IDM ¦ Technology/IT
Air Quality Process
Correct air conditioning ensures hygiene and saves resources
Since the first presentation of an USDA accepted hygienic
air conditioner, French company Air Quality Process (AQP)
has become a specialist in equipping cheese dairies. At the
time, the concept developed by the family-owned company
was considered a true revolution. It is based on specially designed
units that are completely cleanable. Today, AQP supplies complete
ventilation and air-conditioning systems for cheese dairies worldwide.
One customer of AQP is Dutch goat cheese maker Bettinehoeve,
part of the Emmi group. 2 years ago, Bettinehoeve decided
to increase production capacity which included the building of another
ripening room. Having been in contact with AQP for many
years, Bettinehoeve opted for an air conditioning system by AQP.
Chris Broers, head of technology and production at Bettinehoeve,
summarizes his experience with the equipment: "Compared to
conventional air conditioning, AQP’s systems make sure that air
is evenly and homogenously distributed all over the ripening steel
racks, resulting in a minimum standard deviation of the products.
To achieve this homogeneity, the air is recovered at 360° at the
bottom of the floor unit, treated in temperature/hygrometry inside
the tubes of the exchanger, and blown through perforated textile
ducts on the top of the room. It forces the air to go from the upper
to the lower stacks. CO2 produced by white mold is reliably
removed so that mold growth is even across the whole cheese
in ripening. As humidity is also constant throughout the room,
we have a uniform product quality. There are no cheeses too wet
or too dry after ripening." And there is yet another advantage,
according to Broers. AQP systems are perfectly cleanable and controllable
in all points providing the cheese maker with an extra in
food safety. To add to all these benefits, water loss during ripening
is greatly reduced. "Compared to conventional air conditioning,
we now monitor 2% less water loss during cheese ripening meaning
a higher product yield," says Mr Broers.
No barriers, no pressure drop
The secret of AQP's success lies not only in hygiene, but also in the
special air ducting through extra-smooth tubes, without barrier to
the air. As a result, there is hardly any pressure drop and the ventilation
requires less energy overall. According to Sales Manager
Séverine Dolci, AQP units consume two to three times less energy
than conventional systems. The units are made of stainless steel
because they have to withstand an aggressive environment.
24 · March/April 2022 ¦ international-dairy.com
For AQP, the starting point of every project is a comprehensive technical
survey of the air supply or the requirements tied to it on site. This
determines where overpressure zones have to be set up or what volume
flows have to be handled at which temperatures. The humidity of the air
must also be specifically defined for each room in a cheese dairy. Together
with the cheese dairy's operating plan, i.e. how often and when cleaning
is carried out, whether production also takes place at weekends, etc.,
this results in an overall concept for the ventilation of the dairy and its
departments. Further details of the system can be individually adapted by
AQP to the requirements on site in its own test room with variable ceiling
heights from 3 to 6 meters. The result is to ensure that the air conditioning
remains consistently homogeneous at all points in ageing rooms.
/international-dairy.com
