Yoghurt Processing

Planning / Implementation / Main components

KWN Engineering-Gesellschaft mbH

Refrigerant

Ammonia (NH₃) 60 % / dimethyl ether (C₂H₆O) 40 % (mixture)

System start-up

2004

Kärntnermilch, a big farmers' cooperative with over 3,000 members, operates a modern production plant in Spittal/Drau, Austria. Each year, the plant processes some 74 million liters of raw milk into yoghurt, cheese and other dairy products.

Demands

To allow the cooperative to environmentally friendly modernise and expand its existing production capacity a spiral freezer for cooling yoghurt using natural refrigerants was needed.

Solution

The KWN Engineering-Gesellschaft mbH planned an indirect plant with a compact set of refrigeration units. This marks the first time that an ammonia/dimethyl ether mixture is used as a refrigerant in Austria.

Type of facility

Liquid chiller

Refrigerant

R 723 (60 % NH₃ / 40 % C₂H₆O)

Refrigerant volume

18 kg

Refrigerant

Propylene glycol

Refrigerant capacity

230 kW

Main components

2 piston compressors with air-cooled condensers