Determining some saving parameters of variable speed vacuum pump used in milking systems

The main purpose of livestock production is to achieve high yield and quality product. On the other hand, to minimize production cost is to be necessary. One of the main production cost is energy. Among the livestock productions, the most intensive energy consuming is taken place in dairy farms. By means of providing variable speed vacuum pump, an inverter was installed at the electric motor of vacuum pump in this study. Due to obtaining saving parameters, the trials were done before and after variable speed vacuum pump. The research was held in a dairy farm that is located in Luleburgaz, Kırklareli. Following are the results of the study: Before the variable speed vacuum pump daily electric energy consuming was 88,616 kWh/day and the after it was reduced to 55,816 kWh/day. The saving was 32,800 kWh/day and the percentage of saving was 37,014%. Before the variable speed vacuum pump specific energy consuming based on amount of harvested milk (SETs) was found as 14,192 kWh/ton and the after it was found to be 8,597 kWh/ton. At the same stages, specific energy consuming based on per cow that milk in a year (SETi) was 161,724 kWh/cow-year and 101,864 kWh/cow-year respectively. The return of investment (ROI) was calculated as 1,18 year for the investment of the invertor and the vacuum pressure sensor. Noise level values before the variable speed vacuum pump were; 90,3 dB nearby the vacuum pump, 81,2 dB in milk room and 87,3 dB at milking parlor. And the after values at the places were found to be 79,8 dB, 78,1 dB and 69,3 dB respectively. Before variable speed vacuum pump oil consumption of vacuum pump was 96 ml/day and the after this was measured with 62 ml/day. Variable speed vacuum pumps which have been already using in farms are very limited numbers. Hopefully, by sharing this results farms will be willed to use the system. Key words: vacuum pump, variable speed, energy efficiency, dairy farm