Milk Cooler

a device for lowering the temperature of milk to suppress the development of microflora. Modern milk coolers are classified according to the type of contact with the surrounding air (open, sprinkler, closed, or circulating), according to the kind of working surface of the refrigeration unit (tubular, disk), according to construction (single, multiple, or block), according to shape (flat or round), and according to the forces effecting the transport of the milk (pressure, vacuum). The most common type is the sprinkler milk cooler, in which the milk is poured in a thin layer over the surface of the refrigeration surface, while the cooling liquid (cold water or brine) moves along the closed channels of the refrigeration unit, which are formed by rows of pipes or stamped metal sheets. Heat exchange occurs between the milk and the cooling fluid through the walls of the pipes or sheets. Another type of cooling device is the cooler-purifier, which simultaneously chills and purifies the milk. The simplest coolers consist of basins filled with cold flowing or standing water, in which the cans of milk are immersed.