discoloration, etc.
MODIFICATIONS
In addition to the numerous adjustments made
in the course of this project, basic changes were necessary
in the physical facilities.
As previously mentioned, the original rubber
belt conveyor between the spray dryer and the fluid bed
dryer was replaced with a vibrating conveyor with a
perforated product bed. In June, 1973, the perforated
bed was removed to reduce the compaction and build up
of product particles under the spray dryer.
It was found early in the project that the
crystallizers lacked sufficient agitation to maintain
the necessary control of this important step of the
process. The net change after modification was an
increase in the surface area of the agitators and a
reduction of agitator speed, creating better control
of crystallization.
33
-------
A new throat was installed in the spray dryer
to improve the inlet air flow pattern and reduce the eddy
currents at the top of the dryer, a source of scorched
particles.
The spray dryer as originally installed was
equipped with an air discharge through the vertical side
wall of the dryer. This discharge was removed and the
bottom cone of the dryer was replaced with a large top
diameter cone which projected beyond the vertical wall
of the dryer and was sealed to the dryer with a horizontal
collar. The discharge air from the spray dryer was drawn
through two ducts from the collar. Visual observation
indicated a reduction in 50% of the solids entrained in
the discharge air.
The first hot cyclone, first and second dust
collecting cyclones were originally equipped with air
locks for return of product to the second product conveying
line. These air locks could not be operated for any
extended period of time because of the tackiness and/or
plasticity of the semi-dried whey solids. These three
air locks were replaced with venturi to accomplish the
transfer of product from cyclones to the second product
conveying line.
The original installation had no provisions for
controlling the particle size of the finished product by
other than dryer operation. It was found desirable to
place a mill between the cold cyclone and the scalping
screen.
The original bag packer was replaced with a
two head semi-automatic bag packer.
-------
SECTION VI
FEASIBILITY
CONSOLIDATED CHEESE OPERATION
One of the earliest decisions, emanating from
the experience in the project in its first stages, was
the consolidation of a number of smaller cheese operations
into one large plant. Dairylea closed its Bradford,
Vermont operation and centralized its cottage cheese
operations into the new cottage cheese plant built at
Vernon, N. Y. The cheese operation of another independent
company was also brought into the Vernon, N. Y. operation.
The desirable effect was a larger source of raw whey at
one point for delivery to the whey drying plant under
controlled conditions. This also eliminated the problem
previously explained of receiving different wheys from
various sources with the usual hazards of deterioration
and lack of uniformity. The economics of the operation
to the cottage cheese operation are manifold, low unit
cost, better control of products, increased spread of
capital investment with better return on investment.
WHEY DRYING PLANT ADJACENT TO CHEESE PLANT
The placement of a whey drying plant attached
to or adjacent to the cheese plant is, of course, the
ideal situation. This is normally economically feasible
only if the cheese plant is large enough to justify a
whey drying plant for its operation. Unfortunately, as
later explained, there are very few plants, particularly
cottage cheese plants of a size sufficient to justify
its own whey drying facilities. (Reference 22). The
DRD whey drying facility is adjacent to the Dairylea
cottage cheese plant at Vernon, N. Y. The results of
the operation have amply proven these advantages, such
as, flexibility in adjusting the processing of the whey
to meet the production of the cottage cheese, adapting
the technology of the equipment to meet the daily
variations of the cottage cheese whey and the exchange
of information between the supervisory personnel of
the plants to maintain the schedules and adjustments.
Most important is the control of the whey
feed stock from the moment of its production to the
beginning of its processing through the whey processing
plant. Because of the proximity, the whey feed stock
was piped over to gain the ability to maintain temperatures
and better sanitary conditions. The savings in
transportation was tremendous, considering that this
eliminates trucking of 95% water (raw whey) and 50%
to 607o of water (condensed whey) . Not the least
35
-------
important is the factor that in whey there is chemical
and bacterial activity during the time of transport.
Lastly, the economics of transporation dictate some
condensing equipment at satellite plants which increases
the capital investment.
OTHER CHEESE WHEY
During the Summer of 1973, the equipment was
tested for its adaptability to drying whey from other
cheese, particularly cheddar, known as sweet whey. It
was found that the equipment was not only adaptable but
it did produce a high quality, non-hygroscopic sweet whey
powder. Also the production rate for sweet whey was
markedly increased for the same volume over acid whey.
