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Materials, Their Characteristics and Selection of Equipment
Materials, Their Characteristics and Selection of Equipment
CHARACTERISTICS AND
SELECTION OF EQUIPMENT
Structure
1.0 Objectives
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Types of Materials
1.3 Properties of Materials
1.4 Corrosion and its Prevention
1.5 Choice of Materials
1.6 Selection of Milk Handling and Processing Equipment
1.7 Selection of Utilities
1.8 Let Us Sum Up
1.9 Key Words
1.10 Some Useful Books
1.11 Answers to Check Your Progress
1.0 OBJECTIVES
After reading this unit, we should be able to:
identify various materials used in fabrication of dairy equipment and machineries
specify the important properties of material and their selection for milk and milk
products
protect plant and machineries and give them long working life
select proper material required for dairy plant
describe the major specification of equipment before purchase
determine and select appropriate service equipment.
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Equipment and machineries used for milk handling processing plant require special
characteristics. They are required to handle and process an edible food material and
hence should not react with it. They are required to work under hot and humid
environment, hence, should be non-corrosive. They are also required to handle
chemicals during washing, hence, should have enough protection against any damage.
Milk utensils in our villages are commonly made of earthenware or they are zinc
plated or galvanized iron or made of brass, or copper. Modern dairy utensils are,
however, made of tinned iron, aluminum alloys, or stainless steel. The product
contact surfaces are increasingly being made of stainless steel (common 18-8
stainless steel refers to 18% Chromium and 8% Nickel).
The final choice will, however, depend on the ease of fabrication, availability and
the overall cost. From the point of fabrication, the machinability and weld ability are
the main factors and, therefore, should be kept in mind. Other properties like
specific weight of the material, thermal conductivity and expansion, resistance to
corrosion, brittleness and hardness are also important. All of these have bearing on
the selection.
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Dairy Equipment and
their Maintenance 1.2 TYPES OF MATERIALS
Materials required for fabrication are classified into (i) metals and (ii) non-metals.
Metals are further grouped as (i) ferrous and (ii) non-ferrous. Ferrous metals,
containing iron as major constituent along with other elements, hence, vary in their
strength, machining properties, etc. Wrought Iron is the purest form of iron, having
minimum carbon and other contents. It can easily be machined and welded and can
be used for high temperature applications such as steam supply lines, heating coils,
exhaust lines, etc. Similarly, cast iron is different having carbon-content 2.5 to 4%
and can be casted through mould into any shape. However, it is tough towards
machining and welding. Furnace bars, jaws of crushing and grinding machine, bases
of pillars, etc. are usually made of this type of iron. Let us discus in detail.
i. Steel
Steel is an iron alloy with carbon between 0.5 to 2.0%. In addition small amount
of phosphorus, sulphur, silicon and manganese are added to change their uses. Mild
steel with 0.05 to 0.3% carbon is most commonly used steel. Vessels, pipes and
fitting are generally made of this iron. This type of steel can be most easily
fabricated and machined. Medium carbon steel with 0.3 to 0.5% carbons improves
the strength. Hence, shafts, springs, bolts, etc. are made from this material. High
carbon steel with carbon content above 0.5% to 2% is very hard. Therefore,
cutting tools like blades, saw, chisels, etc. are made of this type of iron.
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Check Your Progress 1 Materials their
Characteristics and
Selection of Equipment
1. What is steel?
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2. What do you understand by alloy steel?
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2. Write importance of aluminum in dairy industry?
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4. Where and why rubber and plastic are used in the dairy plant?
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Material of construction should not react with milk and milk product and should be
durable. Usually equipment is constructed with more than one metal or alloy due
to requirement of strength, function, economy or hygiene. The materials must meet
following conditions as far as possible.
1. Non-toxic, non-flavour imparting and should not affect the keeping quality of the
product.
2. Insoluble in the product and non-absorbent quality.
3. Resistant to corrosion. 7
Dairy Equipment and 4. Easy to clean and attractive.
their Maintenance
5. Strong and lightweight.
6. Good heat conductor.
7. Low cost and easily available.
8. Easy in manufacturing.
Check Your Progress 2
Some general life giving practices to be followed: Use only soft brush (fibre
brush) during manual cleaning of surfaces, remove all accumulated milk residues,
use only recommended detergents and keep the surface dry whenever the equipment
is not in use.
Check Your Progress 3
1. What is corrosion?
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2. How do we prevent corrosion of metals?
