Electromagnetic Flow Meter for Milk Measurement

 

Dairy Plant, Philippines

Industry: Food & Beverage / Dairy Processing

Application: Milk pipeline flow measurement

Location: Philippines

 

Project Background

A dairy processing plant in the Philippines was looking for a reliable flow measurement solution for its milk production lines. The facility handles large volumes of fresh milk daily — from raw milk reception through pasteurization, homogenization, and final packaging. Accurate flow measurement at each stage is critical not only for process control but also for production accounting and CIP (Clean-In-Place) cycle management.

 

The plant’s engineering team needed a flow meter that could handle the dairy applications: hygienic construction, compatibility with milk and cleaning agents, and consistent accuracy even as fluid viscosity varies with temperature.

 

The Challenge

Milk is a complex fluid. Unlike water, it contains fat, protein, and suspended solids that can coat sensor surfaces over time. The pipeline also undergoes regular CIP cleaning cycles using hot water, caustic soda, and acid rinse — meaning the flow meter must withstand both the product itself and aggressive cleaning chemicals.

 

Key requirements from the customer:

Hygienic design — no dead zones, easy to clean, food-grade materials

Accurate measurement regardless of fluid conductivity variation

Chemical resistance — compatible with CIP cleaning agents

Minimal maintenance — the production line runs continuously with limited downtime windows

Stable output —signal integrated into existing PLC system

 

Our Solution

We recommended our electromagnetic flow meter for this application:

 

• Liner material: PTFE — chemically inert, smooth bore surface prevents milk residue buildup, fully compatible with CIP chemicals
• Electrode material: 316L stainless steel — food-grade, corrosion resistant, meets hygienic standards
• Protection rating: IP65 — handles washdown environments on the production floor
• Output:  direct integration with the plant’s existing PLC
• Accuracy: ±0.5%FS — meets the plant’s process control and production accounting requirements
• Flow range: covers both normal production flow and CIP high-velocity cleaning cycles

 

Electromagnetic flow meters are particularly well suited to dairy applications because they have no moving parts, no pressure drop, and measure based on the fluid’s electrical conductivity — milk’s natural conductivity makes it an ideal medium for this technology.

 

Installation & Commissioning

The flow meters were installed directly into the existing milk pipeline with minimal modification to the piping layout.  

 

Results

Since installation, the magnetic flow meters have delivered consistent and reliable performance across all production and cleaning cycles.

 

Measurement accuracy maintained at ±0.5% throughout both milk flow and CIP cycles

Zero unplanned downtime related to the flow measurement instruments since commissioning

Production accounting improved — the plant can now accurately track milk volume at each stage of the process, reducing product loss and improving yield reporting

 

The plant’s engineering team noted that the PTFE liner showed no signs of fouling or degradation after months of continuous operation

 

Why Electromagnetic Flow Meters for Dairy?

If you are running a dairy, beverage, or food processing facility, magflow meters offer several clear advantages over other technologies:

 

No contact parts that can trap product — smooth bore design, hygienic and easy to clean

No pressure drop — protects sensitive products like milk from unnecessary mechanical stress

Unaffected by viscosity changes — milk viscosity changes with temperature; electromagnetic meters are immune to this

Compatible with CIP/SIP — handles cleaning and sterilization cycles without damage

Long service life — no moving parts means nothing to wear out

 

Mag flow meters are widely used across the food and beverage industry for measuring conductive liquids including milk, juice, beer, wine, yogurt, and liquid sugar. If your facility has similar requirements or you would like to discuss the right flow meter specification for your application, contact our team for a consultation.