From Farm to Glass: The Role of Compressed Air Dryers in Dairy Processing

Every morning, many of us pour a big bowl of cereal and top it off with a splash of milk. When we think of milk, the image that often comes to mind is the iconic black-and-white dairy cow grazing on a sunny farm. However, what we often overlook is the sophisticated equipment that transforms fresh milk from the cow into the creamy goodness we enjoy at breakfast.

One essential piece of equipment is a compressed air dryer. Van Air Systems supplies many of our compressed air dryers for dairy farming applications. Nowadays, farmers no longer use small buckets to milk cows by hand; instead, robotic milking systems are connected to the cows to collect the necessary milk.

Who would have imagined that compressed air plays such a vital role in the milk in your cereal bowl? These milking systems operate continuously as cows come in and out of the barn, and they can also track production statistics for each cow.

Each dairy farm has a compressor room. The room must be vented and air-conditioned to protect the compressor and air dryer from excessive heat. The milking robotic systems need compressed air to operate. These units are in open-air barns and exposed to extreme summer and winter temperatures. Compressed air dryers help keep the compressed air lines free of moisture and avoid freeze-ups in the winter.

Van Air Systems specializes in various compressed air dryer applications, including portable construction sites, railroads, shipyards, mechanic shops, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. While dairy farming may not be the first connection one makes with compressed air and drying, dry compressed air is essential for ensuring the milk you enjoy in your cereal each morning.

Our Regional Sales Manager, Dave Ottinger, recently visited a customer in (Green Bay, Wisconsin) with our distributor ABTS Equipment.

Van Air Systems - MHL (Mini Heatless Dryer) installed to support its Lely Robotic Milking System.

They visited a dairy farm with about 750 cows. The farm uses a Van Air Systems MHL-50 to support its Lely Robotic Milking System. This farm has three robotic milking systems that work around the clock as cows enter and exit the barn. These robotic systems also store production statistics and a variety of other parameters on each cow.

Wisconsin is known for many extreme temperatures. The MHL’s aggressive moisture removal keeps the compressed airlines dry, and winter freeze-ups are a thing of the past. Successive F200 coalescing filters rated at 1 micron and .01 micron keep the airlines free of oil and other contaminants. This ensures the desiccant inside the MHL remains clean and adequate for years.

Never underestimate the importance of Dry Compressed Air Lines. Compressed air is used in many different applications vital to our everyday use. Remember that the next time you pour yourself a bowl of cereal and add the milk.