Skip to main content
Dairy Evaporation & Spray Drying Plants
Specialty Food, Beverage & By-Product Processing

Dairy Evaporation & Spray Drying Plants

A dairy evaporation and spray drying plant turns fresh milk into concentrate or milk powder by heat treatment, vacuum evaporation and spray drying, with cooling and packing at each end.

Request a QuoteWhatsApp

Product Categories

Talk to Kadali Africa Ventures

Send your raw material, product and capacity for a technical proposal.

Contact Kadali

Related Products

Looking up at the stainless-steel cone and steel frame of an industrial spray-drying tower in a food plant

Dairy Evaporation & Spray Drying Plants

It suits dairies, cooperatives and processors that collect more milk in the wet season than the local market can use, or that want a storable powder to replace imports. The first points to settle are the milk volume and how it varies through the year, the product (concentrate, skim powder or whole powder), how milk reaches the plant and how well it is chilled on the way, and the steam, water and power the site can supply. Evaporation capacity is stated as water removed per hour, so the daily milk intake must be converted to that basis. Heat treatment, feed solids and the fat level set how fast the evaporator fouls and how sticky the powder is in the dryer. A hygienic stainless-steel line with cleaning in place and a dry packing room is part of the definition.

Milk is received cold, standardised for fat and solids, and heat treated before it is concentrated. The heat treatment is not only about safety: how severe it is changes the protein, the fouling rate of the evaporator and how the powder behaves when it is reconstituted. Concentration happens under vacuum in a falling-film evaporator, so that the milk boils at a low temperature and keeps its flavour and colour. The number of effects, or the use of vapour recompression, is a steam-cost decision. Concentrate is then atomised into hot air in a spray drying chamber. A rotary disc or a high-pressure nozzle forms the droplets, and the choice affects particle size and bulk density. Fat-rich whole milk is stickier than skim and needs more careful chamber and air design. An integrated fluid bed can agglomerate the powder for better wetting and flow, and also gives the final cooling. Dairy protein and mineral deposits build on heated surfaces and chamber walls, so cleaning-in-place circuits and dryer wall design matter as much as nominal capacity.

Indicative Capacity Range

  • 100–10,000 kg water evaporation/hour

Key Specification Inputs

Feed Brix, boiling point rise, fouling, steam economy, vacuum.

Technical Specifications

TechnologyMilk reception, heat treatment, vacuum evaporation and spray drying as one line
FeedRaw cow milk, and other dairy streams such as skim milk or whey after trials
Product OptionsConcentrate, skim milk powder or whole milk powder; instant powder where agglomeration is added
Evaporator TypeFalling-film, with one or more effects, or vapour recompression where steam is costly
Dryer ConfigurationSingle-stage spray dryer, or with an integrated fluid bed for agglomeration and final cooling
AtomiserRotary disc or high-pressure nozzle, chosen against the powder properties wanted
Heat SourceSteam from a boiler on local fuel; indirect or direct heating of the drying air chosen by cost and product
Contact MaterialStainless steel with sanitary fittings and drainable pipework
CleaningCleaning-in-place circuits for heat treatment and evaporation; dry cleaning on the powder side
Powder SafetySurface temperature limits, explosion venting or suppression and dust collection on dryer and powder handling
UtilitiesSteam, cooling water, chilled water, filtered air, compressed air and electric power

Typical Process Route

1

Milk Reception and Chilling

Milk is weighed, sampled, filtered and cooled on arrival. Quality tests at the door decide whether a load is accepted, because souring and contamination cannot be corrected later in the line.

2

Standardisation

Fat and solids are adjusted for the product, skim, whole or a blend, by separating the cream and mixing back as needed. The balance set here changes how the powder behaves in the dryer and in storage.

3

Heat Treatment

Milk is pasteurised or given a stronger heat treatment before evaporation. Severity affects protein, evaporator fouling and the functional properties of the finished powder, so it is specified, not left to default settings.

4

Vacuum Evaporation

Milk is concentrated under vacuum in a falling-film evaporator at a low boiling temperature. Viscosity rises as solids increase and protein and mineral deposits build on the tubes, so the run length between cleans is set by fouling and not by capacity.

5

Spray Drying

Concentrate is heated and atomised into hot air in the drying chamber. Feed solids, droplet size and air temperature fix the moisture and structure of the powder; wall deposits and scorched particles are the usual faults.

6

Agglomeration and Fines Return

Fine powder is returned to the atomising zone or agglomerated in a fluid bed. The coarser, more porous particles wet and flow better, which matters for instant powders.

7

Powder Cooling and Sifting

Powder leaves the dryer warm and is cooled and sifted before packing. Packing warm powder lets moisture and fat migrate and the powder cakes in the bag.

8

Packing

Powder is filled in a clean, dry room into barrier packs. In a humid climate, packing-room humidity and the pack's moisture barrier set shelf life more than the dryer does.

9

Cleaning in Place

Heat treatment and evaporator circuits are cleaned in a set cycle with alkali and acid. Checking the returning cleaning solution for protein and cloudiness shows whether fouling is building and whether a clean has worked.