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i. A Simple Example
Suppose a dairy unit is to receive 10,000 litres of milk per day, 60% of milk in the
morning and 40% in the evening. Normally evening milk is chilled and stored for
processing in the morning. Also it is assumed that milk will be received through milk
cans, and only butter and standard pasteurized milk will be manufactured. Let us
make a product flow line diagram (Figure-1.1) and decide capacities of individual
equipment.
Milk Reception: Milk must be received inside the dairy within 3-hours of its
arrival at the receiving point, accordingly milk reception rate is decided to be 2000
L/h. Normally 2-3 cans in a minute are to be received by an operator. Hence, a
weighing machine of 250 kg is selected. Every two to three minutes the milk will
be released into dump tank. In about 20-30 minutes one dump tank will get filled.
Hence, the capacity of 1000 litres is enough. There may or may not be need for
the second dump tank, indicated as dotted lines and shown as optional arrangement.
Milk Handling: Milk from dump tank must be removed quickly to enable the
receiving of fresh raw milk. To do so a high capacity milk pump is needed to
unload. Therefore, a 5000 litre/hour capacity is good enough. The empty cans are
sent for cleaning through a rotary can washer. The capacity of can washer will be
same as that of can reception rate. Milk while pumping is required to be chilled on
line. Therefore, a plate chiller of 5,000 L/h is selected. The chilled raw milk will
be stored in raw milk storage tank (usually insulated). Only one tank of 5,000 litres
is selected.
Milk Processing: As soon as milk reaches raw milk storage tank, the pasteurization
through a HTST (High Temperature Short Time, will be explained in Unit-2) is also
followed. At this point milk passes through a centrifuge machine to remove excess
of milk fat as indicated in the diagram. The standardized and pasteurized milk is
stored for subsequent filling through a pouch-filling machine, while the cream is
stored in a vat (Ripening Vat cum Batch Pasteurizer). This vat will have about 500
kg of Cream; hence, a cream pasteurizer of same size is selected. Cream after
ripening is transferred into butter churn for making Table Butter and the butter is
stored in the cold store. Similarly, standard pasteurized milk filled in pouches is
stored in crates and are stacked in a separate cold store.
Steam Requirement: Steam is most convenient source of heat in the dairy plant.
The demand of heat/steam will be based on established data of product flow line
diagram. Let us draw a chart indicating each operation on time scale as given
below (steam load with period of operation).
0 6 12 Noon 18 24
Process/Period IIIIII
o Can washing oo oo
through Rotary 8 to 11 hrs 18 to 20 hrs
Can washer
200 kg/h
o Crate washing oo
50 kg/h 9 to16 hrs
o Cream pasteurizing oo
20 Kg/h 11 to 13 hrs
Steam Load Calculation: With the help of this simple chart, we can develop
Figure-1.2. To do so, we take a graph paper and mark the time/period on abscissa
from 0 to 24 hour basis. We may further indicate 2-hourly mark. Similarly, on
ordinate side, we plot steam load by marking scale 0 to 700 kg at 100 kg mark
difference. Now with the help of available information, the steam requirement is
plotted. Steam requirement starts from 6 hrs at the rate of 50 kg/h for floor
cleaning; hence, X is marked in figure-1.2 at each point on chart. The 2nd requirement
is at 8 hrs for can washer and the pasteurizer. Since the three operations are at
same time, the total load at 8 hrs will be 50+200+300 kg/h, i.e., 550 kg/h. This
steam load will be up to 9 hrs. At 9 hrs, another operation will need 50 kg/h up
to 16 hrs. At 11 hrs, the washer operation will be over, hence steam load reduction
to the tune of 200 kg/h, but the cream pasteurizer will need 20 kg/h. Therefore, the
drop will be 180 kg/h. The load at this point will be 420 kg/h up to 13 hr. At 13
12 hr, the load of cream pasteurizer will be phased out and the load of 400 kg/h will
continue till 3 p.m. From 3 p.m. steam for pasteurizer will be shut down and thereby Materials their
Characteristics and
the load will level off to 100 kg/h only up to 16 hr, further reduce to O by 17 hrs. Selection of Equipment
Similarly, the evening operation of can washing and floor cleaning will need steam
from 18 hrs to 21 hrs on time scale.
Sizing of Boiler: With the above estimation, we know the maximum/peak load
requirement, which is 600 kg between 9 hrs to 11 hrs. Hence, the boiler capacity
must be minimum of 600 kg/h. Now the choice is to have either one boiler of
minimum 600 kg./h capacities or to split load into two, of 300 kg/h each. By having
one boiler, the initial capital investment will be less but we have no alternate boiler
to act as standby. The standby boiler helps during sudden failure or breakdown.
