CREAM SEPARATORS

CREAM SEPARATORS (Centrifugal).—The best-known forms are the 'Laval,' the 'Danish,' and the 'Victoria'—the latter a recent invention of a Glasgow firm. Though they differ in form and in detail, the principle involved in the work of separating the butter is common to all. Advantage is taken of the difference existing between the specific gravity of cream and the watery part of milk. While yet warm the milk coming from the cow is run into a strong, spherical, steel vessel revolving at high speed. As the milk is carried round within the vessel (whether revolving horizontally or vertically) it rises up the sides and stands as a wall, thus forming a lining of milk while the speed is maintained. The heavier part inclines outwards, and the light cream is forced inwards and forms an inner layer. From the positions indicated the separated cream and milk are conducted into different channels, and finally into different vessel receptacles. The advantages, as compared with the old method of flat setting (see MILK), are that the cream is got off immediately; no time is allowed for the development of acidity in either the skim milk or cream, and more of the cream present can be removed—the proportion being as 13 is to 11. Small machines driven by hand, costing £13, and separating 12 gallons of milk an hour, do not give quite so good results as those driven by steam. Prices range, for those of sizes capable of separating 45 to 150 gallons of milk an hour, from £24 to £45. A steam turbine has recently been adopted as the means by which power is communicated. The cost of a turbine separator, capable of doing 90 gallons per hour, is £46. See BUTTER, DAIRY.