Heat recovery for milk tanks

Everything for heat recovery

Heat recovery is a simple and effective way to increase the efficiency of your dairy operation. The principle is straightforward: when milk is cooled, heat is extracted and then reused for hot water production. We offer heat recovery systems as our own Risto brand as well as from the renowned manufacturer Mueller – available as complete systems or as individual components.

Individual components available:

• Hot water storage tanks

• Plate heat exchangers

• Circulation pumps

• Pressure switches

• Thermostats

• Pump connection fittings

• Capillary tubes

What is the difference between Risto and Mueller systems?

The two types of systems mainly differ in how the heat exchanger is designed. Risto systems use external plate heat exchangers and circulation pumps. Mueller systems, on the other hand, have a built-in heat exchanger and require no circulation pump. Both systems come with space-saving, upright hot water tanks: Risto systems with capacities ranging from 150 to 1,000 liters, and Mueller systems with 190 to 450 liters.

Mueller systems are particularly suitable for regions where the water contains high levels of salt and/or lime. They are more expensive than Risto systems but extremely reliable and maintenance-free.

Both systems can be installed together with a milk cooling unit or retrofitted later. As a rule of thumb, for every liter of milk cooled by 30 °C, one liter of water can be heated by 10 °C. The actual energy savings from heat recovery therefore depend on the size of the cooling system and the cooling Duration.