Milking Systems - Overview

Improve vacuum pump energy efficiency by up to 58%

Farm audits have shown that around 19% of the total energy used on a Dairy Farm goes into the milking system.

Within the milking system, the Vacuum Pump is the key component using an average of 16% of the total energy used on the farm and the milking pump using around 3%. The Vacuum Pump removes air from the milking system pipelines to create a partial vacuum that transfers milk to the receiver jar. The vacuum levels normally used for milking range from -44 kpa to -50.8 kpa (standard air pressure is 101 kpa). The milking system then transfers the milk to the vat via the precooler.

Immediate energy savings can be realised by maintaining your vacuum pump regularly.

To make a significant reduction to your long-term milking system operating costs, the best opportunities include:

• When replacing your pump and motor, base the size of the product on your actual requirements.
• Choose a high efficiency pump when replacing.
• Installing a Variable Speed Drive (VSD) to control the Vacuum Pump.