Pasteurising lines for SME dairies
24 July 2006 14:24
Package Units
Pasteurising lines for SME dairies
Generally, every litre of milk processed by a dairy passes through a pasteurising unit and a separator. The pasteurising line continuously carries out many tasks: it is used for heating drinking milk, which is a statutory requirement or desired technological treatment and also handles the necessary cleaning. The separator integrated in the line also separates the raw milk into skim milk and cream. Westfalia Separator has been supplying high quality milk separators to the market for more than 110 years. In response to many customers' requests, the company has developed a compact system, with variable specifications, consisting of a pasteurizing unit and a separator. It can be tailored precisely to meet the needs of dairies making a range of products even with relatively small quantities of milk.
3,000 to 10,000 l/h ideal for pasteurising package units
At the heart of this so-called pasteurising package unit, are the new Westfalia Separator ECOPLUS-milk separators type MSE with a self-cleaning bowl and a belt drive; they are available with capacities of 3000 to 10,000 l/h. This performance range is ideal for combining a separator, feeder tank, heat exchanger, heat retention tank and control unit as well as all necessary pumps or valves to form a compact pasteurizing line on a common base frame. If the customer so requires, the separator can also be set up as a stand-alone unit next to the pasteurising line. However, the customer always receives a pre-assembled, turnkey unit which is fully CIP capable and with all functions tested.
Expandable modular system
In its standard version, the pasteurising package unit is designed for semi-automatic operation. The fundamental regulating functions, as well as all safety-relevant switching facilities such as the valve at the end of the heat-retaining tank, are incorporated in the control unit. At the customer's request, the package unit can be equipped with additional options and its degree of automation can also be increased.
All components can be tailored precisely to meet customers' needs and wishes in a modular system. If, for instance, higher heating temperatures are required for making yoghurt milk, a larger heat exchanger is used. A further example is milk with a specific fat content. The milk flows through the heating process as well as the cleaning and skimming process in the separator, and is then standardised.
In addition to manual standardising, the pasteurising package unit can also be equipped with a fully automatic system. For this purpose, a fully automatic Standomat regulating unit is installed with the separator in the package unit. A further addition on the cream side is a separate cooler, which reduces the cream temperature from 55 °C to less than 10 °C to enable the cream to be stored.
An additional cream pasteurising unit can also be installed. A bacteria removal separator can also be integrated in the production line specifically for milk used in cheese making operations. In this case, the separator and bacteria removal centrifuge are connected in series. Further add-on modules are homogenisers; a vacuum degassing unit, which removes air as well as odours from the product; an integrated fully automatic CIP installation; and a downstream heating section. With this additional heat exchanger, the dairy can discharge the milk from the pasteurizing unit either cold or with a higher discharge temperature. This makes sense for instance if the milk is to be fermented for making yoghurt or cheese.
Minimum expense for integration and commissioning
A package unit configured for the customers' specific requirements from this module is delivered as a completely pre-assembled turnkey installation, pre-tested, on a common basic frame. In this way, solving the solution to the 'assembly puzzle', consisting of valves, pumps, heat exchanger and control unit, is the manufacturer's job and not the customer's. The customer only has to provide the connections for product, hot water, water and electrics. The frequently quoted interface problems within a line are also no longer applicable. The actual expense for integrating and commissioning is minimal with this modular design.
For more information on this company:
Westfalia Separator Food Tec - Separators, Clarifiers, Decanters and Complete Processing Lines for the Food Industry
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