This adds another dimension of flexibility to the acid
whey drying equipment in being able to bring in sweet
whey for drying when there is insufficient acid whey
available. This sweet whey was trucked in a distance
of over 100 miles in a condensed form and crystallized
so that it was dried immediately without additional
crystallization. The results were favorable enough
to institute this procedure as a regular program. The
advantages of lowering of unit cost, utilization of
plant and equipment over a longer period of time, and
retention of trained personnel far outweighed the
disadvantages of tight scheduling, sanitary controls
and rigid supervision.
REGIONAL SERVICE POTENTIAL
Even though the whey processor would like to
have all centrally located cheese plants of a very large
capacity, it is recognized that this is not the present
situation which must be dealt with; nor can it be expected
to change too drastically in the next five years for many
reasons. There are the limitations of the milk shed that
serves the cheese plants. It may be less costly in some
areas to truck the milk to various smaller plants and
then truck the whey to a central drying facility. The
experience at Vernon, N. Y. is that the whey can be
trucked without appreciable bacterial decay distances
of 200 to 300 miles, the inhibiting factor being the
cost of trucking. In some areas it may be more desirable
to have a number of smaller regional whey drying facilities
serving a number of plants within a designated perimeter.
DRD is presently inclined to a large central drying
facility serving a compressed region of 150 miles to
200 miles if sufficient raw whey is available within
that area. If the trend of the market of whey products
continues, this will undoubtedly be the most feasible
method.
36
-------
SECTION VII
INTEREST AND IMPACT TO CHEESE INDUSTRY
PROJECT INTEREST
The project at Vernon, N. Y. has attracted
considerable attention among the cheese processors in
the United States and even some from overseas. In the
past several years, stringent local and state legislation
has forced the closing of a number of smaller, cheese
processing installations unable to meet the new anti-
pollution standards. Recent federal legislation
(Federal Water Quality Acts of 1965, et. seq.) has
brought the problem to a climax. Cheese processors
have been or will be required to eliminate whey
pollution from ground and water reception. Raw whey
and probably first wash water will not be allowed into
the waste treatment plants with some exceptions in very
large cities where the charges, based on three factors,
BOD, suspended solids and volume, will continue to
escalate as the costs of improvement and maintenance
increase. (References 2 and 6).
In meetings with cheese processors throughout
the country, there is a growing awareness of the recovery
of whey as the preferred alternative. The inhibiting
factor in trying to obtain a favorable response from
the cheese processors has been the "waste syndrome"
attitude toward whey. It is now generally recognized
that treating whey as a waste is a dead end. On the
other side of the coin, the covetous interest of some
members of the cheese industry is the mistaken belief
that there is a "pot of gold" at the end of the whey
rainbow. This may lead into a disorderly and unbridled
production of poor product, not uniform or meeting
standards, with the resulting market disarray and
repugnance from the food femulators. This has
actually happened in a number of instances creating
a tremendous obstacle to overcome, and in fact leading
one large food organization marketing acid whey, to
discontinue the product as part of its line of dairy
products. The cheese industry need only look at similar
happenings in the past in the dairy industry to learn
an abject lesson.
PRODUCT INTEREST
The demonstration of the utilization of acid
whey powder for food purposes was completed during 1973.
Preliminary marketing studies had indicated that acid
whey had considerable market potential in bread baking,
snacks, frozen desserts, candy, and other formulated
37
-------
food products. The human food ingredient market is
currently the growth opportunity and the most profitable
market for whey products. Product interest by the food
industry was aroused but with skepticism due to prior
poor products that had been offered. Once overcome,
the food industry accepted acid whey powder but on very
rigid specifications, such as, uniformity, high quality,
etc. It was discovered that the food industry also had
acquired the "waste syndrome" aspect of whey with its
use limited to animal feed purposes. By offering good
chemical analysis, the value of the various nutritional
components in the whey and the utilization of the whey
in various food formulations previously tested, the whey
was finally accepted by the food industry in its own
right as an acceptable food grade ingredient and extremely
valuable in formulated products. The non-hygroscopic
aspect of acid whey was also important for shelf life
and maintenance of quality.
