The science of separation

Dairy Separation

The science of separation

So you know what separators are and what they do. But have you ever thought about the science that makes separation possible?

The speed a particle, such as a fat globule, travels through a liquid, such as milk, depends on a number of factors: the size of the particle, its density, and the viscosity of the liquid it is traveling through.

These factors come together in a formula known as Stokes’ Law, which was derived by Sir George Stokes, a 19th-century Anglo-Irish mathematician and physicist.

Stokes’ Law is therefore at the heart of the dairy separation process, as an 11-year-old explains in our short animation.

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Learn more about separation

To learn more about this important process, which today has applications in a wide range of industries beyond the dairy sector, watch our mini-documentary about the fascinating history of separation.

Or click here for a wealth of content on the subject of separation and separators for food and beverage applications.