Boosting whey and milk powder production

FINLAND’s largest dairy company Valio is expanding production in its whey and milk powder facilities with the proprietary NAPCON technology from Neste Jacobs.

After the successful implementation of the NAPCON Controller helped Valio achieve a more than 10% output increase in its Lapinlahti whey powder plant, the company is implementing the Advanced Process Control (APC) solution comprising an evaporator and a spray dryer in its milk power plant in Seinäjoki.

Valio, which is owned by 18 milk production cooperatives and offers fresh dairy products, cheeses, greases, juices, milk powders, demineralized whey powders, and large kitchen products, exports more than 60 million kilos of milk and whey powders a year. Achieving a productivity boost of more than 10% without increasing energy consumption and additional hardware investments clearly translates to higher revenues, according to Valio Powder Production production manager Antero Ylitalo.

“The results from the first optimization project made us so convinced of Neste Jacobs’ expertise and superiority to carry out high-end production optimization projects that it was easy to partner up again.  We are looking into developing our cooperation even further,” Mr Ylitalo stated.

Neste Jacobs’ proprietary NAPCON Controller solution makes it possible for Valio’s milk powder plant in Seinäjoki to keep the final milk powder product very close to its target value under all circumstances. The picture shows the dryer in the final stage of the process. Photo © Neste Jacobs

Valio’s two production plants use a NAPCON solution consisting of two tools—the NAPCON Indicator, which calculates the material and energy balance information, and the NAPCON Controller, which uses Multivariable Model-Predictive Control (MMPC) to control the process.

The NAPCON Indicator provides immeasurable process operating key values and process information for APC applications. The APC is multivariable and model-predictive.

A spray dryer transforms the concentrate into many small droplets, which when exposed to a fast current of hot air are transformed into powder particles. A machine that can be controlled to use the right amount of heat can help increase the production of a whey or milk powder plant with the same amount of energy but lower risks of shutdowns caused by bag filter clogging. If the line consists of an evaporator, which removes the excess water before the powder enters the spray dryer, and an APC, production optimization is substantially raised. NAPCON allows simultaneous control of both drying stages to ensure optimal and continuous running of both units and generate more savings.

The deliveries to Valio also include an Open Process Control Unified Architecture (OPC UA) connection between NAPCON and Valio’s process control system.

The Valio’s milk powder plant in Seinäjoki in Finland could boost its productivity by an excess of 10% solely by implementing an APC solution from Neste Jacobs and without using more energy than before. The solution is integrated in the plant’s process control system. Photo © Neste Jacobs

Whey and milk production, which is heavily based on drying fluids, is energy consuming. NAPCON balances energy use within desired product specifications. It can also predict the moisture content and make real-time adjustments in water balance, including adapting to changes in outdoor humidity. Moisture content is a critical production factor, in particular at the final stages where a spray dryer removes the last part of the water while retaining the valuable properties of the milk or whey.

According to Seinäjoki plant production manager Vesa Strand, “Too large water content makes the powder sticky and disturbs the process. On the other hand, if the powder is too dry it generates dust and uses excess energy. With NAPCON, we can allow an increase in the average moisture content in the process and still keep the moisture content of the final powder product very close to its target value under all circumstances.”

The NAPCON Controller can be implemented in traditional whey and milk powder plants anywhere in the world, said Keijo Yli-Opas, chief application engineer at Neste Jacobs.

“Important parts of our offering are also full engineering and implementation services plus client training. The solutions provided to Valio were of course not identical, but it usually does not take more than a few months to trim the solution for the needs of different kinds of production processes,” added Mr Yli-Opas.

A remote data connection between the process and Neste Jacobs engineers can considerably speed up an optimization project.

“It makes it possible to work on the project from any distance. The connection also provides a solid platform for continued maintenance services,” Mr Yli-Opa further said.

NAPCON is a registered trademark of Neste Jacobs which has 60 years of experience in technology development, industrial investment projects, and maintenance and performance improvement in Europe, North and South America, Asia, and the Middle East. Besides food, it caters to a wide range of industries in the fields of oil and gas, petrochemicals, chemicals, biorefining, biochemicals, biopharma, and industrial infrastructure.