Working Process of Milk Chilling Plant

The working of the milk chilling plant process involves several stages. It includes everything from raw milk to storing it in an appropriate tank. All the equipment in the milk-chilling machine is so designed to handle and process in the milk-chilling plant business is to maintain its quality, self-life, and safety. It also acts as a secondary refrigerant in milk chilling plant layout. In instant milk chilling plants, ensure the freshness of milk without harming any nutrients. The details of the process are listed below.

• Milk Collection
  Raw milk is collected from different sources like dairy farms and individual farmers. It is transported to the small milk chilling plant or any size of milk chilling plant in India. It is usually carried in cans or tankers. It ensures minimal delay to preserve freshness.
• Weighing Machine
  After filtration the milk is supposed to pass to the weighing scale. Ensure the total weight of the milk.
• Stored in Dump Tank
  Milk is then passed to a dump tank for initial storage.
• Filtration
  Before chilling, all the milk passes through filters. It is to remove impurities like debris and foreign particles. This ensures initial quality.
• Temperature Monitoring
  The milk temperature is recorded. This ensures the milk is in an acceptable range for the process of chilling. The temperature of milk should be 30-35°C / 86-95°F.
• Plate Heat Exchanger (PHE)
  After filtration milk travel to the plate heat exchanger. PHE is the core equipment for instant cooling. PHE is made up of multiple plates. The plates are arranged in a way so that, in one way, the cold water (in a closed-loop or pipe refrigeration system) flows. the milk is allowed to flow on the other side.
  The heat from the milk will get transferred to the cold water. In respect to the milk, start reducing the temperature rapidly. PHE ensures the efficient heat transfer of milk and reduces the temperature to around 4°C (39°F).
• Ice Building Tank (IBT)
  After initial cooling, through PHP, milk is transferred to IBT. These are insulated tanks for storing milk at the required temperature The milk is continuously stirred with the help of agitators. This ensures a uniform temperature. It also ensures the milk stays homogenous. It reduces the risk of cream separation and extra bacterial growth.
• Storage Tank (SILO)
  Once the milk is brought to the required temperature (approx. 4°C / 39°F), the milk is stored in insulated storage tanks (SILO). Milk is stored before further processing or transportation. The SILO tank maintains the temperature and prevents the bacterial growth.
  The temperature sensor of these tanks helps to monitor the temperature of milk regularly. This ensures the temperature remains at the proper level. The pump plays the vital role of transferring milk to these tanks. Later on, it allows for the transfer to the other area for the processing or packaging within the plant.
• Cleaning and Hygiene
  Maintain cleanliness is important for the milk chilling plant in the prevention of contamination. The clean-in-place (CIP) system is used to clean the whole plant without disassembly, including:
  • Tank
  • Pipes
  • Heat exchanger
  • Other equipment
  • Control Panels
  All the control panels are to monitor, and the entire process is controlled. It adjusts all the operations in real time, including:
  • Pumps
  • Refrigeration system
  • Cooling units
  • Agitators
  • Temperature sensor
  This entire process ensures that milk remains fresh, hygienic, and safe for further processing or transport to dairy plants.

Milk Chilling Plant Layout

The following diagram provides an overview of the plant's layout, showing the key areas for milk reception, chilling, storage, and dispatch.

For more information about each section, please refer to the equipment and process sections of the website.