Potato based starch production

Fruit water removal

Removing fruit water in the beginning of the process leads to improved starch quality and makes it possible to recover proteins as a by-product. Alfa Laval STNX decanter centrifuges provide a high dry solids percentage, high capacity and low maintenance cost. A higher dry solids percentage means fewer impurities need to be washed off during starch washing, and reduces water consumption.

Starch extraction

Conical sieve centrifuges are used for efficient fibre removal. Each screening centrifuge consists of a rotating conical basket with sieve plates, a nozzle arrangement from which wash water is continuously sprayed over the pulp layer in the conical sieve, a housing equipped with nozzles for “back washing” of the sieve and cleaning of the housing, and a drive arrangement.

Pre-concentration

Alfa Laval separators are ideal for use in potato starch production. They are designed for maximum separation efficiency, accurate control, minimum clogging and easy maintenance.

Starch washing

Alfa Laval starch washing systems are characterized by high performance and reliable operation. High-quality materials and low tolerances in the hydrocyclones (cyclonettes) lead to efficient washing and very low levels of impurities in the end product.

Fibre dewatering

Using an STNX decanter centrifuge results in cake with a significantly higher dry solids percentage than from a screw press. This in turn leads to lower energy consumption in the drying stage.

Protein precipitation and recovery

The fruit water is treated in a separate process line that consists of a regenerative spiral heat exchanger system for coagulating the protein, followed by an STNX decanter centrifuge for efficient separation and recovery of the coagulated proteins.

Other equipment

Alfa Laval offers a wide range of equipment for use in starch processing such as strainers and degritting systems.