Ice banks provide the dairy farmer with an economical method of milk cooling due to their unrivalled energy efficiency, practicality and reliability.

The milk delivered from the milking parlour passes through a single or double stage plate cooler which uses bore hole water in the first stage (or via another plate cooler).
The second stage uses ice water generated by the ice bank, pumped directly through the plate cooler. This has the affect of dropping the milk temperature almost instantly before it hits the tank.
Ice generated by the ice builder will to a large extent be produced at night using off peak electricity. This method saves money in the long run utilising cheap electric and maximising the cooling efficiency of the plant leaving very little work for your conventual tank to do.

Heat generated by the condenser unit will be used in the production of hot water by the heat recovery unit, saving further costs.

 

 

 

ice-builders

Ice banks generate ice using either the existing milk tank refrigeration plant or new equipment specifically designed for the given ice bank.
Generally the ice banks are constructed from stainless steel with expanded polyurethane injected as a thermal barrier. The ice is generated around copper piping. sitting directly inside the vessel.

Ice banks provide a viable solution for everyday milk pickup and even milk pickup during milking. If sized correctly the milk can be hitting the tank as low as 4 degrees. Contact us now to discuss your options.