Milkplan EcoHeat system saving time and energy on Cloughmills dairy farm
With soaring energy prices remaining a major concern for farm businesses across Northern Ireland, heat recovery technology is becoming an increasingly valuable investment for dairyenterprises.
Father and son team, Robert and Evan Forsythe, installed a 300 litre Milkplan EcoHeat unit seven months ago. The Cloughmills-based farm is home to a poultry enterprise and a herd of 130 commercial dairy cows producing over 1.2m litres of milk annually for Dale Farm.
The heat recovery unit was supplied and fitted by Wilson Milk Tanks based at Glenarm. The family-run business is the sole distributor for Milkplan and Mueller bulk cooling technology in Northern Ireland.
The Forsythe family built a new dairy unit six years ago, complete with two milking robots and a 10,000 litre Mueller P-model bulk tank.
Evan Forsythe admits the Milkplan heat exchanger should have been installed when the dairy unit was commissioned.
He said: “The new heat exchanger has proven to be a great investment, not only financially, but it saves time during our daily routine.
“For years we carried hot water in buckets from the farmhouse to the yard, which was a time consuming task and a drain on household energy usage. Since the MP EcoHeat system was installed, we have a constant supply of hot water, at no additional cost, which is used for washing the robots, cleaning equipment and feeding calves. It is really convenient having hot water readily available in the dairy.”
The MP EcoHeat heat recovery unit, manufactured in Greece by Milkplan, captures waste heat generated by the milk cooling compressor, and uses the recovered energy to heat water.
Cecil Wilson, director of Wilson Milk Tanks explained: “The water is heated to between 50 to 60 degrees Celsius. The process is completed without any additional electricity consumption, making it a convenient and cost-free resource for the farm. The system pays for itself with a few years.
“Milkplan’s EcoHeat heat unit is available in a range of sizes ranging from 200L to 1,000L. The stainless steel unit is durable, and has a 50mm thermal insulation to minimise heat loss.
“It is easy to install and compatible with any brand of new or existing bulk milk tank.”
n For more information on Milkplan heat recovery units and Mueller milk cooling solutions, please contact Cecil Wilson on mobile: 07730 065075, Jake Wilson on mobile: 07802 670589 or speak to a representative from Wilson Milk Tanks at the RUAS Winter Fair on Thursday 11 December.