METHOD FOR DISCHARGE CONTROL OF A SEPARATOR, AND A SEPARATOR WITH DISCHARGE CONTROL

• US 20170135382A1
• Filed: 11/10/2016
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SA (Tetra Laval Holdings BV)
• Original Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SA (Tetra Laval Holdings BV)
• Inventors: AVERGRD, Pontus, LUND, Ake
• Granted Patent: US 10,299,497 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 11/10 Separating milk from cream
• CPC Class Codes: A23C 7/00 Other dairy technology
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/003 Control or safety devices for sterilisation or pasteurisation systems
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 11/02 Continuous feeding or discharging; Control arrangements therefor

Abstract

A method for discharge control of a separator comprises an inlet for a dairy product, a first outlet conduit for a first processed dairy product, and a second outlet conduit for a second dairy product. The first processed dairy product having a higher fat concentration than the second processed dairy product. The method involves detecting a flow rate of the first processed dairy product in the first outlet conduit, controlling the flow rate of the first processed dairy product in the first outlet conduit by regulating an opening degree of a regulating valve connected to the first outlet conduit, detecting the opening degree of the regulating valve, and discharging the separator when the opening degree of the regulating valve exceeds a predetermined value. The invention also relates to a separator for separating a dairy product into a first processed dairy product and a second processed dairy product.

Claims

1. Method for discharge control of a separator, said separator comprising an inlet for a dairy product, a first outlet conduit for a first processed dairy product, and a second outlet conduit for a second dairy product, said first processed dairy product having a higher fat concentration than the second processed dairy product, said method comprising:

detecting a flow rate of said first processed dairy product in said first outlet conduit,

controlling said flow rate of said first processed dairy product in said first outlet conduit by regulating an opening degree of a regulating valve connected to said first outlet conduit (5),

detecting said opening degree of said regulating valve, and

discharging said separator when said opening degree of said regulating valve exceeds a predetermined value.

2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising providing an output signal based on said opening degree of said regulating valve to indicate the amount of build up in said first outlet conduit due to impurities in said separator.

3. Method according to claim 2, further comprising analyzing said amount of build up to determine the impurity concentration in said first processed dairy product.

4. Separator for separating a dairy product into a first processed dairy product and a second processed dairy product, said first processed dairy product has a higher fat concentration than the second processed dairy product, said separator comprising

a first outlet conduit for said first processed dairy product,

a second outlet conduit for said second dairy product,

a flow rate sensor adapted to detect a flow rate of said first processed dairy product in said first outlet conduit,

a regulating valve connected to said first outlet conduit,

a valve sensor connected to said regulating valve and adapted to detect an opening degree of said regulating valve, and

a control unit connected to said flow rate sensor, said regulating valve and said valve sensor,

wherein said control unit is adapted to initiate a discharge of said separator when said opening degree of said regulating valve exceeds a predetermined value.

5. Separator according to claim 4, wherein said regulating valve is arranged downstream of said flow rate sensor.

6. Method for discharge control of a separator comprising:

introducing whole milk into the separator;

separating the whole milk in the separator into a first processed dairy product flowing out of the separator through a first outlet conduit and a second processed dairy product flowing out of the separator through a second outlet conduit, the first processed dairy product having a higher fat concentration than the second processed dairy product, the first processed dairy product flowing through the first outlet conduit also flowing through a regulating valve positioned along the first outlet conduit to control flow of the first processed dairy product;

detecting a flow rate of the first processed dairy product in the first outlet conduit;

controlling the flow rate of the first processed dairy product in the first outlet conduit by regulating an opening degree of the regulating valve;

detecting the opening degree of the regulating valve; and

discharging the separator when the opening degree of the regulating valve exceeds a predetermined value.

7. Method according to claim 6, further comprising outputting a signal based on the opening degree of the regulating valve to indicate the amount of build-up in the first outlet conduit due to impurities in the separator.

8. Method according to claim 7, further comprising analyzing the amount of build-up to determine the impurity concentration in the first processed dairy product.

9. Method according to claim 7, wherein the detecting of the flow rate of the first processed dairy product in the first outlet conduit comprises detecting the flow rate of the first processed dairy product by a flow rate sensor positioned upstream of the regulating valve.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein the flow rate sensor is connected to a control unit, and wherein the regulating of the opening degree of the regulating valve includes the control unit regulating the opening degree of the regulating valve.