Process & Equipment Modules

  • Milk reception and chilling tank
  • Clarifier and cream separator
  • Plate pasteuriser with holding section
  • Falling-film evaporator with vapour separator
  • Condenser and vacuum system
  • Concentrate feed tank and high-pressure pump
  • Spray drying chamber with atomiser
  • Air heater, inlet filters and fans
  • Cyclone or bag filter for powder recovery
  • Fluid-bed cooler or agglomerator
  • Sifter and powder packing station
  • Cleaning-in-place station

Plant Output

Milk concentrateSkim or whole milk powderCream from standardisationEvaporator condensate as a source of process water

Applications

  • Whole milk powder for retail packs, institutional supply and import replacement
  • Skim milk powder for recombining into milk, yoghurt and ice cream mixes
  • Milk concentrate for further processing or for drying later
  • Turning wet-season milk surplus into a storable powder
  • Agglomerated instant powder for sachets and vending drinks
  • Dairy ingredient powders for bakery, confectionery and chocolate makers
  • Whey and other dairy streams concentrated and dried after trials

Key Features

  • Low-Temperature Evaporation

    Falling-film evaporation under vacuum keeps the boiling temperature low, which protects milk flavour, colour and protein.

  • Heat Treatment Specified for the Product

    Heat severity is chosen with the powder in mind, because it also governs how fast the evaporator fouls.

  • Fouling Run Length Designed In

    Evaporator type, heat-treatment severity and cleaning circuits are chosen together so that runs between cleans fit the shift pattern.

  • Dryer Suited to Whole or Skim

    Chamber size, atomiser and air flow follow the fat level, since whole milk concentrate sticks to surfaces far more readily than skim.

  • Dust and Fire Protection

    Milk powder is an explosible dust, so surface temperatures, venting and dust collection are part of the dryer and powder-handling design.

  • Hygienic Stainless Circuit

    Product-contact parts are stainless steel with smooth welds and drainable pipework, cleaned in place on the wet side and kept dry on the powder side.

Related Products

Frequently Asked Questions

What information is needed to size Dairy Evaporation & Spray Drying Plants?
Daily milk intake and how it changes through the year, the products wanted (concentrate, skim or whole powder), feed solids and fat level, the water to be evaporated per hour, how milk is collected and chilled, steam, cooling water and power on site, and the humidity of the packing area.
What capacity range does Dairy Evaporation & Spray Drying Plants cover?
The indicative capacity range is 100–10,000 kg water evaporation/hour. It is stated on a water evaporation basis per hour, so restate your own volume on that basis and say how many hours a day the plant will run.
Does the plant need a milk collection and cooling network?
Yes, in practice. A powder line starts from the milk it receives, so chilling at farms, collection points or a shared cooling centre belongs in the project. A cooperative of small producers often gets better results by cooling milk close to the farm than by building a larger dryer. Plan cooling site, power and truck routes together with the plant, and expect volume to fall in the dry season.
Why does milk concentrate foul the evaporator?
Heated milk protein aggregates and calcium phosphate precipitates on hot tube surfaces, building a film that cuts heat transfer. Severe heat treatment and poorly controlled feed pH make it worse. The remedies are an evaporator and heat treatment chosen for run length, sensible feed conditions and cleaning cycles checked by testing the return cleaning solution, not by fixed times alone.
Whole milk powder or skim milk powder: how does the line change?
Whole milk carries fat, which makes the concentrate and powder stickier, so dryer design, air conditions and cooling need more care, and fat can oxidise in storage. Skim powder is easier to dry and keep, but the cream must be separated and sold or used. Many plants make both, so the product plan should be fixed before the dryer is sized.
Why does milk powder cake or clump in storage?
Powder that takes up moisture or is stored warm moves from a glassy to a sticky state, and particles bridge together. Humidity above a certain level damages flow quickly. Dry packing rooms, fully cooled powder, a moisture-barrier pack and cool storage are part of the specification, particularly in humid coastal climates.
Is milk powder a dust explosion risk?
Yes. Dried milk is an explosible dust, and fine powder suspended in air can ignite from a hot surface or spark. The design basis should cover surface temperature limits, dust collection, explosion venting or suppression, earthing and good housekeeping around the dryer, cyclones, fluid bed and packing area.
How does this line differ from a stand-alone spray dryer or evaporator?
A spray dryer or a multiple effect evaporator handles one step for a general liquid. A dairy line adds milk reception, standardisation, heat treatment, cleaning circuits and a dry packing room, and is designed around protein fouling and powder stickiness. Buy it as a line when you start from raw milk.
How do I request a proposal for Dairy Evaporation & Spray Drying Plants?
Use the Request a Quote page and describe your project. State the milk volume, the products (concentrate, whole or skim powder) and the quality standards your market requires.

Enquire about Dairy Evaporation & Spray Drying Plants

Send your raw material, target product and capacity to Kadali Africa Ventures for a technical proposal.

Request a QuoteWhatsApp