The invention relates to a conduit for transferring milk. The conduit is provided with at least one flexible wall, which divides the conduit into at least one milk duct and at least one secondary duct. The milk duct and the at least one secondary duct extend along a longitudinal axis of the conduit, it being possible for the at least one milk duct to be substantially emptied by pressing through filling the at least one secondary duct.

A milking system includes several milking devices, each having a milk-carrying part, a temporary milk storage vessel, a milk pipe system, a milk storage tank, and a main milk pipe, which connects the temporary milk storage vessel to the milk storage tank. The milking system includes a first cleaning device having at least one first cleaning liquid supply and at least a pump, which cleaning device is configured to clean at least the milk-carrying part of at least one milking device and a part of the milk pipe system which connects the milk-carrying part to the temporary milk storage vessel, by transferring cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid supply through at least the milk-carrying part of the at least one milking device and through said part of the milk pipe system to the temporary milk storage vessel by pumping. The temporary milk storage vessel includes a main pump for transferring liquid from the temporary milk storage vessel through the main milk pipe in the direction of the milk storage tank. The milking system includes a second, additional cleaning device with at least one second, additional cleaning liquid supply, which second cleaning device is configured to supply additional cleaning liquid from the second cleaning liquid supply in a direction of flow from the temporary milk storage vessel towards the main milk pipe. The second cleaning liquid supply is situated downstream of at least each of the milking devices, viewed in said direction of flow.

A method for cleaning a piece of equipment in place includes a plurality of cleaning cycles and optionally a rinse, where each cleaning cycle includes applying a first cleaning solution from a first supply tank through a first set of nozzles; and applying a second cleaning solution from a second supply tank through a second set of nozzles. The first cleaning solution may be applied for about 20 s to about 10 min, and the second cleaning solution for about 1 min to about 60 min. The cleaning cycle can be repeated from 5 to 150 times, and the first and second cleaning solutions can be recirculated during the process.

A teat dip fluid manifold and methods for distributing teat dip fluids, and including redundant valve sets and pressure monitoring between valve pairs to determine valve condition.

A milking device for milking a dairy animal is provided with milking mechanism, a control system, a milk pipeline for transporting the milk from the milking mechanism to a milk tank, a milk filter and a cleaning device. The cleaning device includes at least one cleaning fluid holder, a heating device for heating cleaning fluid in the cleaning fluid holder, an additive storage holder for additive, an additive adding device for controlled addition of the additive to cleaning fluid, and a valve system for regulating flows of cleaning fluid and additive through the milking device. The cleaning device is configured for carrying out a cleaning cycle of the milking device with a prerinse with cold or tepid water, a hot rinse with heated water and an acidic or basic additive, a postrinse, and at least between the hot rinse and the postrinse, a counterflow cleaning step by passing cleaning fluid in counterflow through the milk filter. Thus, a milking device is provided that can be cleaned automatically as a whole including the milk filter. In particular, because the counterflow cleansing takes place after the hot rinse step, there is better removal of dirt and milk residues that are softened thereby, in particular from the milk filter.

The invention relates to a device (1) for analysing a cleaning fluid, comprising: a line portion (2) for the cleaning fluid, a light-source unit (4), which emits light into the line portion (2), a detection unit (5) for spectrally resolved capturing of light exiting the line portion (2), and an analysis unit (6) which is designed to analyse the cleaning fluid with regard to the constituents on the basis of signals from the detection unit (5).

A cleaning in place, CIP, unit is provided for cleaning a liquid food processing plant by means of a cleaning liquid. The CIP unit comprising: one or more control valves configured to control a liquid flow of the cleaning liquid in the CIP unit; a flow rate arrangement; a balance tank; and a heat exchanger; forming a main circuit with the liquid food processing plant. The CIP unit further comprises a high pressure circuit section configured to bypass the balance tank, the high pressure circuit section comprising: a further control valve; and a pressure arrangement configured to increase the pressure of the cleaning liquid above an atmospheric pressure, wherein the high pressure circuit section is connected to the main circuit thereby forming a high pressure circuit with the main circuit while the high pressure circuit section bypasses the balance tank. A system for cleaning the liquid food processing plant is also provided. A method for cleaning the liquid food processing plant is also provided.

A milking system for milking dairy animals includes a milking device, a milk line for transporting milk; a cleaning device for cleaning the milk line with a cleaning liquid; a first outlet for discharging the milk to a milk tank; a second outlet for discharging the cleaning liquid; a valve mechanism for controllably connecting the milk line to one of the first outlet and the second outlet; and a control unit for controlling the valve mechanism. The valve mechanism includes a first and a second valve, and a displacement device for displacing the first or the second valve housing between a cleaning position and a milking position.

A Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) system and process for cleaning objects are provided for use in a CIP plant suitable for, e.g., producing products requiring a high level of hygiene. The plant includes primary and optionally secondary tanks for cleaning media, a freshwater supply, one or more forward lines forwarding liquid (e.g., cleaning media or water) from the plant to one or more objects. Objects may include one unit or a part of a unit, such as a tank or pipeline, or a combination of units, and each object is subjected to a separate CIP flow. Return line(s) and forward line(s) manage liquid (e.g., cleaning media or water or freshwater) between various components of the system.

A milking arrangement with a plurality of milk stations connected to the milk transport line, a receiver connected to the transport line that receives milk transported from the milk stations via the transport line, and a vacuum system that supplies a vacuum in the transport line via the receiver, with a cleaning liquid source connected to the transport line, a controllable injector that introduces an amount of gas into the transport line to produce a temporary pressure increase therein that causes a slug of a cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid source to be formed and forwarded through the transport line, and a control system configured to control the operation of the injector, wherein the control system is configured to control characteristics of the slug by controlling the vacuum level supplied by the vacuum system and/or the amount of gas introduced via the controllable injector.