Dairy Milker/Research Development

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• Article Title: Dairy Milker/Research Development

Research

• Dairy Milker Function is to express milk from dairy cows, buffalo, goats or sheep. The milker described in this article is known as a "bucket milker" which may be set up to milk one or two dairy animals at a time, evacuating the milk from the udder into a specially designed pail.

Theory

• Pulsator speed - is the number of vacuum/air cycles that the pulsator achieves per interval of time. The pulsator speed should be around 50-60 per minute.

• Pulse Ratio - is the ratio of time alloted to vacuum and atmospheric air entry per pulsator cycle. The pulse ratio should be around 50:50.

• Regulated Vacuum Pressure - is the vacuum pressure level at which the dairy milker normally operates. The regulated vacuum pressure should be around 11-13 inches of mercury.

• Vacuum Fluctuation - is the difference between vacuum pressure applied to the teats at different times. The vacuum fluctuation should not exceed 2 inches of mercury.

Relevant Links

Milking and Milk Quality

Building Your Own Dairy Milking Unit

Development

Overview

• Milking Unit are the components that attach to the dairy cow and produce pulses for alternating vacuum/atmospheric air entry cycles

• Vacuum System is the components that produce and regulate the vacuum level

• 

  Overview

Milking Unit

• Inflation - is the component that attaches onto the teats of the dairy animal. It provides a seal for the vacuum as the milk is expressed from the udder. The inflation lines the teatcup and can be made of rubber or silicone. Silicone inflations tend to be longer-lasting. The inflation has two segments, a mouthpiece and a barrel. The mouthpiece makes contact with the teats while the barrel fits inside the teatcup shell.

Inflation and Shell Example

• Teatcup Shell - is the component that contains the inflation. The teatcup shell is a hollow cylinder with an opening at the top for the mouthpiece of the inflation, an opening at the bottom for the barrel of the inflation, and an opening at the side for connection to the short pulse tube. For durability, the teatcup shell should be made of stainless steel or foodgrade heavy duty clear plastic. Shells and inflations are inexpensive and can be purchased in varying sizes from many dairy suppliers.

• Short Milk Tube - is the component that connects the bottom of the teatcup liner barrel to the top of the collection bucket. Milk flows from the teatcup liner through the short milk tube to the collection bucket.

• Short Pulse Tube - is the component that connects the side of the teatcup shell to the pulsator.

• Collection Bucket - is the component that accumulates the milk yielded from the dairy animal.

Collection Bucket

• Collection Lid - is a round narrow metal disk that covers the top of the collection bucket, mounts the pulsator, and connects to the short milk tubes.

Pulsator, Collection Lid, Long Pulse Tube (Left), Short Pulse Tubes (Middle), Short Milk Tubes (Right)

• Collection Gasket - is a round rubber component that seals between the collection bucket and collection lid.

Gasket

• Pulsator - is the machine that alternates between applying vacuum at the teatcups and admitting air at atmospheric pressure to the teatcups
  • Normal pulsator rate (rate of opening and closing) is 60 per minute. Pulsation ratio (vacuum time to air entry time) can be 50:50.
  • 1 port to pulse line to vacuum reservoir
  • 1 port to long pulse tube to claw
  • 1 port to atmosphere
  • Runs on DC current, usually 12V or 24V

• Long Pulse Tube - is the component that connects the vacuum reservoir to the pulsator.

Vacuum System

• Vacuum Gauge - measures the vacuum level in the vacuum system and outputs an analog reading.

• Vacuum Reserve Tank - can be a series of pipes that distribute vacuum to the pulsator and buffer the vacuum level when air enters the vacuum system.

• Vacuum Pump Filter - is the component connected to the intake of the vacuum pump that prevents particulates from entering and damaging the vacuum pump.

• Vacuum Pump - is the component that produces a vacuum in the vacuum system.

Vacuum Pump with Built-in Regulator and Gauge

• Vacuum Regulator - prevents vacuum level from increasing excessively by allowing air into the vacuum system when the vacuum level reaches a preset value

• Vacuum Relief Valve - prevents vacuum level from increasing excessively by allowing air into the vacuum system when the vacuum level reaches a preset value in case the vacuum regulator fails

• Sanitary Trap - prevents liquid and particulates from the milking unit entering the vacuum system

Design

• Requirements
• Speed
• Throughput
• Weight
• Size Constraints
• Feed stock
• Design Description
• Calculations
• Drawings and Diagrams
• Concept and Alternatives
• Full Design Views
• Cut-away Views
• Exploded Parts View
• 3D Renders
• Decisions
• Project Team

Industry Standards

• Pasteurized Milk Ordinance

[1]

Industry Standard	GVCSTool

Funding

Wanted: List of expenses for prototyping and documenting GVCSTool

Peer Reviews

Wanted: Peer reviews from the scientific community regarding the R&D of GVCSTool

Experiments and Prototypes

Wanted: Empirical data on performance

Recommendations for Improvement

=Links-

• Ebay - pulsator and bucket - [2] - $100