The measuring technology for milk collection vehicles has no air eliminator and can take up to 2,000 litres per minute of milk at the farm with an average of 1,500 per minute.
Euro 6 diesel engine emission legislations
Speaking at Anuga FoodTec 2015, Lutz Relprich, manager, FOOD Division, Bartec Benke said by not having an air separation system results in a weight of 200kg, which is ‘very light’ and conforms to Euro 6, the latest diesel engine emission legislations by the European Commission.
“Traditional air eliminators in milk collection vehicles work reliably but are extremely complicated and time-consuming. It’s all about air, avoiding air and paying for milk and not for air,” he said.
“When you draw in milk, which is an emulsion in different layers, it is unavoidable that foam builds up. When you draw it in at 1,000-2,000l per minute there are air bubbles in the liquid.
“The larger the dairy, the billion litres saved per year in increased accuracy is substantial. We don’t have an air separator so we measure the air electronically with a bubble sensor. As the milk rushes through the bubble sensor we detect the smallest air bubbles and mathematically take them out. We ‘look through the milk’ and determine within a short time how much air is in there and calculate it out.”
Relprich said Bartec Goup was established in 1975 in Bad Mergentheim, Germany, and now has 11 production sites. It has 3,250 milk measuring equipment and 500 of those are abroad.
Measuring Instruments Directive approved
Customers include Arla, Danone, Nestlé and Fonterra and Tiger is MID (Measuring Instruments Directive) approved.
By acquiring Top Group, comprising FEAM, NUOVA ASP and FENEX, the firm is on track to achieve an annual turnover of EUR 400m.
“The large dairies come to us and we work closely with our customers to try to empower them to help themselves, “ he added.
“We have an open management structure with 20 engineers, a software team, 30 international patents, and a training centre for customers, and prototype testing in the field.
“Our software developers ride on milk trucks to get an idea of what these people deal with every day, our technology is built on three groups; the farmer, the trucking company and the dairy.
“Everyone is fascinated that the Tiger system pumps so fast but with the GPRS (general packet radio service) online function, our system can be maintained and updated remotely. We can watch the trucks from our desks, we know if there is something wrong with our truck before the truck driver notices it.
“The system we have is fast and lightweight adding to diesel fuel savings and low maintenance.
“We draw in the milk, measure it and sample it. We have two bubble sensors; one to detect the air and one to measure the liquid. It’s not the bubble sensor alone but the algorithm to measure it, the sensors are so exact they steer the pump.
“We don’t like to harm the milk, the system always runs just under the cavitation point. Some systems are very archaic regarding measurement. We have solved the speed accuracy paradox, it is fast but accurate at that speed.”