Analysis of energy consumption during milk processing in UHT- plant with two recuperators

This paper presents the results of an analysis of energy consumption during sterilization of milk and dairy products in the UHT- plant, installed in Mlekara – Subotica, Serbia, which is equipped with two recuperators. Total consumption of energy, amount of internal (recuperated) energy and consumption of external (heating and cooling) energy are considered as the functions of temperature difference at the recuperators. The analysis is performed by applying both Whistler’s temperature - enthalpy diagram and second law of thermodynamics. Based on the results of this analysis it was concluded that the analyzed UHT- plant works very close to the optimal regime.