Milk Cooling Control Unit for Variable Flow Rate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing milk cooling systems face inefficiencies in energy consumption and overall cooling efficiency due to varying milk flow rates from different animals during milking sessions, making it challenging to maintain stable temperature and quality.
Innovation Solution
A control unit that adjusts the milk flow rate through a cooling system based on real-time milk level signals and predictive parameters, such as animal milking data and future milk yield estimates, to optimize pumping and cooling capacity, thereby stabilizing the milk flow and reducing energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the milk pump operates at high capacity to handle peak milk flow from multiple animals, then the cooling system can process maximum milk volume, but energy consumption increases during low-flow periods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the pump capacity adjustable and variable rather than fixed. The control unit dynamically adapts the pump's operating point based on real-time milk flow rate from the balance tank, allowing the system to match pumping capacity to actual processing needs and minimize energy consumption during low-flow periods while maintaining high capacity when needed
2Productivity
If the cooling system operates at high capacity to cool peak milk flow, then maximum milk volume can be cooled, but energy consumption increases during low-flow periods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control where the control unit continuously monitors the milk flow rate from the balance tank and uses this information to dynamically adjust the cooling system's operating point. This feedback mechanism ensures the cooling capacity matches the actual milk flow, preventing energy waste during low-flow periods while maintaining adequate cooling capacity when milk flow is high
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system operates dynamically with variable capacity rather than at fixed high capacity. The control unit adapts the cooling operating point in real-time based on measured milk flow rate, allowing the system to optimize energy consumption by reducing cooling capacity during low-flow periods while maintaining sufficient capacity during peak periods
3Stability of the object's composition
If the pump operates continuously at high flow rate, then milk level in balance tank is maintained, but unnecessary energy is consumed when milk input is low
Solution Approach 1:
The system takes preliminary action by proactively adapting the pump operating point based on predicted or measured milk input patterns. The control unit uses information about expected milk input to adjust pumping capacity in advance, preventing both over-pumping (wasting energy) and under-pumping (allowing level to drop) by preparing the system for anticipated flow conditions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures stable milk temperature and efficient energy use by proactively adjusting the milk flow rate and cooling capacity, preventing unnecessary changes in pumping and cooling operations, thus maintaining high milk quality and reducing energy waste.
Implementation Method 1
a milk pump in the cooling system. The milk pump is arranged to cause the flow of milk to be pumped out from the balance tank
Implementation Method 2
control a flow of milk through a cooling system from a balance tank to a storage tank
Data Source
AI summary
A control unit arranged to control a flow of milk through a cooling system from a balance tank to a storage tank where the balance tank receives an input in the form of milk from a number of milking points and the control unit receives a first level-indicating signal reflecting a milk level in the balance tank and a prediction parameter indicating an estimated future input of milk from the number of milking points for generating a first control signal to a milk pump in the cooling system for causing the flow of milk to be pumped out from the balance tank at a flow rate determined by the first control signal.