While estimating maximum load about 20% additional load as safety margin should
also be added. This is done to compensate for loss in efficiency of equipment while
in use. We have suggested earlier that the size of equipment will depend on its
availability in the market. In this case, Boiler of 300, 500 and 1000 kg/h are
available. Hence, the most appropriate decision will be to go for two Boilers of 500
kg/h capacities. This way the 2nd Boiler will require running only during peak load.
700
600
St
ea
m
Co 500
ns
u
m
pti 400
on
(k
g/
h) 300
200
100
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Period of Operation ( Hrs)
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Dairy Equipment and 2. Prepare steam requirements on time scale for the can washing operation.
their Maintenance
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3. Explain as to how you can prepare a steam load diagram for evening hours, i.e.
18-21 hours.
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The selection of material becomes very important mainly with the view that these
metallic elements should not enter into the milk and milk products. The concentration
of copper affects the hot milk or cream especially when washed with alkaline
solution. The tin coating is also not very resistant to abrasion. These two elements
influence the flavour. Similarly iron reacts with milk salts or lactic acid and gives
bitter flavour and some times toxic salts. Aluminum is rather chemically stable for
milk and milk products. Its utmost advantage is that of its being lightweight and its
insolubility into milk and is a good conductor of heat. Hence, it is one of the
accepted metals. Apart from milk cans, the railings of the staircase, ladder and
other support structures, which are not directly coming in contact with the hot milk,
are made of aluminum.
Brass is also not a desirable element as it affects the flavour. The choice, therefore,
rests only with zinc nickel and chromium based metals known as stainless steel. As
discussed, stainless steel containing 18% chromium and 8% nickel is the most
popular and exhibits anti-corrosion properties. It is known as type 302. The alloy
with a maximum 0.08 percent carbon is available under the designation 18-8-5 type
304. However, the surface of the equipment made of stainless steel should also be
clean and kept dry. Saline solutions (salt in water) should not be used with stainless
steel.
Dairy equipment is, therefore, preferred to have the product contact surface made
of stainless steel. While fabricating the equipment, the great hygienic care is taken
to avoid any rough corners or dead ends with pockets, etc. to avoid corrosion.
Dairy plants mostly have hot-humid climate, care must be taken for all those
components and parts of the equipment, which are made of other than stainless
steel, and are vulnerable for corrosion. The methods of avoiding corrosion and
enhancing the life of the equipment have been discussed in detail.
In order to select appropriate size of milk processing equipment and its utilities, the
description has been made with examples to calculate the size of equipment required.
14 For this purpose, the capacity of the dairy plant and the various products to be
made must be decided in advance. This decision will help us to formulate a product Materials their
Characteristics and
flow line diagram, which will give sequence of operation and the equipment required Selection of Equipment
in the dairy plant. The same product flow line diagram will also provide the guidelines
to decide the capacities of individual equipment. After having done the exercise of
sizing the equipment, the various utilities required for the dairy can be worked out
as explained through Figure-1.2. The designing of a dairy plant where we have to
decide the size of various plants and machinery is also a matter of experience and
not purely through calculations. The safety provision, standby and the availability of
equipment in the market will ultimate decide the size of utilities required. By proper
analysis, one can also plan purchase of equipment in phased manner. There could
be a possibility that some equipment are required immediately while others could
be deferred and purchased later. This will help in reducing the initial cost of a dairy
plant.
1) i. Definition of corrosion
ii. Factors affecting corrosion of metals
2) i. Various types of protective coatings used on equipment
ii. Precaution during fabrication of equipment
iii. Precaution in upkeep and care of equipment
Check Your Progress 4
1) i. What information about the dairy plant be made available before selection
of equipment
ii. Various products to be made and their method of manufacture
2) i. Procedure for making a product flow diagram
ii. Milk availability at various stages of handling/processing
iii. Various stages of handling in each sections of dairy plant
3) i. Rate of receiving milk cans at the reception dock
ii. Capacity of operator to handle can in a minute
iii. Operation of can-washer
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Check Your Progress 5 Materials their
Characteristics and
Selection of Equipment
1) i. Various inputs required for running of an equipment
ii. Duration of running of individual equipment every day
iii. Quantity of utilities/services required for each equipment
2) i. To estimate hourly requirement of specific utility
ii. Rate of Cans handling by the Can-washer
3) i. To allocate value in Abscissa and ordinate
ii. To plot value on abscissa and ordinate scale
iii. To join points and interpret the figure.
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