Efficient Farming Products Program - Milking and Milk Conservation Equipment Component

• The equipment must be new.
• The equipment must be purchased in Québec.
• The chilling system must be entirely water-based (no glycol-based systems).
• The exchanger must be equipped with a double- or triple-pass system.
• The cooling liquid must consist of water that has not been chilled by a refrigeration system.
• The heat plate exchanger must have the capacity to reduce the milk temperature by at least 15°C (27°F) upon exit.
• The capacity of the heat exchanger must be sufficient to ensure that the water flow is equal to peak milk yield.

• The equipment must be new.
• The equipment must be purchased in Québec.
• Installation must include all pump components (motor, pump and variable-speed drive), and must all be supplied by the same manufacturer.
• The following types of pumps are eligible:
  • pumps that operate at two or more speeds;
  • pumps equipped with a variable-frequency drive (VFD).
• The milk pump must supply a water-milk heat exchanger before pumping the milk into the bulk tank.
• The milk pump must have at least one control mechanism for reducing speed to less than 60% of its maximum.
• The water flow in the heat exchanger must not vary based on the speed of the milk pump.
• Installation of a variable-speed drive on an existing pump does not qualify for a rebate.

• The equipment must be new.
• The equipment must be purchased in Québec.
• Installation must include all pump components (motor, pump and variable-speed drive), which must all be supplied by the same manufacturer.
• The vacuum pump must be used for the milk line system.
• The vacuum must be maintained by adjusting motor speed using a variable-frequency drive (VFD).
• Pump capacity must be chosen according to industry standards with respect to its dimensions; oversized pumps are ineligible.
• Installation of a VFD on an existing pump is ineligible.

The water tank:

• must be new
• must be purchased in Québec
• must recover at least 20% of the heat released by the condensing unit of the bulk tank
• must supply a hot water tank that operates solely on electricity—fuel-fired hot water tanks are not eligible
• must not be undersized—must be proportional to need based on approved trade practices
• must not include electrical heating elements

The plate heat exchanger transfers heat between two liquids that are at different temperatures, while avoiding direct contact between the liquids. By combining the plate heat exchanger with the tank, the milk is chilled in two steps.

Benefits

• Quick and easy
  • Quick and easy rebate on purchase and installation
  • Shorter payback period for your investment
• Very high efficiency
  • Energy savings of up to between 35% and 55% on chilling milk, as the temperature of the milk is lowered from 36°C down to 16–21°C before being sent off to be stored in the tank at 3°C.
• Longer compressor service life
  • Cutting the hours of use—generally by half—extends the lifetime of compressors
• Superior product quality
  • Improved milk quality

A variable-speed milk pump ensures a steady milk flow through the plate heat exchanger, which optimizes thermal exchange between the milk and the chilling water. The milk pump transfers the milk from the receiver bowl to the plate heat exchanger, and then to the bulk tank. This pump operates approximately four hours per day (two milkings per day).

In addition to saving energy, the variable-speed milk pump improves milk quality—an important factor to consider when deciding to make the investment.

Benefits

• Quick and easy rebate on purchase and installation
• Reduced energy consumption when chilling milk given that the temperature of the milk is reduced by approximately two additional degrees before the milk is sent to the bulk tank, where it is stored at 3°C
• Improved milk quality
• More pre-warmed drinking water for livestock

The variable-frequency drive (VFD) vacuum pump is self-regulating. It maintains a constant vacuum to transport the milk to the receiver bowl, where the pump then transfers the milk to the bulk tank. The vacuum pump operates approximately four hours per day (two milkings per day).

Benefits

• Quick and easy rebate on purchase and installation
• Reduced electricity consumption of up to 30% compared to a standard pump
• Reduced noise levels

Certain rules apply to determine the capacity of the vacuum pump based on the number of milking units.

A heat recovery system connected to a water tank makes it possible to recover some of the heat from the condensation circuit of the refrigeration system. By combining the plate heat exchanger with the tank, the milk is chilled in two steps.

Benefits

• Quick and easy rebate on purchase and installation
• Preheating water
• Energy savings on water heating with recovery of up to 30% of the energy given off by the condensing unit