Generalization of Factors of Milk Homogenization

Determining the quality of milk fat dispersion in a jet-slot milk homogenizer

“…However, the application of this mode is characterized by low power efficiency. The power input to create a thin stream of viscous liquid (milk cream) at a velocity of more than 100 m/s becomes close to the power input in the valve homogenizer [1,2,5]. The obtained results correlate well with the dependences found for the jet milk homogenizer with the separate feed of cream [5,26,27].…”

“…The urgency of development of jet dispersion of emulsions is evidenced by a large number of fundamentally different designs of jet milk homogenizers which were developed recently. They include counterflow-jet, impact-jet, cavitational hydrodynamic, jet homogenizers with the separate feed of the fat phase, mini-mixers, and microfluidizers [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. The latter belong to the most advanced type of homogenizers that enable obtaining of a milk emulsion with the finest dispersed composition (with ADFG of 0.1 μm and less) [3].…”

“…Values of critical Weber criterion in various literature sources are in a range from 8 to 28. This is explained by the complexity of calculation or experimental establishment of the relative velocity of dispersing and disperse phases [3,5]. Given such a wide range of fluctuation of We k values, refinement of this value enough for the destruction of the milk fat globules is an important task in the study of the mechanisms of dispersion of the disperse phase of the milk emulsion.…”

“…Its value depends mainly on the sliding velocity which is the difference between relative velocities of the dispersing and disperse phases of milk (Fig. 1) [2,5,11]. Average diameter d av of fat globules after dispersion for jetslot homogenization depending on We k can be determined as in [3…”

“…Homogenizers designed on the basis of such hypotheses either do not ensure dispersion of ADFG at a level of valve homogenizers (centrifugal, electrohydraulic, oscillatory homogenizers) [3] or need high power inputs (valve homogenizers, microfluidizers) [1,4]. According to recent studies, the main hydrodynamic criterion for the destruction of milk fat globules is determined by the Weber number which increases with increasing velocity of the fat globe relative to the milk plasma (velocity of the fat globule sliding) [2,3,5]. Therefore, the most efficient homogenizers are designed in such a way as to obtain the largest difference in the relative velocity of the fat and skimmed milk phases.…”