Jvumalof‘FoodEngineenng 26 (IYY5)37Y-3X7

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Research Note

Design and Testing of a Small Scale Indirect vpe

Ultra High Temperature (UHT) Milk Sterilizer

Ch. V. V. Satyanarayana, A. K. Datta” & B. P. Mishra

Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology.

Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721 302 India

(Received 18 February 1994; revised version received 3 September 1994;

accepted 19 September 1994)

ABSTRACT

A small scale ultra high temperature (UHT) sterilizer suitable for rural
tropical cooperatives was designed and tested. An indirect, tubular type
UHT sterilizer is better suited to small scale operation and low
investment cost. A triple tube heat exchanger (TTHE) was designed for
heating milk from 95 to 145°C in the annulus of the triple tube using
steam in the innermost and the outermost tubes. The holding section
was designed to provide 4.3 s residence time to reduce B.
Stearothermophilus by 8 log cycles. The cooling section was designed
to cool milk from 145 to 95°C by using water: An iterative procedure
was followed to develop software to handle design calculations.
Heating, holding, and cooling sections were found to be of 3, 0.6 and
3.1 m length. The set up was tested with milk for determination of heat
transfer coefficients.

NOTATION

A Heat transfer area (m”)

C Specific heat (kJ/kg K)
D Tube diameter (m)
g Acceleration due to gravity (9-81 m/s*)

*To whom correspondence should be addressed.

379
380 Ch. K K Satyanarayana,A. K. Datta, B. f! Mishra

Film heat transfer coefficient (W/m2 K)

; Thermal conductivity (W/m K)
ti Mass flow rate (kg/s)
N Dimensionless number
T Absolute temperature (K)
U Overall heat transfer coefficient (W/m2 K)

A Difference
1. Latent heat of condensation (kJ/kg)
/l Dynamic coefficient of viscosity (kg/m s)
P Density (kg/m”)
z Mass flow rate of condensate per unit perimeter

Subscripts
b Bulk or average between two heat transfer surface
Condensate film
; Heating
eq Equivalent
i Inside
m Milk
0 Outside
S Steam
ss Stainless steel
W Water
lm Log mean
Pr Prandtl
Re Reynolds
I
Cooling section
Tube of smallest diameter
; Tube of intermediate diameter

INTRODUCTION

Ultra high temperature (UHT) sterilization of milk generally means heating

milk by a continuous process to 135150°C and holding it for a few seconds
to give the packed product a shelf life of 60-90 days at ambient
temperature. It is important to point out that sterilized milk is not
completely free of all organisms, it is free of sporulating, toxicogenic, and
pathogenic organisms to a level so that it remains safe for consumption for
several weeks at room temperature (Pien, 1955). This paper describes the
design and performance testing of an indirect type milk sterilizer suitable for
small scale operation in rural cooperatives. An indirect type heat exchanger
is preferable for small scale operation because of its simplicity of
construction. A direct sterilizer requires steam filtering and vacuum
evaporation. These are unnecessary in an indirect type of UHT sterilizer but
the problem of fouling, i.e. deposit of denatured protein, milk stone, etc., on
the heat exchanger surface restricts the time of operation (Burton, 1988). In
developing countries the quantity of milk collected in rural areas is not
 Design and testing of a small scale indirect type UHT milk sterilizer 381

likely to be large enough to require long operation periods (Kaur & Gill,
1989). Consequently, an indirect type sterilizer was chosen as the most
suitable. Plate type heat exchangers are more expensive than tubular types
but the latter offers a low heat exchange surface area per unit length of
tube. This would result in a very large tube length for necessary heat
transfer. A triple tube heat exchanger (TTHE) solves this problem. In a
TTHE, three concentric tubes are used. Milk would flow in the annular
space between the steam filled central and outer tube.
The fouling of tubular heat exchange is a serious problem. For 6 h of
continuous operation of a triple tube heat exchanger, the initial and final
steam pressure may be at a ratio of I :2. Generally speaking, fouling
deposits at UHT temperatures consist of minerals such as calcium
phosphate (70-80%) and protein (lo-20%) and are classified as type B
deposits (Burton, 1988). Preheating of milk to temperatures between 65 and
95°C for subsequent UHT treatment reduces deposit formation (Kessler,
1981). A 50% reduction in deposit was found when milk was held at 95°C
for 15 s, at 74°C for 10 min, or 71°C for 30 min (Bell & Sanders, 1944).
Based on these findings it was proposed to preheat the milk for 1 min at
95°C for the purpose of fouling reduction. A schematic diagram of a typical
UHT process is shown in Fig. 1.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

The design objectives were heating the milk in a triple tube heat exchanger
from 95 to 145”C, holding it at 145°C for 4.3 s to reduce the target organism
B. Stearothermophilus, which has a D ,45 of 0.53 s with a z value of 10.35”C
(Burton, 1988) by 8 log cycles and then cooling the milk from 145 to 9S”C
in a double tube heat exchanger.

