(Corn, Wheat, Potato and Cassava Starches – Designed for Your Needs)
Partner with Microtec – The Leader in Native Starch Technology!
At Microtec, we excel in wheat starch processing, delivering innovative and high-efficiency solutions for the production of native wheat starch and its valuable by-products, including vital wheat gluten and fiber. Due to the complexities of wheat starch extraction, only a few companies worldwide can offer cost-effective and highly-efficient wheat starch processing lines. However, with Microtec’s proven expertise and advanced engineering, we ensure superior starch yield, quality, and process efficiency.
Microtec’s cutting-edge technology optimizes every stage of the wheat starch production process. Our solutions are customized to meet the unique needs of each client, ensuring:
With Microtec, you gain access to decades of expertise, advanced equipment, and a commitment to innovation that helps you stay ahead in the starch processing industry.
Wheat starch is a widely used starch source globally, particularly in regions with milder climates. It is the primary starch produced in Australia and New Zealand and is typically extracted from wheat flour, either as a standalone product or as a by-product of vital wheat gluten production.
There are three main methods for extracting and producing wheat starch:
Each method has its own advantages and suitability depending on production scale and efficiency requirements. Some are optimized for high-capacity industrial processing, while others are more suitable for smaller, cost-effective operations.
The three-phase process is a highly regarded method in the wheat starch industry due to its environmentally friendly approach, efficient water usage, and competitive processing technology. This method ensures maximum recovery of starch and by-products while minimizing waste.
The Martin method has been one of the most widely used wheat starch extraction techniques for decades. In this process, wheat flour is first converted into dough, which is then washed with large volumes of fresh and process water in a starch and gluten separator. Over the years, the Martin method has been refined and enhanced to improve efficiency, making it a cost-effective and easy-to-operate solution—particularly for low-capacity production lines.
The hydrocyclone method was commonly used between the 1970s and 1980s, but due to its high energy consumption, it has become less prevalent in modern wheat starch production. In this method, vital wheat gluten is separated from starch using hydrocyclone systems. While this approach has its merits, it has largely been replaced by more energy-efficient and advanced technologies, such as the three-phase process and the improved Martin process, which dominate today’s wheat starch industry.
Below is a summary of the wheat starch production process according to developed Martin method, providing a general overview of the entire process.
Wheat flour is routed into the flour storage silo. Then, it is conveyed to an advanced continuous dough mixer to be mixed with a certain proportion of warm fresh water and process water to make a smooth pasty consistence of wheat flour dough. The intention of creating a lump-free flour dough is to make agglomerated gluten and starch that can easily be split by the succeeding splitting decanter. Dough preparation is a decisive step for the final product quality and yield, and the overall process productivity.
After preparation of wheat dough, it is transferred to a dough washing equipment, to wash the prepared dough with sufficient water and agitation by a blade in a rotary drum, and form proper agglomerated vital gluten lumps.
Vital gluten lumps formed in the washing equipment, together with wheat starch slurry are pumped into a starch-gluten separation equipment. Inside this equipment, starch slurry along with fiber is separated from gluten and agglomerated gluten lumps are washed to increase its protein content.
Separated gluten lumps are sent to a screw press for dewatering. Dewatered gluten is then dried in a ring air-flow drying unit.
In the ring dryer, vital gluten is fed to a disintegrator and feeder, from where it is forced into the hot air stream inside of a drying duct. The hot air is created by a steam-heated heat exchanger. Gluten is heated by the hot air and the accompanying moisture is evaporated instantaneously. After drying, the dry gluten powder is separated from air by a bag filter.
Then, dry gluten powder is sifted by a gluten sieve and collected in a silo.
On the other hand, separated wheat starch slurry, is pumped into a series of rotary screens for starch and fiber separation by applying centrifugal force.
Separated fiber is also washed and sieved from any containing starch by process water in a rotary screen. It can further be dewatered by centrifugal decanter and dried to be used as animal feed.
There are generally two main types of wheat starch granules: “A” starch or heavy fraction with large lentiform granules, and “B” starch or light fraction with small sphere-shaped granules.
Gluten- and fiber-free starch slurry is sent to a high-speed disc separator to separate “A” starch and “B” starch fractions. In the disc separator, “A” and “B” starches are separated by their density and granular size difference.
“A” starch slurry is fed to starch washing hydrocyclones. Concentrated “A” starch is washed by fresh water in a multi-stage hydrocyclone system by counter-current operation.
In hydrocyclones, the amount of protein and impurities in “A” starch are minimized, its purity and quality are maximized, and eventually “A” starch slurry is concentrated before final dewatering.
Subsequently, refined and concentrated “A” starch is pumped into a dewatering peeler centrifuge for final dewatering.
After dewatering of “A” starch slurry, “A” starch cake is conveyed to the dryer disintegrator and feeder, from where it is forced into the hot air stream inside of a drying duct.
