Permionics can offer multiple membrane based solutions for processing of herbals, natural products, phytochemicals extracts and products. Our membrane processes can help to reduce the cost of extraction, separation, concentration and purification by replacing the conventional methods and thus offer best solution.
- Concentration
The cases where the extracts from herbs or natural products are dilute we can provide our suitable membrane process that can concentrate the extract and reduce the volumes of extract by 70-80%. Our membrane processes can be directly used for concentration of extract or even after chromatographic and other purification methods to concentrate the purified herbal / natural product. We have membrane for concentration process that can handle all types of process streams viz. aqueous, acidic and alkaline.
- Separation / Purification
Our membranes are also used for the separation / purification of herbal and natural products where there is enough difference in the sizes of the product of interest and impurities to be removed. Thus the cases where a conventional purification method such as extraction and chromatography does not work, membrane offer dual advantage i.e. product concentration as well as its purification. Most of the herbal extract requires removal of slats from the extract and same can be achieved by our membrane processes.
Permionics have handle various herbal and natural product streams and provided solutions for for various products such as Stevia, Papian, Aloe Vera, Punica, Turmeric, Fenugreek, Amaranths, Beet root ..etc.
CASE STUDIES
Case 1 – Papain Concentration
Objective:
Papain (MW 23000 Da) is an enzyme extracted from papaya latex – the hite viscous liquid that oozes out of a raw papaya when it is slit. This enzyme is obtained in a dilute form, and finally used as a meat tenderizer. The objective is to concentrate the enzyme using membranes to as high a concentration as possible. Our Perma membranes have concentrated papain enzyme at room temperature from 6% to 20%, and the maximum possible concentration achieved is 30% TS. Along with concentration, unwanted salts and low Mol wt impurities come out with the permeate water. This makes the final product much purer and fetches a higher price in the International market.
Benefits:
Since membranes remove water at room temperature, there is a saving of 80% of the energy cost over the thermal process. For every 1000 liters of water removed as permeate, there is a net saving of Rs. 400/- against if it were to be removed by evaporation. Higher purity product is obtained due to removal of unwanted impurities.
Conclusion:
Thus this was a brief look into the process application Papain Concentration with and approximate idea about the return and benefits that would be given to our esteemed clients by our pioneer products at Permionics.
Case 2 -Aloe Vera Juice concentration
Objective:
Aloe Vera is a type of cactus plant from which Aloe Vera juice is extracted. Juice is extracted, depectinized, purified and then concentrated. Since the processed juice is dilute ( < 2% solids) it is economical to first concentrate this juice with RO and then by vacuum evaporation, as it is a heat sensitive product.
Our system is able to concentrate Aloe juice from 2% to 10% solids, thus removing over 80% of the water at 20% of the cost of conventional evaporation.
Benefits:
This results in a payback of < 6 months.
Case 3 – Sugar Cane Juice Clarification
Objective:
Sugar Cane undergoes crushing to extract the juice. Initial juice brix is around 12-16. Then they wash the crushed cane with water to extract more juice—this is repeated several times until it becomes uneconomical. Even this second crop juice has a brix of around 6-10. If this second crop can be segregated, membranes can be effectively deployed to concentrate the juice from 6 Brix to 15 Brix at almost half the cost of evaporation. Half, is because sugar industry uses husk, bagasse and other alternate fuels. The steam that is saved can be diverted for power generation, instead.
Case 4 – Stevia extract Purification & concentration
Objective:
Stevia are steviol glycosides which have up to 150 times the sweetness of sugar. These steviosides have a negligible effect on blood glucose, which makes stevia attractive to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets. Since the extracted solution have some colour impurities and only 2% solids. Permionics has offered UF membrane system for impurity removal follow by RO system for concentration.
It is economical to first concentrate this juice with RO and then by vacuum evaporation, as it is a heat sensitive product.
Our system is able to concentrate Stevia from 2% to 10% solids, thus removing over 80% of the water at 20% of the cost of conventional evaporation.
Benefits: This results in a payback of < 6 months.
