This is a project regarding a swine feed pellet cooler in the Netherlands. A large commercial swine feed mill in the province of Gelderland, Netherlands, was producing 180,000 tons of pelleted feed annually for pig farms across the country and export to Germany. Their weaner feed (for piglets from weaning to 25kg) was particularly sensitive.
This is a project regarding a swine feed pellet cooler in the Netherlands. A large commercial swine feed mill in the province of Gelderland, Netherlands, was producing 180,000 tons of pelleted feed annually for pig farms across the country and export to Germany. Their weaner feed (for piglets from weaning to 25kg) was particularly sensitive.
The pellets contained milk powder, organic acids, and heat-sensitive probiotics. The existing cooler – an older model – was creating "hot spots" where some pellets exited at 45°C while others were at 30°C. The hot pellets were degrading the probiotics. Piglet farmers were reporting feed refusal and diarrhea.
The production manager (let's call him Jan) explained the problem: "Weaner feed is the most expensive feed we produce. It contains premium ingredients like milk powder and probiotics. The probiotics are heat-sensitive – they die above 45°C. Our old cooler was inconsistent. Some pellets were still warm when bagged. The probiotics were being killed. Piglets weren't getting the gut health benefits."
The pig feed production line was producing 15 tons/hour of 3.5mm weaner pellets. They had an old vertical cooler that was inefficient and had poor air distribution. Jan started looking for a swine feed pellet cooler that could handle 13-20 tons/hour with uniform cooling.
Name:
pig pellet cooling machine
Country:
Netherlands
Date:
2025
Capacity:
13-20 tons/hour
Model:
SKLF24x24
Main Motor Power:
2.2kW
Cooling Time:
6–15 minutes
Product Temperature After Cooling:
Room Temperature + 3–5°C
From the cooler table, the SKLF24x24 (2.2kW) swine feed pellet cooler was selected. Why this model?
Jan chose the SKLF24x24 swine feed pellet cooler to replace their inefficient vertical cooler. The new cooler would be installed directly after the pellet mill.
The Netherlands has a sophisticated swine industry. The plant produces:
The pellets are used for:
The SKLF24x24 swine feed pellet cooler arrived at the Port of Rotterdam – Europe's largest port.
Shipping time from Qingdao to Rotterdam is about 30-35 days. The machine was packed in a 40-foot container with:
Customs clearance in Rotterdam took about 3 days. Total landed cost was about 20% higher than the FOB price.
Installation took three weeks. The old vertical cooler was removed. The new SKLF24x24 was positioned on a raised platform to allow gravity discharge into the bagging and bulk loading system. A concrete foundation (250mm thick) was poured.
The electrical hookup required 400V, 50Hz three-phase (Dutch standard). The 2.2kW discharge motor plus hydraulic pack required a 40-amp breaker.
The first test run was with 3.5mm weaner pellets at 78°C. The cooler was set to 10 minutes cooling time. Pellet temperature exiting: 23°C (ambient was 19°C). Probiotic survival: 92% (lab tested). No hot spots – all samples within 2°C.
After six months of operation, Jan documented the following results:
Before (vertical cooler – poor air distribution):
After (SKLF24x24 counterflow cooler):
Production impact:
Here's what Jan said after six months (paraphrased from a conversation, translated from Dutch):
"Weaner feed is our most valuable product. The probiotics are expensive, and they're heat-sensitive. Our old cooler was killing them. Piglet farmers were complaining that their pigs weren't eating.
The SKLF24x24 changed that. The counterflow design gives us uniform cooling – every pellet exits at 23-25°C. No hot spots. Our probiotic survival is now 92%.
The large capacity (15 tons/hour) matches our production perfectly. The hydraulic swing tray discharge is gentle on the small 3.5mm pellets – no breakage.
Would I recommend this cooler? Yes. For any swine feed mill producing heat-sensitive weaner feed, a counterflow cooler with uniform air distribution is essential. The SKLF24x24 paid for itself in five months."
Weaner feed (piglet starter feed) has unique requirements:
Small pellet size: 3.5mm pellets have more surface area per unit volume than larger pellets. They cool faster but are more susceptible to hot spots.