The hot air is created by a steam-heated heat exchanger. “A” starch is heated by the hot air and the accompanying moisture is evaporated instantaneously. After drying, the dry “A” starch powder is separated from air by a set of separation cyclones, at the bottom side closed by a rotating airlock. The humid air is leaving the cyclone and is blown out by a suction fan into the atmosphere.
Collected dry and pulverized “A” starch powder is conveyed into another series air ducts and cyclones with airlock and suction fan for further cooling down its temperature. The dried and cooled “A” starch powder is finally sifted in a starch sieve and collected in a silo.
From the silo, “A” starch powder is fed into a bagging station, equipped with a dedusting unit, where the extracted and refined A” starch is bagged into starch bags, as final wheat “A” starch product.
“B” starch is separately concentrated by a nozzle separator flowed by dewatering by a centrifugal decanter and leaves decanter to “B” starch flash drying unit. Principles of “B” starch dryer are similar to “A” starch dryer.
Below is a general description of the wheat starch production process according to tricanter method or three phase method, providing an overall overview of the entire process.
Wheat flour is routed into the flour storage silo. Then, it is conveyed to an advanced continuous dough mixer to be mixed with a certain proportion of warm fresh water and process water to make a smooth pasty consistence of wheat flour dough. The intention of creating a lump-free flour dough is to make agglomerated gluten and starch that can easily be split by the succeeding splitting decanter. Dough preparation is a decisive step for the final product quality and yield, and the overall process productivity.
Produced dough should be diluted and homogenized in a dough homogenizer, to achieve the best agglomeration of vital gluten. High efficiency homogenisation guarantees a trouble-free and highly profitable process of the overall wheat starch and gluten production, since poor gluten agglomeration not only means less turnover, but also increased downtime due to fouling in downstream equipment.
After homogenisation, it is stored in a maturation tank for a short time to be matured at ambient temperature before being sent to the splitting unit.
Homogenized and matured dough is pumped into a three-phase decanter. In the three-phase decanter or Tricanter, three main constituents of wheat flour dough are split from each other by their density and particle size:
Benefits of three-phase decanter are its low energy consumption, high turn-over, compact design and high operational reliability.
Split gluten leaves the decanter in agglomerated lumps together with “B” starch. In order to separate “B” starch from vital gluten, gluten lumps should be washed in a series of gravity screens by process water. Screen size of each stage plays an important role in the gluten-starch separation.
After that, the separation of “B” starch and vital gluten is further accomplished by rotary gluten washers. Finally, separated vital gluten is dewatered in the final gravity screen before be sent to the gluten drying unit.
The underflow stream of gluten screening, consisting mainly of “B” starch and some fiber, still contains some fine gluten particles. In order to recover accompanying gluten particles, “B” starch slurry from the first gluten gravity screen, is washed by process water in a gravity screen. Separated “B” starch is conveyed to “B” starch processing unit, while recovered fine gluten is returned to gluten – “B” starch screening and dewatering.
Split “A” starch is also washed and screened to separate any accompanying vital gluten and then, to “A” starch processing units.
In order to separate small starch and fiber particles attached to gluten and increase gluten product purity, separated gluten is washed in a gluten washing equipment.
“A” starch slurry needs to be separated from accompanying fiber content. Therefore, “A” starch from gluten screening is pumped into a series of rotary screen to separate fibers by applying centrifugal force.
Each rotary screen comprises of a rotary conical basket with sifting plates, spray nozzle arrangements for continuously spraying wash water over the accumulated layer in the conical sieve, a housing equipped with back washing water nozzles for cleaning, and a driving motor for rotation.
Separated fiber is also washed and sieved from any containing starch by process water in a rotary screen, and then, is sent to fiber dewatering and drying unit.
“A” starch from fiber screening, together from recovered “A” starch from “B” starch recovery nozzle separator, is pumped into a three-phase nozzle separator equipped with fresh water washing devices. In the primary nozzle separator, “A” starch is separated from any “B” starch content and also concentrated. It also helps to remove some water from the system and optimise the capacity of downstream processing line equipment.
Clarified overflow of the separator is used as process water and the middle phase containing “A” starch and most of the suspended impurities is fed to “A” starch refining hydrocyclones. The recovered “B” starch phase is sent to “B” starch processing units.
Concentrated “A” starch is washed with fresh water in a multi-stage hydrocyclone system by counter-current operation. In hydrocyclones, the amount of protein and impurities in “A” starch are minimised and its purity and quality are maximized, and eventually “A” starch is concentrated before final dewatering.
The overflow or light phase of the hydrocyclones is sent back to “A” starch screening unit. On the other hand, underflow or heavy phase of the hydrocyclones still has a lot of moisture, which should to be removed from starch slurry in order to be sent to “A” starch drying unit for final drying. Consequently, refined and concentrated “A” starch is pumped into “A” starch dewatering peeler centrifuge for final dewatering. Improved dewatering system results in less energy consumption for drying the starch and more water to be recycled and reused in the process.