38
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SECTION VIII
WHEY DRYING PLANT PROJECTIONS
PLANT DESIGN AND LOCATION
The design of the plant is affected both by the
location and the source of the raw whey feed stock. From
all indications, it is preferable that the building housing
the drying facilities should be free standing,, If the
powder drying facility is located in the same building
as the cheese making facility, problems can arise in the
nature of contamination, introduction of undesirable
cultures into the cheese making and a host of other
minor problems, especially if the drying equipment is
utilized in the making of blends. This is not true in
the case of merely condensing the whey and holding it
in a liquid form before the drying stage. Evaporation
and condensing equipment can very easily be installed
and integrated into the same building housing the cheese
making equipment.
However, if the powder plant is adjacent to
the cheese making operation, then the evaporating equipment
should be in the powder plant for liquid blending, if
anticipated, before the drying process. The most desirable
location of a whey drying plant is next door to a cheese
plant with adequate raw whey feed stock to economically
justify the location, preferably a minimum of 1,000,000
pounds. In this example, there should be adequate raw
whey holding tanks in the cottage cheese plant from
where it is pumped and piped over to the powder plant.
The powder plant facility should be designed to receive
the raw whey in holding or surge tanks and into an
evaporator with a finishing pan, into crystallizing
tanks with proper agitation which prevents settling
of solids, and into the drying equipment, the bagging
room and finally the warehouse for storage and
distribution.
If there is no plant large enough to justify
its own drying operation, then the alternative is to
build a regional drying plant large enough to service
a number of cheese plants within a projected area.
The size of the area that can be served depends on
many factors, most important transportation and its
cost, the size of the plants in the outlying areas,
and the projection of milk supplies in that region.
A determination must also be made as to the sizing
of the evaporator with the drying equipment weighed
against the alternative of condensing the whey at the
satellite plants and only drying at the central facility.
In depth analysis and mathmatical computation of the differential
-------
in the cost factor must be made of (a) movement of raw whey
as against condensed whey, (b) the capital costs of one large
evaporator against a number of small evaporators in each of
the satellite plants.
In planning a regional whey drying facility, not
only must all of these factors be taken into account, but
the problem of obtaining from each plant on the average,
a consistently, uniform raw or condensed product must be
resolved. In designing the facilities at the satellite
plants as well as the central facility, the maintenance
of uniformity and high quality must be established. This
may require close liaison during the designing period with
the cheese operations and the integration of the equipment
for recovery of whey.
CAPITAL COSTS
EQUIPMENT
By far, the largest capital expenditure is for
equipment and installation of the equipment. The most
expensive items are the evaporator and the dryer which
must be designed to include present and future needs.
Inflation, labor and shortages of raw material supplies
especially steel, can rapidly change these cost figures.
The cost of equipment including installation
for a 2,000 pounds per hour of dried powder ranges from
$1,250,000 to $1,500,000 depending on the transportation
and local labor costs. This includes a 107o inflation
factor. It refers to a single facility and does not take
into consideration evaporating facilities at satellite
plants in the case of a regional project, which would of
course reduce proportionately the size of the evaporator
at the central facility or even eliminate the evaporator.
In such case the additional amount for evaporating fa-
cilities at satellite plants, eliminating a large central
evaporating facility, would probably not add too much to
the capital cost expenditure.
Equipment and installation for a 3,500 pound an
hour plant would cost $2,000,000 to $2,500,000 with the
same limitations as explained for the 2,000 pound an hour
plant. (Figure 7)
BUILDING AND LAND
The building would be about 25,000 to 35,000
square feet depending on the size of the equipment and
the warehousing needs. The cost of the building will
vary from $750,000 to over $1,000,000 depending on the
ho
-------
FIGURE 7
Dollars
4,000,000
3,500,000
3,000,000
2,500,000
2,000,000
1,500,000
1,0.00,000
800,000
700,000
600,000
500,000
PROJECTED CAPITAL AND OPERATING COSTS **
WHEY PROCESSING FACILITY
SINGLE FACILITY
3500 pounds an hour (1)
17,500,000 pounds a year (2)
I
2,000 pounds a hr.
10,000,000 pounds a
a year (2)
BUILDING
EQUIPMENT
and
INSTALLATION
OPERATING
COSTS
BUILDING
EQUIPMENT
and
INSTALLATION
OPERATING
COSTS
** 1973 Prices
(1) 20 hours a day
(2) 5 days a week
-Maximum
Minimum
-------
square feet, the cost of labor and the usual variable factors
Again, this contemplates only the single facility for
evaporating and drying the whey. The cost of additional
building at satellite plants in the case of a regional
operation may or may not increase the cost depending on
the building facilities available at the satellite plants.
