TETRA PAK has provided Fromagerie Bel, at its Cléry-le-Petit site, with a flow management system that adds an extra protein constituent to milk collected locally in the Meuse area of France. The protein is required to guarantee the consistent quality of cheese subsequently produced from the milk. Control of the flow management system is provided by 180 fieldbus controlled valves, all of which are equipped with BÜRKERT 8681 series universal control heads. The 8681 series was selected for its universal application, optimal reliability and safety, and for the fact that it is particularly suited to aseptic environments. The unit offers a hygienic design, IP65/67 protection rating and has good resistance to chemical cleaning products. In addition, Burkert’s patented magnetic activation system provides easy and safe access to the control head for preventive maintenance.

Recently, Fromagerie Bel approached TETRA PAK regarding a project to enrich the protein value of milk at the Group’s Cléry-le-Petit site. The project had to be undertaken because milk collected in the Meuse region is quite low in proteins, which makes it just about usable for cheese production. Moreover, although the milk, which represents 50% of the price of cheese, is not sufficiently rich in proteins, a more significant quantity of lactoserum, with no added value, still remains, at the expense of the cheese factory.

To solve this problem, new vats were installed with flow management handled by agrifoodstuff valves controlled by BÜRKERT series 8681 control heads in a fieldbus-enabled distributed control system.