“B” Starch coming from gluten screening is subjected to fine fiber removal by means of centrifugal screening. Therefore, B” starch from gluten screening unit is sent into a series of rotating screens to separate accompanying fine fibers. Separated fiber is then washed and sieved from any containing starch by process water in a rotating screen. Generally, filtration and dewatering of wheat starch is challenging comparing other types of starch, so it is very important to select right type of dewatering system.
“B” starch from fiber separation unit, together from recovered “B” starch from “A” starch primary nozzle separator, is pumped into a three-phase recovery nozzle separator equipped with fresh water washing devices. In the recovery nozzle separator, “B” starch is separated from any “A” starch content and also concentrated, and valuable “A” starch is recovered, maximizing the “A” starch yield.
Recovery nozzle separator middle phase containing “B” starch is fed to “B” starch decanter, while the clarified overflow of the separator is used to balance the process water demand and any surplus is discharged to effluent treatment. The recovered “A” starch phase is returned to “A” starch processing units.
In the “B” starch decanter, “B” starch fraction is concentrated and dewatered, and sent to “B” starch drying unit.
By using a two-phase nozzle separator, light phase from “B” starch decanter is concentrated. The overflow of the nozzle separator is used as produced process water and its underflow or concentrate is sent to effluent treatment. Using process water in the wheat starch production line, efficiently enables the formation of an effective process water circuit and minimize fresh water demand.
After dewatering of “A” starch slurry, “A” starch cake is conveyed to the dryer disintegrator and feeder, from where it is forced into the hot air stream inside of a drying duct.
The hot air is created by a steam-heated heat exchanger. “A” starch is heated by the hot air and the accompanying moisture is evaporated instantaneously. After drying, the dry “A” starch powder is separated from air by a set of separation cyclones, at the bottom side closed by a rotating airlock. The humid air is leaving the cyclone and is blown out by a suction fan into the atmosphere.
Collected dry and pulverized “A” starch powder is conveyed into another series air ducts and cyclones with airlock and suction fan for further cooling down its temperature. The dried and cooled “A” starch powder is finally sifted in a starch sieve and collected in a silo.
From the silo, “A” starch powder is fed into a bagging station, equipped with a dedusting unit, where the extracted and refined A” starch is bagged into starch bags, as final wheat “A” starch product.
Dewatered “B” starch cake is conveyed to a paddle mixer to be mixed with a fraction of dried “B” starch product, to increase drying efficiency. Then, the mixed “B” starch feed is routed into “B” starch dryer disintegrator and feeder, from where it is forced into the hot air stream inside of a drying duct.
The hot air is created by a steam-heated heat exchanger. “B” starch is heated by the hot air and the accompanying moisture is evaporated instantaneously. Normally, “B” starch dryers consist of a “B” starch classifier to classify and return some of the drying “B” starch back for optimum drying results.
After drying, the dry “B” starch powder is separated from air by a bag filter. The humid air is leaving the dryer and is blown out by a suction fan into the atmosphere.
Collected dry and pulverized “B” starch powder is sifted in a starch sieve and collected in a silo. A part of dried “B” starch is returned from the sieve to the paddle mixer at the start of drying unit.
From the silo, “B” starch powder is fed into a bagging station and “B” starch is bagged into starch bags, as final wheat “B” starch product.
Dewatered vital gluten is routed into gluten ring dryer disintegrator and feeder, from where it is forced into the hot air stream inside of a drying duct. The hot air is created by a steam-heated heat exchanger. Gluten is heated by the hot air and the accompanying moisture is evaporated instantaneously. Normally, gluten dryers comprize of a gluten classifier to classify and return some of the drying gluten back for optimum drying results.
After drying, the dry gluten powder is separated from air by a bag filter. The humid air is leaving the dryer and is blown out by a suction fan into the atmosphere.
Collected dry gluten powder is sifted by a gluten sieve and collected in a silo. A part of dried gluten is returned from the sieve to the drying ducts before disintegrator to achieve higher drying efficiencies.
From the silo, pulverized gluten powder is fed into a bagging station and gluten is bagged into gluten bags, as final wheat vital gluten product.
Washed fiber is routed to a centrifugal decanter for dewatering. After dewatering, it flows to a rotary tube bundle dryer. Dried fiber is used as animal feed.
It is optional to include a liquefaction unit to chemically and enzymatically treat the residual by-products, such as coarse and fine fiber, pentosane and plant effluents in reactors to achieve liquefaction concentrate and liquefaction residue products. Residue products, together with concentrated product of the evaporators, can be dried to animal feed product.
Liquefaction concentrate can be concentrated in an evaporation unit. Normally, a falling film evaporator (either steam recompression or mechanical vapour recompression processes) are used for this purpose. Evaporation unit products are concentrated animal feed product and high-quality steam condensate water.
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