Dairy Processing
Lubrication Engineers lubricants have been readily accepted in the dairy processing industry because commercial lubricants simply cannot perform well enough under these extreme conditions. Heat, cold and moisture are encountered in all facets of dairy operations, thus making this industry an ideal market for our products.
Constant care must be taken to prevent contamination, where lubricating equipment may come into contact with dairy products. In some cases, even the odour from the lubricant is sufficient to render dairy products unfit for human consumption.
Rigid sanitation standards are imposed by various governmental agencies. Therefore, water, steam and cleaning agents are used liberally. With the exception of the power-producing equipment, it is essential that the lubricants used possess the ability to resist water, steam, and acid conditions.
Gear drives are used extensively in dairy operations. Since steam and water are used for cleaning, condensation and heat in gearboxes are constant problems. Both factors will destroy the lubricating qualities of common gear oils, causing metal-to-metal contact and premature failure. The ability of Lubrication Engineers gear oils to separate from water is a real customer benefit. When gearboxes are cooling, water from condensation can be drained from them. Extreme care should be taken to match the proper lubricant to original equipment manufacturers specifications, but we manufacture the finest lubricants available to meet OEM specifications.
Lubrication Engineers heavy-duty DUOLEC™ gear lubricants will not "thin-out" or form permanent emulsions. Thus, gears are kept completely coated with lubricant and metal-to-metal contact is virtually eliminated. Remember, the 1600 Series DUOLEC™ Gear Lubricants permit easy drain off of water accumulations.
Modernized dairy equipment will sometimes have very high speed gearboxes or reducers for which the manufacturer will specify a turbine oil. Here again, water separation ability is extremely important so we would recommend MONOLEC Turbine Oils or MULTILEC Industrial Oil.
Due to the nature of its products, all dairy and food processors must have refrigeration capabilities. Refrigeration units may vary in size from very small to very large dependent upon the capacity needs of the dairy. Like air compressors, the refrigeration compressors may be reciprocating, rotary or centrifugal. Cooling is achieved by compressing a gas such as Ammonia or Freon, which require special considerations as contamination can occur if contact is made between the compressed gas and the lubricant. Customers are encouraged to get all OEM information available such as make, model, lube specification, current lubricant and operational history and communicate with your local LE salesman before making a lubricant recommendation for refrigeration equipment.
Dairy processors, like nearly all industries, require air compressors. Special considerations come into play when making lube recommendations for air compressors such as current lube being used and current problems being experienced. In dairies where high humidity conditions prevail, you should inquire as to operational history to determine if any acid hydrolysis is present in the compressor.
Lubrication Engineers make a number of superior lubricants that are excellent for air compressors and will provide the customer more efficient operation and cost savings from extended drain intervals and lower electrical energy requirements. Dependent upon OEM specification, LE recommends the following lubricants for air compressors:
Numerous applications requiring grease will be found in dairies. These may be plain roller or ball bearings, slides, chains, cables or conveyors. Here again, it must be remembered that constant cleaning requirements present a very humid, even wet environment. Government agencies may require that greases be H1 food grade where incidental contact with product may occur.
Bearings tend to be high speed, in which case LE 1274/1275 ALMAPLEX are excellent recommendation, as it will "seal" moisture out of bearings and provide excellent lubrication with extended relubrication interval requirements. BUT they are not H1 rated.
With slides, chains, cables or conveyors where incidental contact and a possibility for wash off from water may occur, LE4024/4025/4059A QUINPLEX lubricants are excellent recommendations dependent upon application requirements.
Many dairies deliver their own products, in which case, they may maintain their own fleet of trucks. For further information on trucks, please refer to the owners and operators section of our target industries.