In the organic acid industry, lactic acid, as one of the three major organic acids in the world, is widely used in brewing, pharmaceuticals, food, leather processing, and many other fields. At present, the fermentation process for lactic acid production has become relatively mature, and the focus of the industry has gradually shifted to the downstream separation and purification process. How to obtain high-purity lactic acid in an efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly manner remains a key challenge restricting the improvement of industry quality and efficiency.
Traditional lactic acid extraction methods mainly include the calcium salt method, distillation method, esterification-hydrolysis method, etc. Among them, the molecular distillation method is widely applied in production and usually requires multiple pretreatment steps, such as acid hydrolysis, decolorization, ion exchange, and vacuum concentration. Although these processes are relatively mature, they generally suffer from problems such as low lactic acid yield, product decomposition caused by high-temperature operation, and large amounts of residue discharge from distillation stills. These issues not only result in yield losses but also increase the burden of environmental treatment.
To address the technical challenge of extracting lactic acid from fermentation broth, Zhengzhou Tiei Extraction Technology Co., Ltd. has developed a new process route for lactic acid separation based on solvent extraction technology. This process uses a specific ionic solvent as the extraction medium to achieve coupled adsorption and extraction of crude lactic acid solutions, enabling effective separation of lactic acid from water and other impurities. The lactic acid is then separated from the solvent through the thermal-sensitive regeneration effect of the solvent. This method effectively reduces the risk of thermal degradation during lactic acid purification and minimizes yield losses caused by repeated evaporation in traditional processes.
As the supporting core equipment for 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 counter-current contact and rapid phase separation between the extractant and feed solution, providing stable mass transfer efficiency and a clear separation interface during the treatment of lactic acid fermentation broth. The equipment supports continuous operation, features a small internal hold-up volume, effectively reduces lactic acid loss during the extraction stage, and lowers the filling and consumption costs of the extractant.
According to practical application results, this process route demonstrates four major advantages in lactic acid extraction:
1.High separation efficiency
After coupled adsorption extraction, the residual lactic acid concentration in the original solution is significantly reduced, enabling more complete extraction.
2.Strong selectivity
The extraction system mainly targets lactic acid and substances with similar polarity, effectively avoiding interference from other impurities in the feed solution.
3.Controllable operating costs
Because the coupled adsorption separation process can be carried out under normal temperature and pressure conditions, it does not require large additional consumption of steam or other auxiliary materials.
4.Stable product quality
The lactic acid product obtained through this process can meet or partially exceed the standards of similar international products, satisfying the requirements of high-end application fields.
Against the background of the continuous transformation of the fine chemical industry toward green and low-carbon development, Zhengzhou Tiei Extraction Technology Co., Ltd. can provide lactic acid manufacturers with CWL-M centrifugal extractor equipment and related process design support, helping achieve the combined goals of efficient purification and clean production.
Email: sales@tieiextraction.com
Whatsapp: +86 19069612820