Regenerative
Cooling to cooling
5O’C 4.5-95-c
Regenerative Holding l Ir

I ty!y$ lmin
Aseptic
filling Milk in Tubular
regeneration
1
Packed
product

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of an indirect UHT sterilization plant.

382 Ch. V K Satyanarayana, A. K, Datta, B. I? Mishra

For the TTHE the heat balance gives:

&,,C,AT,,=(UoA,, + U,Az)AT,m (1)
The overall heat transfer coefficients can be obtained from:
U,,=(llh,+D~, In(D,IIDil)/2k,,+D,,lh,lDil)-’ (2)

Obtain Tr
using eqn (6)

I
Calculate hc,, h%,
using eqns (4) and (5)

4
Yes

I Calculate length
usingeqn (11) I

Fig. 2. Flow chart of steps showing

dstop

computer simulation.
 Design and testing ofa small scale indirect type UHT milk sterilizer 383

Ui,=(l/h,+Di, ln(D~,2/0i2)/2kss+Di2/h.2D,,*)-’ (3)

The condensate heat transfer coefficients can be obtained from the
following equations (Kern, 1984):
h,~=0.815(k~p,ZgR/~,Di,(T~-T~))0’25 (4)
h,2=0.725(k~p~gil~,D,,2(T, - Tf))‘1.2s (5)
Both eqns (4) and (5) are obtained with the assumption that the flow of the
condensate is laminar, i.e. 22,/p,< 1.2 x 10’ and k,, p. pc are estimated at
the film temperature T,:
Tf= T, - 0.75 (T, - Ti ,/To2wa,,) (Cuevas & Cheryan, 1982) (6)
Based on the principle of additive thermal resistances, it can be shown that:
(Ts-Ti,~,ll)l(~lh,,)=(~i,,,~~-T~)i((~,,-~i~)l~ss+(llh,)) (7)
(Ts - To2wa11 )l(llh,2)=(Ts-T,2,,,,)l((D,2_Di2)i~ss+(llh,)) (8)

The milk side film coefficient can be estimated from:

h,=(k,/D.,) (0~023(N,,)0’8(N,,)0’“‘((~,)l(~,;,,,)),”’4) (9)
Equation (9) (Geankoplis, 1983) is valid for N,,>4000 and 7tNp, ~700.
For the cooling section that heat balance equation is as follows:
riz,C,AT,=riz,C,AT,=Ui,Ai,AT,, (10)
ui,=(DI/D:,h,+DIln(D:,/D~/2k,,+ l/h,)-’ (11)
h,=(k,/D~(O~O23(N~~)0~x(N~~)0~33((~~)/(~~~,,))0”4) (12)
Wall temperatures were estimated as follows:
(T,-T,_,~,,)l(lih”,)=(T,U ,,,,-T,)l((D:,-D1)/2k,,+(lih,)) (13)
VW-Tw, d,,)/(llh,)=(L_,~,, -T,)l((D:,-D1)/2k,,+(lih,)) (14)

A-Lam&u
B-Transition
C-Turbulent

5.0 1.5 1.0

Volumeflow rate, Llmin

Fig. 3. Calculated ITHE length for different milk flow rates.

384 Ch. K K Satyanarayana, A. K. Datta, B. P Mishra

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Based on the above equations, the computer aided calculation steps are
shown in Fig. 2. Assuming volume flow rates of milk between 1 and 75
litres/min, the theoretical lengths of the TTHE were obtained. Figure 3
shows the variation of length with flow rate. Regions A, B, C indicate
lamina, transitional, and turbulent flow rates, respectively. The onset of
turbulence is indicated at 4.1 litre/min and this flow rate corresponds to the
minimum theoretical design length required for the TTHE.

1. Inner tube.
2. Middle tube
3. Outertube
4. Milkinlet
5. Steaminlet All dimensions in mm
6. Condensate outlet
7. Milk outlet
8. Water inlet
9. Water outlet
10. Seat for transducer
Il. Back pressurevalve

Fig. 4. Front elevation of the TTHE, holding section, and cooling section.

