The chilling storage centres hold a prominent position in the chain since milk quality is preserved immediately after collection. Chilling centres must be equipped with a set of accessories to preserve the milk in its freshest state, either for processing or for transportation.

The accessories in a chilling centre act as kind of a support towards efficient operation so as to keep the area hygienic and allow the processes of milk cooling and handling to be executed smoothly.

The most important accessory required in chilling centres is a Plate Heat Exchanger (PHE) that immediately lowers the temperature of milk as it is being let into the chilling unit. It utilizes chilled water or refrigerant to cool the milk fast from about ambient temperature to less than 4°C, greatly inhibiting bacterial activity. Rapid chilling of milk maintains its freshness and fulfils the expected quality standards.

Milk transfer pumps come in as the next most important accessories. These operate in pumping the milk efficiently into the bulk milk cooler (BMC) from the milk collection cans or reception pits. Preferably, hygienic and stainless steel milk pumps with CIP (Clean-in-Place) compatibility should be used to make the whole process stay clean without contaminating the milk.

Another useful accessory which is quite rarer is the milk dump tank. Essentially, it is an intermediate holding vessel placed preferably just before the BMC. Made mostly of stainless steel bottle with sloping/ inclined bottom for complete drainage, these tanks facilitate smooth inflow of milk into the chiller as well as managing to combine milk from different sources during heavy collection periods.

Milk weighing systems are considered a very important accessory in cooperative chilling centres. These platforms, whether digital scales or automated systems, allow milk to be accurately weighed and therefore enable farmers to be paid fairly. Most systems are integrated with milk analyzers for real-time determination of fat and SNF content.

Milk strainers and filters are small yet very important accessories to remove impurities and solid particles from raw milk before entering the cooling system; these accessories ensure that the milk remains clean and safe for further processing, but they also prevent blockages and damages to downstream processing equipment.

An agitator mounted inside the BMC gently stirs the milk in order to maintain a uniform temperature and to avoid cream separation. They generally operate at low RPM levels, thus requiring less energy and guaranteeing gentle handling of milk and further supporting milk quality throughout the chilling stage.

High-quality valves, pipelines, and fittings are vital for faultless operation. All made of stainless steel and food-grade. Provide leak-proof and hygienic connections between the milk reception unit, dump tank, pump, and cooler, ensuring that milk always flows safely and efficiently throughout the whole system. These accessories should also be able to withstand CIP processes, therefore, making cleaning and maintenance easy to carry out.

Temperature monitoring and control panels are fundamentally installed in the management of the whole chilling process. These cutting-edge systems provide real-time monitoring of milk temperatures and compressor operation, even allowing for remote alerts in case of faults or temperature deviations. In doing so, operational efficiencies are enhanced as well as the risks of spoilage to the milk caused by mechanical failure or human error.

In the end, correct accessories for a chilling centre would highly increase the working efficiency and effectiveness from the cooling stage down to pumping, storage, and monitoring of all operations that produce stigma for milk preservation and hygienic dairy operations. Hence, investment in more permanent chilling centre accessories would further guarantee productivity and secure long-term profits and trust throughout the entire dairy supply chain.

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