2025-01-20 Product news

Alfa Laval Extend™ is sparking a sea change across the Dairy industry

On the background of the push for more sustainable food processing, Alfa Laval has developed a piece of pioneering, industry-first technology that is set to revolutionize dairy processing by dramatically reducing water, chemical and energy use during pasteurization, increasing uptime and boosting profitability, and protecting the environment as a result.

Alfa Laval’s Extend™ is an easy-to-install add-on to heat exchangers that significantly lowers the build-up of bacteria in the equipment, and in doing so prolongs the operational uptime of pasteurizers by reducing the need for, and associated costs of, cleaning in place (CIP).

It does this by sending a weak electrical current through the heat exchanger, which results in a reduction in biofilm of between 90 and 99%. This allows the critical cleaning interval to be safely extended to 12 hours or more, compared to the current industry standard of eight, and it is already showing its value at one of the largest dairy producers in Scandinavia.

The dairy operates two pasteurization lines, each with a total capacity of 70,000 litres per hour, and following the installation of this simple plug-and-play technology, the results over the first year have been striking.

“We closely monitored every aspect of the installation together and eagerly awaited the real-life results. It’s undoubtedly been a shared success,” says Anna Andrys, Strategic Project Manager at Alfa Laval.

Over the course of the year at the dairy, Alfa Laval Extend™ has increased uptime by 50% after reducing cleaning intervals by 30%. That has meant 7,000 m3 of water, 100,000 kWh of energy and 35 tonnes of cleaning chemicals have been saved.

Extend™ can be installed without pausing operations and is available in three different sizes, ensuring compatibility with any heat exchanger operating in dairy production systems, whatever the brand.

Water scarcity and the need for efficient energy use are critical challenges facing the dairy industry and Alfa Laval Extend™ addresses these issues, helping operators operate more sustainably and meet their environmental targets while maximizing productivity.

The technical specifications are as follows:

Power requirements: 24 VDC, 5 Watt
Dimensions: 15x6 cm, Weight: 350g
Operational temperature: -40°C to 105°C
Chemical resistance: resistant to common cleaning chemicals
Compliance: CE, RoHS, Reach. For further compliance contact Alfa Laval

Background

Faced with the growing effects of climate change, stricter regulations and consumer demand for more sustainable food, the global dairy industry is stepping up to the challenge to reduce the environmental impact of dairy processing.

Industry frontrunners are taking action to make operations more sustainable – enabling dairies to process more milk with higher yield and less waste, water, chemicals, and energy.
This is the overall picture that faces Alfa Laval in its interaction with key players in the dairy industry – the industry segment where Alfa Laval first began its business 140 years ago.

This is Alfa Laval   

The ability to make the most of what we have is more important than ever. Together with our customers, we’re innovating in the industries that society depends on and creating lasting positive impact. Alfa Laval is a leading global provider of first-rate products in the areas of heat transfer, separation and fluid handling. We’re set on helping billions of people to get the energy, food, and clean water they need.  And, at the same time, we’re decarbonizing the marine fleet that’s the backbone of global trade.

We pioneer technologies and solutions that free our customers to unlock the true potential of resources. As our customers’ businesses grow stronger, the goal of a truly sustainable world edges closer. The company is committed to optimizing processes, creating responsible growth, and driving progress to support customers in achieving their business goals and sustainability targets. Together, we’re pioneering positive impact.

Alfa Laval was founded 140 years ago, has customers in some 100 countries, employs more than 21,300 people, and annual sales were SEK 63.6 billion (5.5 BEUR) in 2023. The company is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. www.alfalaval.com