TABLE 1
Bacteria Counts for Various Milk Samples

Pre-pasteurized Boiled milk Inoculated Sterilized

milk samples samples milk samples milk samples

Dilution factor 1:lO” 1:105 l:loK 1:l

B. Stearothennophilus - 9 0
B. Subtilis 29 0
All organisms 23 0 - -
 TABLE 2
Performance of the Triple Tube Heat Exchanger (TTHE) with Milk

Volume pow Buck pressure Outlet Temperature Overall heat

rate of milk of milk temperature rise transfer
(litreslmin) (Mpa) (“C) (“C) coeflcient
(W/m2 K)
lJ 01 or,2

4.1 0.4 142 47 2141 2517

4.7 0.34 134 39 2308 2702
5.4 0.3 132 37 2487 2896

Milk inlet temperaturi 95°C; steam temperature 157°C.

386 Ch. V K Satyanarayana,A. K. Datta, B. R Mishra

Figure 4 shows the front elevation of the apparatus. For performance

tests bovine milk was obtained from local suppliers. A bacterial colony count
was done on fresh and boiled milk samples. Sterilization was carried out
after inoculation with 0.3 g/litre B. Subtilis and O-1 g/litre B.
Steurothemophilus as the ratio of these two organisms in bovine milk
available in India is of that order (Atwal et al., 1974). Bacterial colony
counts were carried out on samples of inoculated and sterilized milk. Steam
was supplied by the ‘VASPA’ electric boiler (Model JR-l, Laxmi Boilers,
Bombay). Three milk flow rates of 4.1, 4.7 and 5.4 litre/min were selected;
the back pressures for these flow rates were 0.4, 0.34 and 0.3 MPa,
respectively. The flow rate of the cooling water was 6 litre/min.
Chromel-alumel thermocouples with a digital indicator were used for
temperature measurement. The inlet milk temperature was 95°C in all cases.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1 gives the bacteria counts for various milk samples. Sterilized
samples with zero count indicate the effectiveness of the process. Each
observation in Table 1 is the average of three samples. The absence of
colonies on plates for boiled or pasteurized milk was obtained at smaller
dilutions. Hence, the absence of mesophilic or thermophilic spores from
boiled milk is not proven conclusively. But the scope of this study did not
include such aspects.
Table 2 shows the effect of flow rate on milk outlet temperature. As
evident, the highest temperature of 142°C was achieved with the ‘onset of
turbulence’ flow rate of 4.1 litres/min. As the flow rate is increased, both the
outlet temperature and fluid back pressure decreased. Although the overall
heat transfer coefficients increase with increasing flow rate due to enhanced
turbulence, the larger quantity of milk fails to achieve the sterilization
temperature. Another aspect of sterilization, which was outside the scope of
this study, was the effect of prolonged heating on the milk outlet
temperature as fouling of the heat exchange surface would have affected its
performance. The laboratory model boiler also imposed some restrictions
regarding the maximum steam pressure available in this study.
Thus the designed unit is capable of sterilizing milk. A boiler with steam
delivery at higher pressures would be able to raise the final milk
temperature even higher and sustained operation for at least a few hours
would be possible.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Pasteur Engineering Laboratory, Calcutta, is sincerely acknowledged

for constructing the sterilizer.

REFERENCES

Atwal, J. S., Shroff, D. N., Chand, R. & Srinivasan, R. A. (1974). Studies on aerobic
spore forming bacteria in milk and milk products. Part I: Occurrence in raw and
pasteurized milk. Indian J. Dairy Sci., 22, 27.
 Design and testing of a small scale indirect type UHT milk sterilizer .3x7

Bell, R. W. & Sanders, C. F. (1944). Prevention of milk stone formation in a HTSI

heater by pretreatment of milk. J. Dairy Res., 27,499-504.
Burton, H. (1988). Ultra High Temperature Processing of Milk and Milk Products.
Elsevier Applied Science, London, pp. 292-S.
Cuevas, R. & Cheryan, M. (1982). Heat transfer in a vertical liquid full scraped
surface heat exchanger: application of the penetration theory and Wilson plots
method. J. Food Proc. Engng, 5, t-21.
Geankoplis, C. J. (1983). Transport Processes and Unit Operations. Allyn and Bacon.
Inc., London, p. 230.
Kaur, M. & Gill, G. S. (1989). Milk production, consumption and disposal pattern in
the rural areas of Ludhiana district (Punjab). Indian J. Dairy Sci., 42 (4), 689-93.
Kern, D. Q. (1984). Process Heat Transfer. McGraw-Hill International, New York.
pp. 263-9.
Kessler, H. G. (1981). Food Engineering and Dairy Technology. Verlag A. Kessler
Publishing, Freising, Germany, p. 54i.
Pien, J. (1955). Definition of sterilized milk, milk sterilization. FAO Report, Rome,
pp. 7-16.