Low-temperature evaporators repurpose excess water from milk or whey processing. They gently concentrate the dairy liquid at low temperatures, extracting water pure enough for cleaning cycles or machine use.

Why the “Low-Temperature” Part Really Matters

• No heat-damaged proteins: Unlike boiling, this method gently dries, protecting valuable proteins and keeping the water free of burnt solids.
• Substantial resource recovery: Some studies show these systems remove 98–99%+ of contaminants like BOD, COD, and nitrogen—meaning what you recover is practically pure.
• Save energy and stay compact: Operating at 35–60 °C under vacuum, these units use way less energy than hot evaporation setups and fit comfortably inside modern dairy plants.

In one pilot, treating whey wastewater via low-temperature, low-pressure evaporation delivered top-notch water quality using just 0.4–1 kWh per liter processed—pretty efficient!

Bonus for Dairy Makers: Product Recovery, Not Just Water

During clean-in-place (CIP) routines, the “leftover” low-solid water from evaporators usually gets dumped. But systems like GEA’s Evaporator Product Recovery save that water and its residual solids, storing it to be reintroduced later. No waste. Better quality. Less cost.

Why It Feels Like a Win-Win-Win

A low-temperature evaporator setup gives you:

• Cleaner water—ideal for reuse in cleaning, boiler makeup, or even pasteurization.
• Less load on wastewater treatment—thanks to significant volume reduction.
• Opportunities to recover still-useful solids, reducing product loss.
• Lower operational costs, from energy to waste handling to raw water sourcing.