ENERGY-SAVING REFRIGERATION SOLUTION FOR DAIRY INDUSTRY

Efficient refrigeration is the backbone of every dairy plant. With rising energy costs, stricter environmental norms, and growing demand for high‑quality milk products, dairy processors must adopt refrigeration technologies that ensure reliable cooling at the lowest possible energy footprint.

Mr. P Sudhir Kumar, Director of Marketing at Frick India, provided insights into the advanced, energy-efficient refrigeration solutions that Frick India offers for the dairy industry.

1. The Role of Refrigeration in Dairy Processing

Dairy plants handle highly perishable products such as milk, cream, butter, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream. Therefore, rapid and efficient heat extraction is essential at every stage:

• Raw milk chilling
• Milk processing (pasteurization, homogenization, standardization)
• Storage of finished products
• Cold room and deep-freezing applications
• Transportation in cold chain networks

The total refrigeration load depends on product quantity, process temperatures, water chilling requirements, and cold storage capacity. A well‑designed system can significantly reduce operational costs and downtime.

2. Energy‑Efficient Equipment’s

Screw Compressors: Ammonia screw compressors provide 0.09–0.10 BKW/TR lower energy consumption than traditional compressors.

• 0–100% stepless capacity control
• Fewer moving parts → lower maintenance
• Thermosiphon oil cooling (no water cooling required)
• Direct‑coupled motors ensuring minimal losses
• Up to 25,000 hours maintenance-free operation

These features make screw compressors ideal for dairy operations.

Evaporative Condensers: Plate type and coil type evaporative condensers to ensure energy savings:

• 50% lower connected load for pumps and fans
• Lower condensing temperatures, reducing compressor power consumption
• Compact design requiring no civil work
• Performs better than shell‑and‑tube or atmospheric condensers
• Even a 2–4°C reduction in condensing temperature significantly reduces BKW/TR (kW per ton of refrigeration), directly lowering power bills.

Liquid Ammonia Pumping System: A highly advanced refrigeration feeding method, providing:

• 10–20% power savings
• Up to 4 times higher refrigeration feed rate than conventional systems
• Stable operation with constant evaporating temperature
• Eliminates accumulators and reduces equipment size
• Prevents liquid refrigerant carryover

This results in better evaporator performance and lower compressor running time.

Thermosiphon Oil Cooling Systems: Frick India replaces conventional water‑cooled oil systems with thermosiphon systems that:

• Eliminate water contamination risks
• Require smaller refrigerant piping
• Reduce system complexity
• Increase heat transfer efficiency
• Provide reliable free cooling during colder ambient conditions

Chilled Water Systems with VFD‑Enabled Pumps: Modern chilled water distribution uses:

• Vertical inline pumps
• Automated lead–lag sequencing via PLC
• Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) to avoid excessive pumping
• Air purger for removing non‑condensable

These features result in stable chilled water temperatures and reduced electricity consumption.

Ice Bank Tank (IBT) Systems: A conventional yet efficient solution that offers:

• Thermal energy storage
• Reduced peak load on compressors
• Reliable backup during power failures
• Smaller refrigeration plant capacity

IBT systems continue to be a safe and cost‑effective option for small to mid‑scale dairies.

Falling Film Chillers (FF Chillers): For large dairies, we recommends Falling Film Chillers because they:

• Deliver near‑zero degree Celsius chilled water
• Operate with exceptional energy efficiency
• Offer faster heat transfer compared to PHE‑based chillers
• Can be combined with IBT systems for maximum savings

A hybrid system (FF Chiller + IBT) achieves:

• Pre‑chilling return water from 12°C to 2°C
• Final cooling in IBT down to 0.5°C
• Huge power savings during peak process loads

We supports the use of low‑charge ammonia (R717) systems due to Zero ODP & GWP. By selecting IE-4 Energy‑efficient motors and VFD drives significantly improve system performance, reduce energy bills and smooth compressor operation.

3. Practical Example of Energy Savings

Lowering suction temperature dramatically reduces power consumption: At −10°C SST: 0.93 BKW/TR At −5°C SST: 0.79 BKW/TR At −2°C SST: 0.72 BKW/TR For a 200 TR plant running 16 hrs/day, raising SST from −10°C to −5°C saves: ₹13.08 lakh per year Further increasing SST to −2°C saves an additional: ₹6.55 lakh per year This highlights how correct equipment selection and design can transform plant economics.

4. Frick India Automation ensures Precision temperature control, Load monitoring and optimization, Reduced manual errors, Enhanced safety, Instant fault diagnostics. Automated plants achieve higher uptime, consistent product quality, and lower operational costs.

Conclusion Frick India’s energy-efficient refrigeration solutions—ranging from compressors, evaporative condensers, liquid ammonia pumps, falling film chillers, and automation—are transforming India’s dairy industry. These technologies not only reduce energy consumption but also ensure reliability, sustainability, and compliance with global environmental standards. By selecting the right system based on load analysis, dairy plants can achieve significant operational savings, improved production capacity, and long-term profitability.