Intern Optimization of Heat Recovery on a Lactose Dryer

Internship Opportunity: Optimization of Heat Recovery on a Lactose Dryer

FrieslandCampina’s production facility in Veghel is a complex site manufacturing ingredients such as cream, caseinates, whey proteins, lactose, and other products derived from raw milk and cheese whey. These production processes involve a wide range of technologies and consume significant amounts of gas and electricity. All electricity used is sustainably generated by our member farmers and is green-certified. However, natural gas, which contributes to the site’s CO₂ emissions, is also still used.

Continuous improvement is essential to achieving FrieslandCampina’s ambitious sustainability targets for 2030 and beyond. Each year, we aim to reduce gas consumption by 3% through a combination of energy monitoring, waste heat reuse, and energy-reducing investments.

To produce the earlier mentioned ingredients, the site operates several types of drying systems. These systems require large volumes of hot air and are therefore energy-intensive. To mitigate this, they are equipped with integrated heat recovery systems. The heat recovery system for the lactose dryer was installed in 2014 and later modified to meet quality requirements. Currently, it is not operating at full design capacity, indicating potential for further optimization.

What we are looking for

• Enrolment in an Applied sciences or Academic study
• Study types: Engineering (chemical, mechanical, applied physics, environmental sciences), data, mathematics
• Experience with analyzing process data (and Power BI) comes in handy but is not required
• Language: English or Dutch
• Duration: 4-6 months
• Personal characteristics: independent, analytical, assertive, communicative

What we offer

We offer an interesting and challenging internship in which you will have the freedom and opportunities within the assignment to further develop yourself in your area of interest. You can count on professional guidance and a fair internship allowance.

Internship Description

The main goals of this internship are the following:

1. Validate and update input for the energy balance of the lactose heat recovery and dehumidifier
2. Generation of a heat recovery monitoring template dashboard for the site
3. Identification of saving potential
4. Implement quick wins
5. Write investment proposals for larger modification when proven feasible

This entails (for all parts of the internship):

• Collect knowledge and data from databases, systems and people
• Determine operating windows (and targets/limits) and relevant monitoring Key Performance Indicators of the unit
• Implementation and validation of this data in EMS software environment
• Development of dashboards (Power BI) analyzing
• Measurements in the factory

Team Details

You will work in the technologist team at FrieslandCampina Veghel. This young team consists of motivated technologists who like to apply their knowledge in practice. The office is centrally located on the production site, making it easy for you to enter the factory to sort things out. The technologists in Veghel ensure that the right quality product is made, they make improvement proposals and support in projects.

Contact

Pien Mulder
Pien.Mulder@frieslandcampina.com