How to choose a pump for milk and dairy products: advice and feedback from manufacturers

Dairy products rarely enter the market in the state of primary food products. Usually the products are processed, which requires the appropriate organization of technological processes. Oil plants, cheese factories and farms arrange special lines for pumping liquid products from one site to another. Implementation of such tasks requires the use of special equipment, but as main activators of the process pumps for milk and dairy products are used in appropriate modifications. There are many varieties of such units, each of which is suitable for use in this or that technological stage. Overview of dairy pumps and user feedback on manufacturers will help determine the choice of suitable equipment.

Centrifugal pump for milk

This is the most popular version of dairy pumps, which forms the basis of pumping communications in modern industries. With the help of a centrifugal unit, in a standard modification, milk and similar products in terms of viscosity can be serviced. When choosing, the temperature regime should be taken into account - in most cases it should not exceed 90 ° C. The electric drive can have different configurations. Typically, a pump for milk of this type is represented by a single-stage design, but there are cantilever-monoblock designs and versions with closed blades. Depending on the operating conditions, a choice should be made in favor of this or that mechanism. If in the working room the rules for the maintenance of technical devices are observed, then it is possible to prefer the open design in the simplest modification, but from the point of view of reliability it is still more profitable to purchase single-unit devices.

Self-priming or non-self-priming pump?

Previously, the main principle of work was considered to be non-self-sucking, but in recent years both customers and manufacturers are oriented to more technological self-priming units. Such models can be easily acquired for working with milk coming from milk trucks. Also, self-priming milk pumps are used for other products with a similar viscosity. The ability to independently capture the liquid is provided by an air separator, special blades of a functional wheel and a nozzle.

The unit connected to the discharge pipes, during the process of filling fills up to the required level of the nozzle. It is important to consider one drawback of self-priming models. In comparison with obsolete analogs, they are not allowed to work with liquids whose temperature exceeds 50 ° С. For comparison, a non-self-priming pump for milk is able to serve products with a temperature of about 90 ° C.

Three-jaw pumps for viscous products

Especially for working with fermented, sour cream, melted cheese and other viscous products, it is recommended to use rotary three-jaw units. Although in this case it is necessary to take into account some restrictions on concentration. Standard modifications are generally not allowed for pumping liquids with a temperature exceeding 90 ° C. The merits of a three-jaw pump for pumping milk are universality. Provided that appropriate changes are made to the design and operating parameters, an aggregate can be obtained that will cope with a wide range of dairy products regardless of the degree of viscosity.

Models for CIP

A feature of such models is the ability to perform cleaning of internal elements without disassembling the structure. Usually such models are developed on the basis of self-priming single-stage units. For example, open-vortex models are rather popular, which provide for the vertical position of the nozzles. This design prevents liquid spills during downtime. Such a pump is suitable for pumping milk not only by simplified maintenance, but also by the possibility of stable operation under the most difficult conditions. Aggregates of this type can work with dairy products, in the structure of which air is contained. The technology of recirculation cleaning, in turn, eliminates the need for regular performance of sanitary and hygienic operations in the service process.

Vacuum pump for milk

The working process of such models assumes the formation of an air vacuum in the main line, where the absorption takes place. This principle of operation makes aggregates universal in terms of servicing various fluids. By the way, communications with such technical support are also used for working with detergents, as well as disinfecting solutions. Of course, the milk pump should be used separately from such tasks, but as an example of the chemical resistance of the units, it is possible to note such applications. Vacuum models are developed from food-grade stainless steel, and can also be supplemented with modern control systems. It remains only to choose performance indicators and design performance.

Reviews of manufacturers

In the market of industrial equipment, you can find domestic products for dairy production, and European pumps. As for Russian manufacturers, operating companies respond positively to the products of Tekhnokom and Kurganselmash enterprises, which represent basic modifications of the most popular pumps. Quite in demand and the brand "Sieva", under which, in particular, produced a pump for milk, designed for installation in vacuum-paired complexes. Among foreign manufacturers, such brands as Prolac, Grundfos and TLS are worthy of attention. As the users note, the developers of these companies not only implement high-quality models, but also improve pumps in different technological directions.

Conclusion

During the selection of any pumping unit, it is important to take into account the secondary aspects of operation. For example, for small and start-up enterprises, the indicators of energy supply are important. The most sparing in this regard is a centrifugal pump for milk with a single-stage design, although it may have different consumption indicators. It is necessary to take into account the characteristics of noise insulation, the quality of the sealing joints, the presence of protective surface treatment and other properties of the unit. In the long-term use of these factors will have a significant value in terms of maintenance, and in terms of longevity.