US 12,751,416 B2Granted

Milk-flow control unit, computer-implemented method for controlling a flow of milk, computer program and non-volatile data carrier

AssigneeDeLaval Holding AB

InventorsJanusz Frankowski, Maciej Kosowski

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A control unit, computer-implemented method, and computer program for controlling a milk transport and cooling apparatus where a flow of milk is controlled from a balance tank to a storage tank, based on a temperature-indicating signal measuring a temperature of the flow of milk before entering the storage tank, and a level-indicating signal reflecting a milk level in the balance tank in relation to low- and high-threshold levels respectively, such that the control unit generates a first control signal controlling the speed of the milk pump based on the temperature-indicating signal when the level-indicating signal is within low- and high-threshold levels respectively, and can also generate a second control signal controlling a capacity of a chiller based on the temperature-indicating signal with respect to an uninterrupted time period.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A control unit (110) for controlling a flow of milk (F) through a cooling system (170), from a balance tank (120) that receives an input (MIN) Of milk extracted from milking animals to a storage tank (130) that stores the milk, the control unit (110) being configured to:

receive a temperature-indicating signal (T) from a temperature sensor (140) measuring a temperature of the flow of milk (F) between the cooling system (170) and the storage tank (130);
receive a level-indicating signal (s (LTH:
HTH)) from at least one sensor configured to register a milk level (L) in the balance tank (120) in relation to low- and high-threshold levels respectively;
generate a first control signal (C1) to a milk pump (150) of the cooling system (170) arranged to cause the flow of milk (F) to be pumped out from the balance tank (120), said first control signal (C1) generated based on the temperature-indicating signal (T),
wherein the control unit (110) controls a speed of the milk pump (150) via the first control signal (C1) based exclusively on the temperature-indicating signal (T) when the level-indicating signal (s (LTH:
HTH)) received at the control unit (110) reflects that the milk level (L) in the balance tank (120) is between the low-threshold level (LTH) and the high-threshold level (HTH), and
the control unit further configured to control the milk pump (150), via the first control signal (C1), to cause the flow of milk (F) to be pumped out from the balance tank (120) at a predetermined high speed (FHI) when the level-indicating signal (s(LTH:
HTH)) received at the control unit (110) reflects that the milk level (L) in the balance tank (120) is above or equal to the high-threshold level (HTH).

5 more elements

A computer-implemented method for controlling a flow of milk (F) through a cooling system (170), from a balance tank (120) that receives an input (MIN) of milk extracted from milking animals to a storage tank (130) that stores the milk, the method comprising:

receiving a temperature-indicating signal (T) from a temperature sensor (140) measuring a temperature of the flow of milk (F) between the cooling system (170) and the storage tank (130);
receiving a level-indicating signal (s (LTH:
HTH)) from at least one sensor configured to register a milk level (L) in the balance tank (120) in relation to low- and high-threshold levels respectively;
generating a first control signal (C1) to a milk pump (150) of the cooling system (170), the milk pump (150) arranged to cause the flow of milk (F) to be pumped out from the balance tank (120), said first control signal (C1) generated based on the temperature-indicating signal (T);
determining that the received level-indicating signal (s(LTH:
HTH)) reflects that the milk level (L) in the balance tank (120) is between the low-threshold level (LTH) and the high-threshold level (HTH);
and
subsequent to said determining, controlling a speed of the milk pump (150) via the first control signal (C1) based exclusively on the temperature-indicating signal (T), and
determining that the received level-indicating signal (s(LTH:
HTH)) reflects that the milk level (L) in the balance tank (120) is above or equal to the high-threshold level (HTH), and subsequently controlling the milk pump (150), via the first control signal (C1), to cause the flow of milk (F) to be pumped out from the balance tank (120) at a predetermined high speed (FHI).

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.