System and method for evaluating a cleaning process in respect of a milk transporting conduit structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10849305-B2
Application number	US-201615779041-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2016
Priority date	Nov 27, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

The cleaning of milk transporting conduit structure involves introducing fluid and an amount of gas into the milk transporting conduit structure, which causes a slug of fluid to be formed in and forwarded through the milk transporting conduit structure. A sensor arrangement measures at least one parameter related to the slug, and repeatedly forwards updatings of the at least one measured parameter to the data processor. Based thereon, the data processor produces an indicator of at least one quality of the cleaning process. The indicator reflects a cross-sectional profile of the slug at at least one position in the milk transporting conduit structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An analyzing system for evaluating a cleaning process in respect of a milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ), comprising:
a fluid inlet ( 120 ) configured to introduce fluid into the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 );
an injector ( 115 ) configured to introduce an amount of gas (G) into the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ) thus producing a temporary pressure increase therein to cause a slug (S) of fluid to be formed in and forwarded through the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 );
a sensor arrangement including first and second pressure sensors configured to register a pressure level inside the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ), the first and second pressure sensors positioned at a distance (d) from each other along the conduit structure with the first pressure sensor ( 151 ) located at a first measurement point (A) in proximity to and downstream of the injector ( 115 ) relative to a flow direction for the slug (S) and the second pressure sensor located at a second measurement point (B) downstream of the first measurement point (A) on the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ); and
a data processor ( 150 ) configured to receive pressure information from the first and second pressure sensors, and based on said pressure information and the distance between the first and second pressure sensors, determine an average velocity of the slug (S) as at least one quality of the cleaning process,
wherein the pressure information reflects a cross-sectional profile of the slug (S) at respective locations of the first and second pressure sensors in the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ),
wherein the sensor arrangement is configured to repeatedly forward updatings of the at least one measured parameter to the data processor ( 150 ), and
wherein the data processor ( 150 ) is further configured to:
receive a distance measure (d) reflecting a length of the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ) between the first and second measurement points (A; B),
receive a value of a first registered point in time (t 1 ) when the slug (S) is considered to pass the first measurement point (A),
receive a value of a second registered point in time (t 2 ) when the slug (S) is considered to pass the second measurement point (B), and
calculate the average velocity of the slug (S) based on the distance measure (d) and the first and second points in time, the average velocity representing an indicator of the at least one quality of the cleaning process.

2. The analyzing system according to claim 1 , wherein the data processor ( 150 ) generates graphical data expressing how the slug (S) is distributed in the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ) as a function of time (T S ) or length (L S ) along the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ).

3. The analyzing system according to claim 2 , wherein the data processor ( 150 ) is configured to, based on repeated received pressure information from the first and second pressure sensors, determine at least one of:
a cross-sectional length (L S ) of the slug (S) defined as a distance of the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ) being fully filled by the slug (S); and
an extension in time (T S ) of the slug (S) defined as an interval during which the slug (S) fully fills the cross section (CC) of the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ) at a particular position (P).

4. The analyzing system according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlet ( 120 ) is in communication with a controllable valve ( 125 ) configured to cause a particular amount of fluid to be introduced into the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ) before the injector ( 115 ) introduces the amount of gas (G) into the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ).

5. The analyzing system according to claim 1 , wherein the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ) comprises at least one milking point ( 111 ) located between the first and second measurement points (A; B), the at least one milking point ( 111 ) being connected to the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ) in such a manner that when the slug (S) passes from the first measurement point (A) to the second measurement point (B) the slug (S) passes through a conduit arrangement of the at least one milking point ( 111 ).

6. The analyzing system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor arrangement further comprises a temperature sensor ( 153 ) configured to register a temperature level (T) inside the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ) and repeatedly forward updatings of the registered temperature level (T) to the data processor ( 150 ), and
the data processor ( 150 ) generates graphical data expressing the temperature level (T) inside the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ) as a function of time (t).

7. The analyzing system according to claim 1 , wherein the data processor ( 150 ) is further configured to:
collect data in respect of at least two slugs (S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , S 4 , S 5 , S 6 , S 7 ), and
produce data reflecting at least one characteristic of the at least two slugs (S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , S 4 , S 5 , S 6 , S 7 ) on a graphical format representing each of the at least two slugs (S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , S 4 , S 5 , S 6 , S 7 ) individually.

8. The analyzing system according to claim 1 , wherein the data processor ( 150 ) is configured to assign a quality level to the slug (S) based on at least one slope criterion with respect to the cross-sectional profile of the slug (S) at at least one of the first measurement point (A) and the second measurement point (B) in the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ).

9. The analyzing system according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one slope criterion relates to at least one of a leading edge ( 210 ) and a trailing edge ( 220 ) of the slug (S).

10. The analyzing system according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor arrangement is removably attached to the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ).

11. The analyzing system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor arrangement is configured to repeatedly transmit pressure information to the data processor ( 150 ) wirelessly, and
the data processor ( 150 ) is configured to wirelessly receive the repeatedly transmitted pressure information.

12. A method of evaluating a cleaning process of a milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ), the method comprising:
introducing fluid into the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ) via a fluid inlet ( 120 );
introducing an amount of gas (G) into the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ) via an injector ( 115 ) thus producing a temporary pressure increase therein causing a slug (S) of fluid to be formed in and forwarded through the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 );
measuring at least one parameter related to the slug via a sensor arrangement that includes first and second pressure sensors configured to register a pressure level inside the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ), the first and second pressure sensors positioned at a distance from each other along the conduit structure with the first pressure sensor ( 151 ) located at a first measurement point (A) in proximity to and downstream of the injector ( 115 ) relative to a flow direction for the slug (S) and the second pressure sensor ( 152 ) located at a second measurement point (B) downstream of the first measurement point (A) on the milk transporting conduit structure ( 110 ); and
determining, by way of a data processor ( 150 ) that receives pressure information from the first and second pressure sensors, an average velocity of the slug (S) as an indicator of at least one quality of the cleanin

Assignees

• Delaval Holding Ab

Inventors

• Enickl Jörgen
• Landholm Kim
• Westman Anders

Classifications

• A01J5/007

  Monitoring milking processes; Control or regulation of milking machines · CPC title

• A01J7/02

  for cleaning or sanitising milking machines or devices · CPC title

• A01J7/022 Primary

  Clean-in-Place Systems, i.e. CIP, for cleaning the complete milking installation in place · CPC title