(References 4 and 5).
Land costs cannot even be the subject of conjecture
in view of the tremendous variation in land values across
the country, inside and outside metropolitan centers and
the amount of land needed. Two acres and preferably five
acres is the minimum amount of land necessary for a project
of this nature.
OPERATING COSTS
Because of the tremendous variations in utilities,
labor, services, materials, etc. it is virtually impossible
to set forth a fair or even average figure of the cost of
operation. Using a present day average, annual production
cost, based on two and a half shifts of twenty hours, at
the rate of 2,000 pounds per hour, five days a week,
would cost approximately $600,000. This does not include
selling, general and administrative costs. These costs
can easily be obtained for the local area contemplated
and the actual production costs determined.
The production costs for a 3,500 pounds per
hour unit would be increased, but the unit cost would
be reduced for a more economical operation, if the feed
stock is availableo Surplus capacity, without the
equivalent raw material for processing, results in
higher costs per unit basis. (Figure 7).
SUMMARY - PLANT SIZE AND ECONOMICS
A plant producing 10,000,000 pounds of dried
whey powder per year will cost approximately $2,000,000
to $2,250,000. A plant producing 17,500,000 pounds of
powder annually will cost approximately $3,000,000 to
i?3,500,000. In both instances the cost of land is not
included.
The minimum size for an operation that will
make money at the present day market prices of the
finished whey powder is 500,000 pounds a day of raw
whey. 250,000 pounds of raw whey per day is an operation
that may break even, sustain a loss, or a slight profit
margin, depending on the initial capital expenditures
and the market price of the finished product. If the
price of the finished product continues to climb as
it has within the past year, then this small operation
can become economical and even a profit making venture.
-------
The most economical operation is 1,000,000 pounds
of raw whey per day which should be a substantial profit
making operation, providing sensible procedures have been
followed in the expenditure of capital for equipment and
building and a vigorous marketing program is instituted
for penetration of the edible grade food markets.
There are many other methods of economizing,
such as, the utilization of used equipment available
in excellent condition in many areas of the country,
national marketing of a larger volume of product to
reduce the unit cost of advertising, administration,
etc.
It is anticipated that it may become necessary
in the developing economics of the cheese industry that
the cheese plants will have to become larger by growth
and/or by consolidation in order to reduce the unit cost
of both the cheese operation and the whey operation.
The cheese industry must awaken to the fact that it
is presently producing two food items, cheese and whey,
the former being in the dairy industry and the latter
destined for the food industry.
-------
SECTION IX
REFERENCES
1. Dairy Food Plant, Wastes and Waste Treatment
Practices, Ohio State Univrsity, U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency, 12060 ECU 03/71, U.S.
Govt. Printing Office.
2. Federal Water Pollution Control Administration,
"Industrial Waste Profiles, No. 9 - Dairies,"
Vol. Ill, The Cost of Clean Waters, U.S. Govern-
ment Printing Office.
3. Weisberg, S.M. and Goldsmith, H.I., "Whey for
Foods and Feeds," Food Technology, Vol. 23,
February 1969.
4. Groves, F.W. and Groff, T.F., "An Economic Ana-
lysis of Whey Utilization and Disposal in Wis-
consin," University of Wisconsin, AG. Econ. 44,
July 1965.
5. Fife, C.L. and Nilson, K.M., "Production, Dis-
posal and Use of Whey in Vermont," University
of Vermont, Bulletin 658, September 1969.
6. Lacy, W.J., and Rey, George, "The FWQA Research
and Development Program for Pollution Control
in the Dairy Industry," Whey Utilization Con-
ference, University of Maryland, June 2-3, 1970.
7. Environmental Protection Agency, "Membrane Pro-
cessing of Cottage Cheese Whey for Pollution
Abatement," Water Pollution Control Series 12060
DXF, July 1971, U.S. Government Printing Office.
8. Hanrahan, F.P., Webb, B.H., "USDA Develops Foam
Spray Drying," Food Engineering, August 1961.
9. Webb, B.H., and Johnson, A.H., "Fundamentals of
Dairy Chemistry," The AVI Publishing Co., Inc..
