Dairy Pasteurization

Dairy Heat Exchangers for Pasteurization

Effective dairy pasteurization demands accurate, high-speed heat transfer to achieve required temperatures quickly, destroy pathogens, and immediately cool products to preserve freshness and prevent over-processing. Modern sanitary heat exchangers support continuous flow systems for HTST (typically 72°C for 15 seconds) and UHT (up to 150°C for seconds) treatments, incorporating regeneration sections that recover 90-95% of energy by preheating incoming raw milk with outgoing hot pasteurized milk. Plate-and-frame designs excel in turbulent flow for efficient transfer in low-viscosity fluids, shell-and-tube handle higher pressures, tube-in-tube manage sensitive flows, and integrated chillers ensure post-treatment cooling below 4°C, all while maintaining strict hygiene for extended shelf life and product safety.

• Cream Pasteurization: Heat exchangers heat cream to 72–85°C for HTST, killing pathogens while preserving fat globules and texture in whipping or heavy cream products.

• Concentration Evaporation: Multi-effect falling film systems concentrate skim milk or whey to 50%+ solids at 50–70°C under vacuum, minimizing caramelization and energy use.

• Regenerative Cooling: Post-processing cooling drops concentrates to 4–10°C using glycol chillers, preventing crystallization and ensuring stability during storage.

• UHT for Extended Shelf Life: Tubular exchangers sterilize cream at 135–150°C for aseptic packaging, enabling ambient storage without separation.

• CIP for Viscous Residues: Automated clean-in-place cycles remove fat and protein buildup, restoring efficiency in high-fouling cream and concentrate lines.