Cutting milk losses through digital bus technology
February 2002
Flow Measurement & Control
Leading manufacturer of world-class flowmeters for the food industry, Danfoss, believes South African dairy producers can significantly increase operational efficiencies in dairies through the use of flowmeters and digital bus technology.
"Milk loss is one of the most important issues in the dairy industry today," says Danfoss Business Unit Manager - Motion Controls and Flow, Mick Baugh. "While it is unrealistic to think it can be completely eradicated, you can greatly reduce raw material cost and effluent charges by finding out where you are losing milk and how to control it."
Normally, milk loss occurs in a number of places - residue in tankers, error in volume stated by the haulier on delivery, leaks during routine maintenance or from worn pipe joints/valves. Without accurate and correctly installed flowmeters, daily milk loss cannot be controlled.
"In fact, simply installing flowmeters is not enough," argues Baugh. "Bus technology is then required to automate the monitoring process even further, flagging any discrepancies in realtime and allowing the meters' parameters to be reset remotely, without the need for operators to physically enter the process area."
The significant saving in cabling costs achieved by connecting different flowmeters using digital communication technology can cut initial plant start-up costs remarkably and, as bus-linked flowmeters supply continuous reports measuring several variables in realtime, they give more accurate control of the process than a standalone flowmeter measuring a single variant.
"The whole point about bus communication is of course that it is a two-way process," Baugh explains. "Not only are reports transmitted up the line from flowmeter to central PC, but instructions can be sent back down the line to reconfigure flowmeter parameters, leading to even more savings."
Danfoss is believed to be unique in its 'plug-in' modular approach to bus communication technology, which allows communication modules to be added at any time without the need for rewiring. The company already supplies Hart and Profibus-PA as a plug-in module, with Profibus-DP to follow.
"From our MAGFLO 1100 FOOD electromagnetic flowmeter for milk reception lines and MAGFLO 3100 W meter for water and effluent discharge through to the MASSFLO 2100 flowmeter for milk standardisation and cream measurement, Danfoss has the complete solution to making dairies more cost-effective and transparent," Baugh concludes. "We designed these products to be accurate, hygienic, easy to use and flexible enough to fit individual needs."
Mike Baugh, Danfoss
011 803 8390
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