1965.
10. Mathis, A.G., "More Whey is Coming," Economic
Research Service - USDA DS-332, September 1970.
11. Kosikowski, F.V., "The Food Potential of Whey
Powder," Food Science, Cornell University,
Ithaca, N.Y.
-------
REFERENCES (Continued)
12. Guy, E.J., Vettel, H.E. and Pallansch, M.J., "De-
naturation of Cottage Cheese Whey Proteins by Heat,"
Journal of Dairy Science. Vol. 50, No. 6, pages
828-832. '
13. Guy, E.J., Vettel, H.E0 and Pallansch, M.J., "Use
of Foam Spray Dry Cottage Cheese Whey in Water
Ices," Journal of Dairy Science, Vol. 49, No. 9,
pages 1156-1157o
14. Kosikowski, F.V., "Greater Utilization of Whey
Powder for Hainan Consumption and Nutrition,"
Journal of Dairy Science, Vol. 50, No, 8, pages
1343-1345.
15. Pallansch, M.J., "Chemical Problems of Whey Utili-
zation," Whey Utilization Conference, University
of Maryland, June 3, 1970.
16. Webb, B.H., "Utilization of Whey in Foods and Feeds,"
Whey Utilization Conference, University of Maryland,
June 1970. USDA Agr. Res. Service, E.U. Publ. No.
3340, p. 102.
17. Guy, E.J., Vettel, H.E. and Pallansch, M.J., "Uti-
lization of Dry Cottage Cheese Whey," Journal of
Dairy Science, Vol. 49, Page 694, 1966.
18. Williams, S.W., "1967 Fort Plain - Nelliston, Com-
prehensive Sewerage Study," O'Brien and Gere, Con-
sulting Engineers, Syracuse, N.Y.
19. Mavropoulou, I.P. 1970. "Nature and Behavioral
Characteristics of Acid Whey Powder," Ph.D. Thesis,
Cornell Univ., Ithaca, N. Y.
20. Vaughn, D.A. 1970. "Nutritional Aspects of Whey as
Food," Proc. Whey Utilization Conf., Univ. of Mary-
land, College Park. USDA Agr. Res. Serv. E.U.
Publ. No. 3340, p. 78.
21. Mavropoulou, I.P. and Kosikowski, F.V., "Composi-
tion, Solubility and Stability of Whey Powders."
J. Dairy Science, Vol. 56, September 1973, pgs.
1128-1134.
22. Whey Products Conference, Proceedings, June, 1972,
Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Dept. of Agri-
culture, ERRL Publ. No. 3779.
23. U.S. Patent No. 3,615,663, Oct. 26, 1971, Becker, James J.
assignee, The De Laval Separator Company.
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APPENDIX A
CONVERSION FACTORS
English to Metric
English Unit
cents per thousand gal .
cubic foot
cubic inch
degree Fahrenheit
feet per second
foot(feet)
gallon(s)
gallons per day
gallons per minute
horsepower
inch(es)
parts per mill ion
pound(s)
pounds per square in.
square inch
ton(short)
Abbrev.
tf/1 ,000
cf
cu in.
deg F
fps
ft
gal.
gpd
gpm
hp
in.
ppm
Ib
psi
sq in.
ton
Mul ti .
gal. 0.264
28.32
16.39
0.0164
0.555
F-32°
0.305
0.305
3.785
4.381 x 10"5
0.0631
0.746
2.54
1.0
0.454
453.6
0.0703
6.452
907.2
0.907
Abbrev.
tf/1,000 1
1
cu cm
1
deg C
m/sec
m
1
I/sec
I/ sec
kw
cm
mg/1
kg
g
kg/sq cm
sq cm
kg
metric ton
Metric Unit
i per M liters
1 iter
cubic centi.
liter
degree Celsius
meters per sec.
meter(s)
liter(s)
liters per sec.
liters per sec.
kilowatts
centimeter
mill . per liter
kilogram
grams
kilo, per sq.
centimeter
sq. centimeter
kilogram
metric ton
1*6
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APPENDIX B
PRODUCT CERTIFICATION
-------
STATE OF NEW YORK
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
DIVISION OF SANITARY ENGINEERING
845 CENTRAL AVENUE
ALBANY, N.Y. 12206
December 3, 1971*
Mr. Sidney Boxer
Dairy Research and Development
PO Box 312
Peekskill, NY 10566
Dear Sid:
I apologize for the confusion in getting this statement to you regarding
the whey powder operation at Vernon, New York.
