Sordi STERIPLAK-T UHT tubular plant: new technology rim for Russian milk

22/06/06 SORDI was one of the first companies in the world to develop the indirect UHT process technology and to realize the first plants in Italy.

The installation in Parmalat Belgorod Dairy confirmed the strong technology know-how to design this kind of equipment and gave good results also for Russian milk sterilisation.

STERIPLAK-T works with high autonomy and flexibility

During the planning and engineering studies special attention was paid to the Delta-Temperature of product /sterilization water, the stabilizing holding  and the controls. Morever  the cleaning cycles have been optimised for a correct plant sanitization.

The STERIPLAK-T UHT tubular plant is an extremely reliable and updated plant applying last generation technologies such as, for instance, the heat exchange system with corrugated pipes.

CORRUGATED PIPES

Corrugation represents the technology enabling the heat exchange optimisation in the tubular units; it is a special working made on the smooth pipe to get an internal surface able to create a higher turbulence in the fluid motion.

Because of the corrugation, the heat exchange yield is increased in percentage variable from 40% to 90%.

The increased thermal yield, obtained by the corrugation, enables:

• Reduction of the contact time of product to be processed (higher organoleptic quality of the final product)
• Reduction of the product holding time inside the exchanger (higher nutritional quality of the final product)
• Possibility to work at high pressures and temperatures
• Reduction of the cleaning times thanks to the higher mechanical action, generated by turbulence

To notice that the tubular STERIPLAK-T plants are used with multitube heat exchangers which contain, inside their structure, several corrugated tubes which allow to increase the heat exchange surface, keeping at the same time the overall dimensions of the element.

Reliability of the STERIPLAK-T system

The engineering solutions, such as assembly and choice of the components, are the result of a wide experience gained in the manufacture of the UHT plants, in particular the system reliability is assured by first-class components.

The plants are extremely flexible because on the same plant it is possible to produce a wide range of products from plain and flavoured milk to the fruit juices/drinks, tea, long shelf-life acidified products, kitchen cream, whipping cream, puddings, ice-cream mix etc.

An indirect heat regeneration system (product / water/ product) ensures the safety of the works. The heat regeneration water is recycled in a closed circuit system.

In this way, should any problem occurs, the product will come in contact with a sterilized water only; there is no possibility that the raw product comes in contact with the sterilized product.

The final sterilization section is made by product/ hot water in such a way to ensure the highest softness of the heat treatment i.e. the lowest Delta-T value.

Control system

The STERIPLAK-T is complete with PLC SIEMENS and the operator control interface. The system is programmed with an operational software enabling the control of the main process parameters.