New Tetra Pak separators reduce energy consumption by 40%

By Jim Cornall

- Last updated on GMT

Tetra Pak separator. Pic: Tetra Pak.
Tetra Pak separator. Pic: Tetra Pak.

Related tags Tetra pak Tetra pak processing Dairy processors

Tetra Pak has reduced the energy use of its separators by 40%, by incorporating a pressure management technology, Encapt, into the systems’ design.

Available globally, Tetra Pak Separators are used to separate milk into cream and skim milk, clarify juice by removing particles, treat whey, produce anhydrous milk fat (butter oil) and for other applications.

Tetra Pak has a pending patent for the automation of the separators that enables Encapt to work.

Less energy required

The Encapt technology lowers the atmospheric pressure around the spinning bowl using a low-pressure pump, and the system is supervised by sensors that keep air friction minimal. Less friction means less energy is required.

Combined with Tetra Pak’s AirTight design inside the bowl, where the whole system is hermetically sealed to ensure no air enters. With the inlet at the bottom, and the outlet at the top it saves the center for outlet flow, and so requires less energy.

Tetra Pak said the two technologies together make the machines the most efficient on the market.

Tetra Pak product manager, Ulrika Rehn said, “We want to help customers meet the challenge of achieving superior product quality with lower operational costs, and a lower environmental footprint. Most commonly used to separate milk or whey – the Tetra Pak Separators with Encapt technology, when paired with AirTight technology, offer incomparable energy savings.

“Customers can use the same line for different products, and achieve higher energy efficiencies than any other model available. In fact, they can save around 4m kWh during the machines’ lifespan.”

Two- to three-year payback

Holger Lüers, general manager at Müritz Milch GmbH, a part of Germany’s DMK group, said, “The AirTight technology ensures energy efficient separation and a flexible flow rate to the line during a production run. Plus, the additional energy savings brought by the low-pressure technology is a real bonus.”

Tetra Pak said producers can expect to pay back the cost of the machine in approximately two to three years.

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2 comments

Response

Posted by Jim Cornall,

Thanks for the question! In response, a Tetra Pak spokesperson said, "When considering the total energy consumption for a separator, the energy losses from the drive system itself plays a minor role when compared to the impacts from the design of the bowl, the inlet and outlet, as well as from air friction around the bowl. The AirTight design itself is key when compared to alternative separator designs in terms of energy efficiency – combined with our new Encapt technology the energy benefit is even larger. The energy consumption difference when using a direct drive compared to the gear drive for our AirTight separators is typically less than 1kW."

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Still gear drive concept?

Posted by Bob Becks,

How comes Tetra Pak still promotes the gear drive for its dairy separators while focussing energy efficiency? Isn't there some more energy saving potential thinking about more "direct" driving technologies?

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