This department, in evaluating whey powder operations, uses the Grade A
Condensed and Dry Milk Products, Supplement 1 to to Grade A Pasteurized Milk
Ordinance, 1965 Recommendations of the U.S.P.H.S. The PMO requires a product
to be pasteurized at the place of final packaging.
At your Vernon powdering plant, whey is piped from the Dairylea Special
Products plant to the powdering plant where it is pasteurized, powdered and
packaged. Such an operation meets the requirements of the PMO.
Please feel free to call me if you need further information regarding
this operation.
Very truly yours,
William Y. Perez
Principal Sanitarian
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APPENDIX C
DRD PRODUCTION COSTS
January 1973
Purchases
Freight
Gas
Electric
Water
Production Labor & Fringe
Repairs & Haintenance
Supplies
Bags
Depreciation
Plant Rent
Consulting Fees
Plant Telephone
Insurance
Misc. Expense
Plant Mgmt.
204,300 Ibs. of whey
Cost
116.40
366.22
496.92
378.10
2,539.68
854-78
395.10
939.78
4,300.00
1,000.00
2,457.38
71.12
218.86
1,000.00
15,134.34
Per Unit Cost
.0006
.0018
.0024
.0019
.0124
.0042
.0019
.0046
.0210
.0049
.0120
.0003
.0011
.0049
.0741
.0741
-------
February 1973
Purchases
Freight
Gas
Electric
Water
Production Labor & Fringe
Repairs & Maintenance
Supplies
Bags
Depreciation
Plant Rent
Consulting Fees
Plant Telephone
Insurance
Misc. Expense
Plant Mgmt.
182,500 Ibs. of whey
Cost
404.61
484.80
326.80
21,539.40
719.75
46.48
839.50
4,300.00
1,000.00
500.00
103.88
356.00
435.35
1,000.00
13,056.57
Per Unit Cost
.0022
.0027
.0018
.0139
.0039
.0003
.0046
.0236
.0055
.0027
.0006
.0020
.0024
.0055
.0715
.0715
-------
March 1973
Purchases Cost Per Unit Cost
Freight 90.50 .0003
Gas 755.15 .0023
Electric 606.00 .0019
Water 423.87 .0013
Production Labor & Fringe 3,873.68 .0120
Repairs & Maintenance
Supplies 26.18 .0001
Bags 1,485.11 .0046
Depreciation 4,300.00 .0133
Plant Rent 1,000.00 .0031
Consulting Fees 57.92 .0002
Plant Telephone 115.03 .0004
Insurance
Misc. Expense 210.25 .0007
Plant Mgtnt. 1.000.00 -0031
13,943.69 .0432
322,850 Ibs. of whey .0432
-------
April 1973
Purchases Cost Per Unit Cost
Freight 14.93 .0001
Gas 377.17 .0016
Electric 472.68 .0020
Water 418.18 .0018
Production Labor & Fringe 2,790.45 .0119
Repairs & Maintenance 143.29 .0006
Supplies 387.48 .0017
Bags 1,075.94 .0046
Depreciation 4,300.00 .0184
Plant Rent 1,000.00 .0043
Consulting Fees 300.00 -0013
Plant Telephone 74.50 .0003
Insurance 473.83 .0020
Misc. Expense 228.35 .0010
Plant Mgmt. 1,000.00 .0043
13,056.80 .0558
233,900 Ibs. of whey .0558
-------
May 1973
Purchases
Freight
Gas
Electric
Water
Production Labor & Fringe
Repairs & Maintenance
Supplies
Bags
Depreciation
Plant Rent
Consulting Fees
Plant Telephone
Insurance
Misc. Expenses
Plant Mgmt.
