Development of Centrifugation Straining Control System for Greek Yogurt Production Based on Weight of Whey Drain

Abstract

Greek yogurt production needs a straining process that takes 10 hours or more. This paper proposes automation and control method for the centrifugation system to speed up the process time and to optimize the accuracy of quantity of whey drainage. Using system identification, the estimated mathematical model of straining process has been developed based on the traditional process of straining the yogurt. Then, the simulation and control design optimization has been carried out by using the estimated mathematical model. Based on the simulation results using whey mass controller, motor speed controller, and the combination of whey mass and motor speed controller, the controller that used are PID controller and fuzzy logic controller. The fastest controller is a PID controller as motor speed controller and fuzzy logic controller as whey mass controller that can speed up the production time and optimize the accuracy of quantity of whey drainage.