Temperature Monitoring and Commissioning for Dairy Pasteurisers

Pasteuriser Temperature Monitoring System Commissioning

Project Overview

BONNER commissioned a temperature monitoring system for an Irish dairy processing facility to ensure accurate temperature recording, food safety compliance and reliable process control. The project involved the installation, calibration and validation of pasteuriser temperature instrumentation using Endress+Hauser transmitters and ABB chart recorders.

The project also involved the successful setup and verification of accurate temperature measurement and signal communication between the field instrument and recording system. It highlights the calibration procedures carried out to ensure reliable performance, process accuracy and compliance with operational requirements.

System components were:

• Sensor: Two 4-wire RTDs
• Transmitter: Two Endress+Hauser TMT71’s (2-wire, 4 to 20 mA loop-powered)
• Receiver: Two ABB Commander 1900 Circular Chart Recorders

Commissioning and calibration of these components ensures compliance with food safety regulations, temperature traceability, audit readiness, product quality assurance and risk reduction.

Food Safety and Compliance in Pasteurisation

Effective temperature monitoring is one of the most critical aspects of food safety in pasteurisation processes. The primary purpose of pasteurisation is to eliminate harmful microorganisms while preserving product quality, making accurate and reliable temperature measurement essential for both regulatory compliance and consumer protection.

In dairy and food processing facilities, pasteurisation systems must consistently achieve and maintain specified temperatures for defined holding times. Any deviation from these parameters can compromise product safety, lead to product loss and increase the risk of regulatory non-compliance. For this reason, temperature monitoring systems are often considered critical control points (CCPs) within a facility’s HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) programme.

At BONNER, our commissioning and instrumentation specialists help food processing facilities implement reliable temperature monitoring solutions that support compliance, traceability and long-term process performance.

We carried out the following in order to improve operational efficiency and provide accurate process data:

Wiring and Termination Phase

Field Installation

The 4-wire RTD sensor was wired directly to the Endress+Hauser TMT71 transmitters to ensure maximum lead-wire resistance compensation.

Control Panel Termination

Our team identified the appropriate input terminal blocks on the I/O board inside the ABB Commander 1900 housing. Heat-shrink insulation was applied to the cable shields (screens) before landing the wires inside the recorder panel.

Wire Hookup Configuration

The loop was wired according to the following point-to-point

1. Connect the wire from the TMT71 Terminal 1 (+)to the ABB Analog Input (+) terminal
2. Connect the wire from the TMT71 Terminal 2 (–) to the ABB Analog Input (-) terminal.

Chart Recorder Configuration

Following a physical inspection of the electrical connections, the ABB Commander 1900 was powered up and configured for the 4 to 20 mA current loop.

Step 1: Menu Navigation

• Access the basic configuration level on the ABB user interface.

Step 2: Input Channel Setup

• The input channel assigned to the pasteuriser was configured with the following parameters to match the transmitter’s output profiles:

Step 3: Recording Pen Setup

• BONNER configured the physical charting pens to scale automatically with the 0°C to 120°C engineering range.
• We aligned the pen boundaries with the input profile to prevent trace clipping.

In terms of ongoing practice, regular calibration, validation and commissioning of temperature monitoring equipment help ensure that measurement systems continue to perform within specified tolerances. This reduces the risk of inaccurate readings, improves process reliability and supports ongoing compliance with food safety management systems such as HACCP and ISO 22000. Well-maintained instrumentation also helps identify potential issues before they impact production, minimising downtime and reducing the likelihood of costly product recalls.

Once the instrument loop was fully configured, a formal loop check and calibration protocol were initiated:

1. Transmitter Calibration: The Endress+Hauser TMT71 transmitter underwent calibration testing to verify current output accuracy across the 0–120°C span.
2. Data Verification: End-to-end testing was performed by comparing simulated temperature inputs at the sensor against the real-time digital readouts and physical pen traces on the ABB Commander 1900 chart.

Project Results

Following commissioning, the client achieved:

• Accurate temperature monitoring across both pasteurisers
• Reliable 4–20 mA signal communication
• Improved food safety compliance
• Complete calibration documentation
• Reduced risk of temperature recording errors
• Enhanced audit readiness

Food Safety and Compliance Benefits

Proper commissioning and installation of the pasteurisers provides several important operational, safety and compliance benefits to the client, including:

• Improved product safety – Ensures the pasteuriser consistently reaches and maintains the correct temperature and holding times required to eliminate harmful bacteria and meet food safety standards.
• Reliable process performance – Correct setup and calibration of sensors, transmitters, valves and control systems helps maintain stable and repeatable production conditions.
• Regulatory compliance – Proper commissioning helps demonstrate compliance with food industry regulations and quality assurance standards through documented testing and verification.
• Reduced downtime and faults – Early identification of wiring issues, incorrect configuration, flow problems or control faults minimises future breakdowns and costly production interruptions.
• Accurate monitoring and recording – Proper integration of chart recorders, PLCs and temperature instrumentation ensures accurate recording of critical process data for traceability and audits.

Need commissioning, calibration, or temperature monitoring services?

BONNER provides temperature monitoring, instrumentation calibration, commissioning and automation solutions for food and beverage manufacturers across Ireland.

Book a consultation today.