Ultraviolet treatment is widely used in food production, but the same UV system cannot always be transferred from one application to another without recalculation.
A dairy production facility faced this situation when its existing UV equipment, originally installed for water treatment, needed to be adapted as production requirements increased.
The challenge was not simply adding more UV power.
The system had to work with:
cold pasteurized milk;
existing filling equipment;
flexible packaging film;
limited installation space;
continuous production conditions.
The initial setup
The production line processed pasteurized milk cooled to approximately +5 °C before filling into flexible packaging.
An existing UV treatment system was already installed on the line.
However, after production volumes increased, additional requirements appeared:
improve UV treatment of the product stream;
add UV treatment of the packaging material before filling.
The second task was especially interesting because the packaging film had to be treated from both sides.
Why milk requires a different approach than water
A common mistake in UV system selection is assuming that a lamp suitable for water will automatically provide the same result with another liquid.
The effectiveness of UV treatment depends strongly on how easily radiation can pass through the medium.
Clear water allows UV radiation to penetrate relatively well.
Milk is different.
It contains:
proteins;
fats;
suspended particles;
organic components.
These reduce UV transmission and make achieving the same dose more difficult.
Therefore, a system designed for transparent water may require additional UV intensity when used with less transparent liquids.
Increasing UV output without changing the housing
The existing UV chamber dimensions limited the choice of replacement lamp.
The solution was to replace the standard lamp with a more powerful model that fit the existing mechanical design.
The selected lamp configuration:
UVL 15115
power: 120 W;
UV output: 40 W;
type: amalgam low-pressure UV lamp;
service life: up to 16,000 hours.
The lamp was installed without changing the main body of the equipment.
An individual electronic ballast was used to match the lamp characteristics and provide stable operation.
Treating packaging film from both sides
The second part of the project involved disinfecting the packaging material before filling.
Unlike a rigid container, film creates an interesting engineering problem:
the surface moves continuously;
the material can deform;
both sides may need treatment.
A solution with two UV modules was selected:
one module above the film;
one module below the film.
The upper module was straightforward.
The lower module created a mechanical challenge because the flexible film could sag during movement.
Supporting the film without blocking UV
The solution was to introduce a transparent support element beneath the film.
A quartz plate was used as a support surface.
The idea was simple:
keep the film flat;
prevent deformation;
allow UV radiation to reach the surface.
Quartz is commonly used in UV systems because it transmits germicidal ultraviolet radiation much better than ordinary glass.
This allowed the support function and UV treatment to work together.
Conveyor UV module configuration
The packaging treatment section used conveyor UV modules.
Main parameters:
UV module 810 mm
lamp power: approximately 95 W;
UV output: up to 25 W;
wavelength: 253.7 nm;
working zone: up to 0.5 m;
housing dimensions: 810 × 118 × 140 mm.
The modules were positioned according to the existing conveyor geometry rather than requiring reconstruction of the production line.
Electrical integration
Another important part of retrofit projects is electrical compatibility.
The lamps were equipped with individual electronic ballasts:
EPRA L-220-1×120
Parameters:
maximum power: 120 W;
current: 1.2 A;
supply voltage: 220/230 V;
frequency: 50/60 Hz.
This allowed the new components to be connected to the existing control system without major electrical modifications.
Why retrofit projects are often more difficult than new installations
A new production line can be designed around the equipment.
A retrofit project works in the opposite direction.
Engineers have to adapt to:
existing dimensions;
existing cable routes;
available mounting points;
conveyor speed;
product geometry;
maintenance requirements.
In this case, the main challenge was not the UV source itself.
It was fitting the treatment process into an already operating production environment.
Key lessons from the project
This example shows several important principles for industrial UV applications:
- UV dose depends on the medium
A system designed for water may require different parameters for milk, syrups or other food products.
- Mechanical design matters
The distance between the lamp and the product, product position and possible shadows can affect treatment quality.
- Flexible materials require special attention
Films and thin packaging materials can move or deform, which affects exposure uniformity.
- Existing production lines require adaptation
The best technical solution is often not the largest or most powerful system, but the one that fits the real process.
Conclusion
This project demonstrates that UV treatment in food production is not only about selecting a lamp with higher power.
The final result depends on combining:
radiation parameters;
product properties;
mechanical integration;
electrical compatibility;
production requirements.
When these factors are considered together, UV technology can be integrated into existing food-processing lines without major changes to the production process.
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