*/
??.7Rfl "Ihs. nf whev
Cost
30.10
33.76
242.40
432.98
954.94
89.86
104.65
4,300.00
1,000.00
272.04
72.10
225.81
1,000.00
8,758.64
Per Unit Cost
.0013
.0015
.0107
.0190
.0420
.0039
.0046
.1890
.0440
.0120
.0032
.0099
.0440
.3851
.3850
53
-------
June 1973
Purchases Cost Per Unit Cost
Freight 90.50 .0009
Gas 229.75 .0023
Electric 363.60 .0037
Water 364.69 .0037
Production Labor & Fringe 803.07 .0081
Repairs & Maintenance 63.19 .0006
Supplies 273.70 .0028
Bags 455.86 .0046
Depreciation 4,300.00 .0434
Plant Rent 1,000.00 .0101
Consulting Fees 233.41 .0024
Plant Telephone 83.51 .0008
Insurance
Misc. Expense 367.50 .0060
222.53
Plant Mgmt. 1.500.00 .0151
10,351.31 .1045
99,100 Ibs. of whey .1045
-------
July 1973
Purchases
Freight
Gas
Electric
Water
Production Labor & Fringe
Repairs & Maintenance
Supplies
Bags
Depreciation
Plant Rent
Consulting Fees
Plant Telephone
Insurance
Misc. Expense
Plant Mgmt.
146.200 Ibs. of whey
Cost
9.97
390.58
375.72
298.02
2,851.19
495.74
2,752.50
672.52
4,300.00
1,000.00
341 . 28
621.50
68.05
60.03
232.38
1,000.00
14,569.48
Per Unit Cost
.0001
.0027
.0026
.0020
.0195
.0033
.0188
.0046
.0294
.0068
-0065
-0004
.0004
.0015
.0068
.0997
.0997
55
-------
August 1973
Purchases Cost Per Unit Cost
Freight
Gas
Electric
Water
Production Labor & Fringe
Repairs & Maintenance
Supplies
Bags
Depreciation
Plant Rent
Consulting Fees
Plant Telephone
Insurance
Misc. Expense
Plant Mgmt.
191,250 Ibs. of whey
32.20
596.04
533.28
193.20
3,068.81
98.76
265.41
879.75
4,300.00
1,000.00
60.15
39.16
140.00
259.01
1,000.00
12,375.77
.0002
.0031
.0028
.0010
.0160
.0005
.0009
.0046
.0225
.0052
.0003
.0002
.0007
.0014
.0052
.0647
.0647
-------
September 1973
Purchases Cost Per Unit Cost
Freight 10.40 .0001
Gas 581.94 .0037
Electric 509-04 .0033
Water 219.64 .0014
Production Labor & Fringe 4,067.10 .0262
Repairs & Maintenance 327.96 .0021
Supplies 297.38 .0019
Bags 713.92 .0046
Depreciation 4,300.00 .0277
Plant Rent 1,000.00 .0064
Consulting Fees 276.31 .0018
Plant Telephone 67.56 .0004
Insurance 1,108.00 .0071
Misc. Expense
Plant Mgmt. 1.000.00 .0064
14,479.25 .0933
155,200 Ibs. of whey .0933
57
-------
October 1973
Purchases Cost Per Unit Cost
Freight
Gas
Electric
Water
Production Labor & Fringe
Repairs & Maintenance
Supplies
Bags
Depreciation
Plant Rent
Consulting Fees
Plant Telephone
Insurance
Misc. Expense
Plant Mgmt.
282,500 Ibs. of whey
617.32
557.52
140.30
2,690.41
774.80
512.32
750.80
1,299.50
4,300.00
1,000.00
1,046.88
76.90
66.00
750.00
500.00
15,082.75
.0022
.0020
.0005
.0123
.0018
.0027
.0046
.0152
.0035
.0037
.0003
.0002
.0044
.0534
.0534
58
-------
November 1973
Purchases Cost Per Unit Cost
Freight
Gas
Electric
Water
Production Labor & Fringe
Repairs & Maintenance
Supplies
Bags
Depreciation
Plant Rent
Consulting Fees
Plant Telephone
Insurance
Misc. Expense
Plant Mgmt.
246,850 Ibs. of whey
557.20
496.92
136.47
4,562.75
170.52
1,135.51
4,300.00
1,000.00
1,287.07
76.53
600.00
129.29
500.00
14,952.26
.0023
.0020
.0006
.0185
.0007
.0046
.0174
.0041
.0052
.0003
.0030
.0020
.0606
.0606
59
-------
December 1973
Purchases
Freight
Gas
Electric
Water
Production Labor & Fringe
Repairs & Maintenance
Supplies
Bags
Depreciation
Plant Rent
Consulting Fees
Plant Telephone
Insurance
Misc. Expense
Plant Mgtnt.
