Flowmeter ensures right fat level for milk standardiser

GEA Westfalia Food Tec, which designs and manufactures dairy separation systems, is using Krohne's Optiflux 6000 electromagnetic flowmeters in its...

GEA Westfalia Food Tec, which designs and manufactures dairy separation systems, is using Krohne's Optiflux 6000 electromagnetic flowmeters in its Standomat automatic milk standardising unit.

Milk standardisation ensures that different milk products, such as full fat, skimmed and semi-skimmed, have the right level of fat concentration. The Optiflux installed in the Standomat is used to make sure that the milk is standardised to the required fat concentration to an accuracy of ± 0.025%.

The Standomat system uses a centrifuge to separate the raw milk into standardised milk and cream, which are drawn off. The Optiflux is installed on the inlet feed to the centrifuge and measures the flow of raw milk into the separator. A signal is taken from the instrument and used to control a pump which regulates the flow of raw milk into the separator.

The fat content of the milk leaving the centrifuge is measured using a density meter. A signal from this device is fed to a programmable logic control unit along with a signal from the Optiflux. If the fat content is too low, then the pressure in the outlet is reduced in order to achieve the required fat content. If the fat content is too high, no cream is added and more raw milk is added at the input.

Contact: Krohne Tel: 01933 408500