Heat-sensitive ingredients: Probiotics (live bacteria) die above 45°C. Milk powder can scorch. Organic acids can volatilize.
Piglet health: Poor-quality feed causes feed refusal and post-weaning diarrhea – a major cause of mortality.
Economic impact: Weaner feed is 2-3x more expensive than grower feed. Wasting it is costly.
The SKLF24x24's counterflow design ensures uniform cooling:
The key is the air distribution system – no dead zones, no hot spots.
| Temperature | Probiotic Survival | Acceptable for Weaner Feed |
|---|---|---|
| 75°C (incoming) | 0% | No |
| 50°C | 40% | No |
| 40°C | 65% | No |
| 30°C | 85% | Marginal |
| 25°C | 92% | Yes |
| 20°C | 95% | Yes |
The cooler must achieve 25°C or lower for acceptable probiotic survival.
Small pellets (3.5mm) are fragile. The SKLF24x24's hydraulic swing tray discharge:
Jan's breakage testing:
Less breakage means more saleable product.
The plant's pellet mill produces 15 tons/hour of 3.5mm weaner pellets. The SKLF24x24 handles this easily:
No bottleneck. The cooler keeps up with the pellet mill.
The SKLF24x24 includes stainless steel at critical points:
Weaner feed contains organic acids (lactic, formic, citric) which can corrode standard steel. Stainless steel is essential.
The SKLF24x24 shipped from Qingdao to Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Shipping time from Qingdao to Rotterdam is about 30-35 days. The route goes through the South China Sea, past Singapore, across the Indian Ocean, through the Suez Canal, across the Mediterranean, and up the Atlantic to Northern Europe.
The machine was packed in a 40-foot container. Customs clearance in Rotterdam took about 3 days. Total landed cost was about 20% higher than the FOB price.
The truck transport from Rotterdam to Gelderland was about 100km – roughly 1.5 hours.
After six months of running the SKLF24x24, Jan shared several observations:
Lesson 1: Uniform cooling is critical for heat-sensitive ingredients. Hot spots degrade probiotics. The counterflow design eliminates hot spots.
Lesson 2: Small pellets (3.5mm) need gentle discharge. Swing tray is better than screw conveyor.
Lesson 3: Target exit temperature is 25°C or lower for probiotic survival. Measure temperature at multiple points in the discharge.
Lesson 4: Test probiotic levels weekly. Jan sends samples to a lab. Target: >90% survival.
Lesson 5: Clean the cooler between formulations. Weaner feed has different ingredients than grower feed. Jan's team cleans the stainless steel surfaces every batch change. Takes 45 minutes.
RICHI provided several services that helped Jan get the SKLF24x24 operational:
For a swine feed mill producing heat-sensitive weaner feed, a counterflow cooler is essential.
Consider the SKLF24x24 swine feed pellet cooler if:
Consider a larger model (SKLF28x28) if:
For Jan's swine feed mill, the SKLF24x24 swine feed pellet cooler in Netherlands was the right investment. It eliminated hot spots, preserved probiotics (92% survival), and paid for itself in five months.
If you're a swine feed mill producing weaner feed, don't compromise on cooling. Hot spots degrade probiotics and organic acids. Piglets won't eat poor-quality feed. The result is poor growth, diarrhea, and unhappy customers.
The SKLF24x24 swine feed pellet cooler in Netherlands uses counterflow technology to cool pellets uniformly from 80°C to 23°C in 10 minutes. No hot spots. The gentle swing tray discharge prevents breakage of small pellets. The stainless steel construction resists corrosion from organic acids. The result is high-quality weaner feed that piglets thrive on.
For swine feed producers, the math is simple: uniform cooling = probiotic preservation = healthy piglets = happy customers = repeat business.
RICHI offers documentation in Dutch, cooling time guidance, stainless steel options, and remote support. Contact RICHI Machinery through the website with your pellet output, pellet size, and ingredient sensitivity for a recommendation. Tell them about your weaner feed application – they can help you select the right cooler to preserve probiotics and prevent hot spots.
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