Milk Filter Countercurrent Pulse Cleaning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing milking devices do not effectively clean the milk filter, leading to reduced milk quality and filter blockages, which can cause the milking device to malfunction, and require frequent replacement of filter sleeves.
Innovation Solution
A milking device with a milk filter that uses a combination of countercurrent cleaning with pulses of cleaning liquid, where the liquid level forms a 'wall' to enhance turbulence, particularly targeting soiled holes higher up, and includes features like a pressure device, valve control, and compressed air to improve cleaning efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If countercurrent cleaning is used to clean the milk filter, then the filter can be cleaned without replacement, but the cleaning is insufficient particularly at upper holes leading to blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device operates in periodic pulses, alternating between filling the filter volume with cleaning liquid and draining it. This periodic action creates repeated cycles of liquid level changes that generate turbulence and improve cleaning effectiveness at all levels of the filter, including upper holes that were previously insufficiently cleaned.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the liquid level parameter dynamically by filling and draining the filter volume in pulses. This parameter change creates varying flow conditions and turbulence intensities that enhance the cleaning action throughout the entire filter, addressing the insufficiency of constant flow cleaning methods.
2Reliability
If filter sleeves are replaced frequently to maintain cleaning quality, then milk quality is maintained, but labor and material waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device enables the filter to clean itself through automated countercurrent flushing with periodic pulses. The system uses cleaning liquid that is circulated through the filter in reverse flow direction, removing accumulated dirt and maintaining filtering performance without requiring manual intervention or replacement, thus reducing labor time while maintaining milk quality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the entire filter sleeve when it becomes soiled, the system recovers the filter by cleaning it in place using countercurrent flushing. The periodic pulse action removes accumulated contaminants while retaining the filter component in service, eliminating the need for frequent replacements and reducing both labor and material waste.
3Reliability
If the filter volume is filled with cleaning liquid to create turbulence, then cleaning action improves, but cleaning liquid consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic pulsing where the filter volume is filled with cleaning liquid only during the filling phase of each pulse cycle, then drained during the drainage phase. This periodic filling and draining creates turbulence for effective cleaning while limiting the total amount of cleaning liquid used compared to continuous filling, as the same liquid is reused and recirculated across multiple pulses.
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
The solution significantly improves the cleaning action on the milk filter, particularly at the upper holes, reducing blockages and extending the filter's lifespan by maintaining milk quality and reducing labor and material waste.
Implementation Method 1
the amount of liquid collected in the filter volume, due to its non-compressibility, forms a kind of wall which the cleaning liquid of the next pulse hits. This collision creates additional turbulence resulting in a greater turbulence intensity in the liquid
Implementation Method 2
the cleaning device is configured to clean the milk filter by passing cleaning liquid through the milk filter in a countercurrent direction opposite to the first direction
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~4B
AI summary
A milking device (1) is provided with milking means, a control unit (11), a milk line (5) for transporting the milk from the milking means to a milk tank (7), a milk filter (8) for filtering the milk passing through the milk line (5), and a cleaning device for the milk filter (8) with cleaning liquid (42). The milk filter (8) comprises a housing (23) which surrounds a filter (8) volume and has a milk inlet and a milk outlet, and a filter (8) component in the filter (8) volume. The filter (8) component comprises a circumferential plate part (21) with filter holes (40), and divides the filter volume into a central inner filter volume (22) and an outer filter volume (24) surrounding the latter. The milk filter (8) is configured to be flushed, in use, with the milk to be filtered from the milk inlet to the milk outlet. The cleaning device is configured to clean the milk filter (8) by passing cleaning liquid (42) through the milk filter (8) in a countercurrent direction in consecutive pulses, in such a way that, in each pulse, during a first pulse stage more cleaning liquid (42) is supplied than is discharged, and subsequently, during a second pulse stage, at least as much cleaning liquid (42) flows from the filter (8) volume as is supplied. As a result thereof, an amount of cleaning liquid (42) always collects in the filter (8) volume up to a liquid level, which surrounds at least some of the plurality of holes (40). The next pulse makes cleaning liquid (42) collide with the liquid level, which improves the cleaning of the filter (8).