In-Line Milk Sensor With Flow Diversion for Stable Mastitis Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing in-line sensors for pulsed milk flows in dairy milking systems are inefficient, costly, and prone to foaming, turbulence, and contamination, making it difficult to accurately detect mastitis and other milk quality issues, particularly when installed between a milking cup and claw.
Innovation Solution
An in-line sensor with an elongated housing and liquid diverter that splits the milk flow into primary and secondary streams, allowing continuous measurement of the secondary stream using a sensor, with the secondary stream self-emptying via gravity, minimizing foaming and interference with the primary flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing in-line sensors are used to measure pulsed milk flow, then mastitis detection is attempted, but the sensors produce wildly variable readings due to air-liquid spacing in pulsed flow
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system segments the pulsed milk flow into a continuous liquid sample stream and an air stream. The liquid sample is diverted through a separate passage that maintains continuous contact with the sensor, while the air stream passes through the main flow path. This segmentation allows the sensor to measure liquid properties continuously without being affected by air-liquid spacing in the pulsed flow.
Solution Approach 2:
A liquid sample diversion system acts as an intermediary between the pulsed milk flow and the sensor. This intermediary system continuously collects liquid samples from the pulsed flow and delivers them to the sensor through a separate continuous passage, ensuring stable sensing conditions without direct exposure to the air-liquid interfaces of the main pulsed stream.
2Measurement precision
If trap type systems or wells are used to hold pulsed liquid stream, then continuous measurement is enabled, but the systems become complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor housing is segmented into distinct functional passages: a main flow path for the pulsed milk stream and a separate continuous passage for liquid sample collection. This segmentation allows simple, direct routing of liquid to the sensor without requiring complex trap mechanisms or reservoir systems, reducing overall device complexity while enabling continuous measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the necessary liquid sample continuously from the pulsed flow through a diversion passage, rather than requiring the entire pulsed stream to be captured and held in complex traps or wells. This extraction approach simplifies the system by removing unnecessary components while maintaining continuous measurement capability.
3Quantity of substance
If sensors impede the measured liquid passage to capture sample, then liquid retention is achieved, but foaming and turbulence occur interfering with measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path is segmented into a main stream and a separate sample diversion passage. The sample passage is designed to divert liquid smoothly without creating turbulence or foaming, while the main flow continues uninterrupted. This segmentation allows liquid retention for measurement without the harmful effects generated by impediments in the main flow path.
Solution Approach 2:
The system takes out a liquid sample through a dedicated diversion passage that is designed to minimize turbulence and foaming. By extracting the sample through a separate, optimized pathway rather than impeding the main flow, the system achieves liquid retention for measurement while avoiding the generation of harmful foaming and turbulence effects.
4Extent of automation
If existing automated sensors are installed, then mastitis detection is automated, but they are expensive, complex to operate and require difficult integration
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is designed with universal features that allow it to function in standard milking cluster configurations without specialized integration. The housing and passages are configured to work with conventional milk flow rates and pulsation patterns, making the system broadly applicable to existing dairy operations without requiring complex custom integration or specialized operation procedures.
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 provides accurate, reliable, and cost-effective mastitis detection by ensuring continuous measurement of milk properties, easy integration, and self-cleaning, reducing contamination and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
the liquid diverter configured to capture less than 40% by volume of a total pulsed milk flow through the in-line sensor as the secondary flow into the liquid diverter
Implementation Method 2
the inlet, in use, being positioned generally above the outlet to allow gravity to assist with pulsed milk flow through the elongated housing
Implementation Method 3
a flow restrictor outlet configured to restrict a flow rate of the secondary flow of milk from the liquid diverter
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is an in-line sensor for sensing properties of a pulsed milk flow on a continuous basis. A milking cluster comprising multiple pulsed milk flow inputs from lactating animal teats and a mixing point or claw for the multiple inputs is described that includes multiple in-line sensors for each pulsed milk flow input. Methods of use of the in-line sensor and milking cluster are also described. The in-line sensor described may be easily integrated into existing milking apparatus, is reliable, has a low cost, and is self-cleaning/self-emptying.