216,150 IDS. of whey
Cost
Per Unit Cost Annual Unit Cost
13.22
436.25
424.20
3,325.50
693.77
785.00
994.29
4,300.00
1,000.00
986.01
91.57
379.00
228.45
500.00
14,157.26
.0001
.0020
.0020
.0154
.0032
.0036
.0046
.0199
.0046.
.0046
.0004
.0018
.0011
.0023
.0655
408.22
5,345.99
5,563.08
3,332.25
34,841.78
3,909.56
6,540.41
10,596.33
51,600.00
12,000.00
8,539.95
939.91
2,516.86
3,423.78
11,750.00
161,308.12
.0002
.0023
.0024
.0014
.0151
.0017
-0028
.0046
.0224
.0052
.0037
.0004
.0011
.0015
.0051
.0700
.0655 Total Annual Poundage
2,303,550 Ibs.
60
-------
ACID WHEY
AWP
BOD
COD
DRD
EPA
FDA
HYGROSCOPIC
NON-HYGROSCOPIC
PER
SWP
USDA
SECTION X
GLOSSARY
- A whey derived from the making of
soft cheeses, usually cottage cheese,
cream cheese, etc.
- Acid Whey Powder
- Biochemical Oxygen Demand
- Chemical Oxygen Demand
- Dairy Research and Development Corp.
- Environmental Protection Agency
(U.S. Government)
- Food and Drug Administration
(U.S. Government)
- Absorbing moisture from the air.
- Does not absorb moisture from the
air due to proper crystallization.
- Protein efficiency ratio
- Sweet whey powder from hard cheeses,
such as, Cheddar, Swiss, etc.
- United States Department of Agriculture
61
-------
TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
(Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing)
. REPORT NO.
EPA-600/2-76-254
3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION'NO.
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
ELIMINATION OF POLLUTION FROM COTTAGE CHEESE WHEY BY
DRYING AND UTILIZATION
5. REPORT DATE
September 1976 (Issuing date)
6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
7. AUTHOR(S)
Sidney Boxer and Robert W. Bond
8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO.
10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO. (1BB610)
1BB037 Proj. #01-06-06L-01
9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
Mr, Sidney Boxer, President
Dairy Research & Development Corp.
P.O. Box 312
Peekskill, NY 10566
11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO.
12060 DEQ
12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory - Cin., OH
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, Ohio 45268
13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
Final Report
14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
EPA/600/12
15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
16. ABSTRACT
A spray drying process for cottage cheese whey has been demonstrated as a viable
method for pollution control from the cheese making industry. The process produces
a saleable product consisting of protein lactose sugar and other nutritious ingred-
ients. The product, readily usable for animal feed, has recently been accepted for
human consumption. The process was demonstrated by the Dairy Research and Develop-
ment Corporation in its plant adjacent to the cottage cheese plant of the Dairylea
Cooperative at Vernon, NY, at a scale of 500,000 pounds of raw whey per day.
The process consists of five major steps, evaporation of the raw whey, crystalli-
zation, spray drying, after drying and packaging of the dry powder.
Operation of the demonstration plant was successfully concluded after a period of
lengthy and troublesome shakedown and start-up. The cottage cheese whey is now con-
verted to a saleable dried product. The technology appears amenable for use in reg-
ional service facilities where sufficient cheese whey supplies can justify essential
processing facility. The project capital cost for a 500,000 pounds a day(raw whey)
plant of minimum size is approximately $3,000,000, The operating cost projection is
approximately $450,000 per year based on 9,000,000 pounds a year of dried whey
powder.
Profitability for this s4ze plant is determined proportionately by the sale of the
product to the human food market as against the animal feed market.
7.
KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
DESCRIPTORS
b.lDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS
COS AT I Field/Group
^Industrial Wastes, ^Dairies,
*By-Products, Cost Estimates
*dairy wastes, human
food, *animal feed, chees
whey, economics
3. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
RELEASE TO PUBLIC
19. SECURITY CLASS (ThisReport)
UNCLASSIFIED
21. NO. OF PAGES
72
20. SECURITY CLASS (Thispage)
II
22. PRICE
EPA Form 2220-1 (9-73)
62
A US. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE-19777 57-056/5506
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