In the organic acid industry, lactic acid, as one of the world's three major organic acids, is widely used in brewing, pharmaceuticals, food processing, leather manufacturing, and many other fields. At present, lactic acid fermentation technology has become relatively mature, and industry attention has gradually shifted to the downstream separation and purification stage. How to obtain high-purity lactic acid efficiently, economically, and environmentally remains a key challenge restricting quality improvement and efficiency enhancement within the industry.
Traditional methods for extracting lactic acid from fermentation broth mainly include the calcium salt method, distillation method, and esterification-hydrolysis method. Among them, molecular distillation is widely applied in production and is usually combined with multiple pretreatment steps such as acidification, decolorization, ion exchange, and vacuum concentration. Although these processes are relatively mature, they generally suffer from issues such as low lactic acid recovery rates, product decomposition caused by high-temperature operation, and large amounts of residue discharged from the distillation kettle. These drawbacks not only result in product losses but also increase the environmental treatment burden.
To address the technical challenges associated with lactic acid extraction equipment and process flows, Zhengzhou Tiei Extraction Technology Co., Ltd. has developed a new process route for lactic acid separation based on solvent extraction technology. This process employs a specific ionic solvent as the extraction medium to perform coupled adsorption extraction on crude lactic acid solutions, enabling the effective separation of lactic acid from water and other impurities. Subsequently, the thermal-responsive effect of the solvent is utilized to achieve regeneration and separation of lactic acid from the solvent. This method effectively reduces the risk of thermal damage to lactic acid during purification while minimizing recovery losses caused by repeated evaporation in traditional processes.
As the supporting execution unit of this process, Zhengzhou Tiei Extraction's CWL-M Centrifugal Extractor plays a critical role in the lactic acid extraction section. As a liquid-liquid extraction equipment, the CWL-M Centrifugal Extractor utilizes a centrifugal force field to achieve multi-stage countercurrent contact and rapid phase separation between the extractant and the feed solution. When processing lactic acid fermentation broth, it provides stable mass transfer efficiency and a clear separation interface. The equipment supports continuous operation and features a small internal hold-up volume, effectively reducing residual losses of lactic acid in the extraction stage while lowering extractant inventory requirements and consumption costs.
From the perspective of practical application, this process route demonstrates four major advantages in lactic acid extraction.
- 1.It offers high separation efficiency. After coupled adsorption extraction, the residual concentration of lactic acid in the original solution is relatively low, resulting in more complete extraction.
- 2.It provides strong selectivity. The extraction system primarily targets lactic acid and substances with similar polarity, effectively avoiding interference from other impurities present in the feed solution.
- 3.Operating costs are controllable. Since the coupled adsorption separation process can be carried out under normal temperature and pressure conditions, there is no need for significant consumption of steam or other auxiliary materials.
- 4.Product quality is stable. Lactic acid products obtained through this process can meet or partially exceed international standards for similar products, satisfying the requirements of high-specification application fields.
Against the backdrop of the fine chemical industry's ongoing transition toward green and low-carbon operations, Zhengzhou Tiei Extraction Technology Co., Ltd. offers CWL-M Centrifugal Extractor to lactic acid manufacturers, helping them achieve the dual goals of efficient purification and clean production.
Email: sales@tieiextraction.com
Whatsapp: +86 19069612820
