In Konolfingen, Nestlé operates its Product Technology Center (PTC), one of 24 such research facilities worldwide. For more than 30 years, the company has been developing milk-based products and production processes there, with the main focus lying on infant food, special-diet nutrition, and health-care related products. Konolfingen developers research appropriate recipes and test processes for all operational Nestlé companies worldwide that require new products for these markets. Recently the company expanded the plantCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, which included adding a group of new heat exchangers.

New Nestle products come from 24 research facilities worldwide

        Outfitting new heat exchangers
        Following applicable European sanitary protocolsCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, all measuring devices that contact product in the new testing facility had to be equipped with an aseptic screw connection according to DIN 11864-1. At various places around the plantCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, Baumer pressure transmitters of the ED701 series were already being used in other applications such as homogenizersCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, millswww.cechina.cn, and filling equipment. Since Nestlé had been satisfied with those devices, they were also chosen for pressure measurement for the new heat exchangers. Depending on the processes being tested, up to six new heat exchangers are used for heating or cooling the products, with temperatures reaching 150 °C (302 °F).
        At high temperatures the products precipitate protein which then deposits on the heat exchanger’s metal plates. If there is too much sediment on the surfaces, exchange efficiency falls and the differential pressure between the inlet and outlet rises. Eventually the heat exchangers have to be cleaned. Given the nature of new product developmentCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, these exchangers see a wide variety of ingredients and process temperatures as developers test recipes and manu