Order worth millions: New cooling tunnel for the Alois Müller dairy
Molkerei Alois Müller GmbH & Co. KG is investing in a new cooling tunnel system to increase production capacity and efficiency. The order includes the innovative airinotec-AccuCool system with 52 cooling stations and modern automation technology. The tailor-made solution optimizes cooling times and contributes to quality assurance. The integration of state-of-the-art technology makes production future-proof and energy-efficient.
© Owner of the logo and aerial view: Molkerei A. Müller GmbH & Co. KG
High-quality dairy products for decades
Molkerei Alois Müller is one of Europe's leading manufacturers of dairy products and has stood for quality and innovation in food production for decades. The company offers a wide range of dairy products, including yogurts, desserts and milk drinks, and has a strong presence on both the national and international markets. With a clear focus on efficient production methods and technological progress, the dairy is continuously setting new standards in the food industry.
New cooling tunnel system to increase production
As part of an expansion of the production site in Aretsried, Molkerei Alois Müller is planning to install a new cooling tunnel system. This project should make a decisive contribution to increasing the efficiency of production processes and significantly increase the capacity for cooling pallet goods. The project will run from September 2024 to October 2025 and the new cooling tunnel system will be integrated into a specially designed and newly built pit on the lowest level of the new production building. Here, the cooling tunnel system will be installed on a concrete slab and will ensure more efficient cooling of the products in future.
Technological innovation: the airinotec-AccuCool system
At the heart of the project is the airinotec-AccuCool cooling tunnel system, which is designed as a discontinuous system with two cooling levels and comprises a total of 52 cooling stations. This cooling tunnel system is an innovation in food production and ensures optimized cooling of the pallets through precise control and efficient cooling technology. The pallets to be cooled are first taken from the conveyor system outside the cooling tunnel and then stored in the two cooling levels of the system. The airinotec CoolMaster CM software platform developed on the basis of Siemens Simatic S7 optimizes all subsystems such as the air technology, the cooling technology and the conveyor technology.
Dieter Müller, sales engineer at airinotec and significantly involved in the project, emphasizes the customer benefits of the new system: “With the new cooling tunnel and the airinotec AccuCool system, we offer a tailor-made solution that not only optimizes cooling times, but also enables a high degree of flexibility in cooling. The system ensures uniform cooling and therefore makes a significant contribution to product quality assurance.” In the following video, we explain in detail how our cooling tunnel solutions work.
Focus on efficient cooling and automation
A key component of the project is the air technology that supports the cooling tunnel system. This includes fans, air coolers and the patented airinotec RTC+ turbulence elements, which ensure that the pallets are blown evenly inside the cooling tunnel. This ensures optimum cooling of the pallets in all positions. This is complemented by an enclosure with high-speed doors and a pallet rack.
The conveyor technology within the cooling tunnel system is based on roller conveyors and a transfer carriage equipped with a pallet lifter and telescopic fork. These automated components enable the pallets to be picked up seamlessly and positioned precisely in the cooling stations. During pallet transfer, the target cooling time of the respective pallet and the product code are transmitted to the cooling tunnel control system. When the pallets are transferred to the external conveyor system, the actual cooling time is documented and any temperature faults are reported back to the higher-level control system.
Customized solutions and integration into existing systems
Another highlight of the project is the automation technology for the air and conveyor systems, which is based on the tried-and-tested Siemens Simatic S7 technology. Data exchange with the customer's existing control system ensures seamless communication between the various systems (cooling tunnel, refrigeration technology and external conveyor technology).
The project also includes the electrical cabling for the air and conveyor technology as well as the cold water and hot water piping. The latter is crucial for defrosting the cooling coils in order to ensure smooth and energy-efficient operation of the cooling tunnel system. The cold and hot water is supplied directly from the cooling center.
Future-proof cooling technology
The new cooling tunnel system offers the Alois Müller dairy an innovative approach to meet the increased production requirements. By using state-of-the-art cooling technology and automation solutions, the company can further optimize its production processes and at the same time ensure the quality of the cooled products. Dieter Müller summarizes: “With this system, we are setting new standards in cooling technology. The investment in the airinotec-AccuCool system will quickly pay off for Molkerei Alois Müller, as it is not only energy-efficient, but also increases flexibility and reliability in the production process.” The installation of the cooling tunnel system will not only expand the dairy's production capacity, but also promises to reduce operating costs and optimize the associated production process in the long term.
