PC-JUN09-PG13.OK:PC-JUN09-PG13.OK 01/06/2009 12:24 Page 13
Advertisement feature Cover story
Discover peristaltic pumps
... and drive down costs in food production, says pump
manufacturer Watson-Marlow
P
eristaltic pumping technology developed to meet the demands of
has been around for a long time industry. Its versatility and capacity for
and is used in manufacturing ongoing upgrades means it is particu-
processes where issues of quality larly well-suited for innovative process
and safety are of paramount impor- development by both system integra-
tance. For the food sector, it offers dis- tors and food/beverage manufacturers
tinct advantages which other who are continually looking for new
technologies cannot deliver. ways of delivering improved perfor-
Reliability and consistency are often mance in their own industry."
cited, but other benefits range from Shepherd continues: "At a time when
accuracy which enable the required organisations are under particular pres-
volumes to be delivered without over- sure to contain costs, improve quality
dosing, to cleaning and hygiene and the and limit the expenses of downtime
suitability of the pumps for handling and lost batches, they can’t afford to
'difficult' fluids. ignore the technology any longer."
The ability of peristaltic pumps to Watson-Marlow can help users save
process delicate products where the large amounts of money on ancillaries
transfer must be made without degrada- because peristaltic pumps are simply
tion is particularly important. Unlike "plug and play". Equally, they are easily A manufacturer of Peristaltic technology clearly per-
shear-based pumps which use moved from one point to another for teabread is using an forms a useful function in the food
impellers, vanes, lobes or valves which different duties.
SPX hose pump to
sector – and in certain instances is the
can damage the product and result in From the companies we work with
transfer cake batter
only pump type capable of meeting the
lost production, peristaltic pumps can where we often replace alternative particular process requirements. It
deal with products as diverse as pumps that haven’t delivered, we can seems strange that at a time when the
prawns, soft fruit or liquid egg. see the immediate benefits. Peristaltic food sector is under serious financial
Over 10.5 million eggs are consumed technology is simple to use, easy to and competitive pressures, that failures
in the UK each year – 48% of those eggs maintain, and it doesn’t require trained of other more traditional pump types
in homes around the country as quick, operatives if there’s a problem. Only the continue to cost some manufacturers
nutritional meals, the remaining 52% hose or tube is in contact with the dearly in terms of rejected product and
are used in food production and cater- pumped fluid. Removing a tube and unplanned downtime.
ing. Eggs are available in liquid – whole replacing it is a straightforward process Most chemical dosing applications
or separated yolks and whites, in frozen – it takes minutes, not hours. in the treatment of factory waste require
and dried forms, but also as "value- For example, in an application to pumps capable of handling 4-6 bar back
added" products such as ready-to-use transfer dense, settled and treated sludge pressure, and traditionally this applica-
scrambled eggs, boiled eggs and other from water used to wash vegetables such tion has been fulfilled by diaphragm
pre-prepared forms for caterers. as carrots, swede and leeks before they pumps. However, whilst the pumps
Whole liquid egg is predominantly are processed and packed for distribu- perform relatively well when there is
used by larger food manufacturing sites tion to supermarkets, a progressive no back pressure involved, flow rates
for cakes, flans, batter products and cavity pump cost £6,000/year in spare can vary widely when line pressure
pasta. Normally supplied in 1,000kg parts, plus many hours of in-house increases. This variation in flow trans-
bag-in-box format, the product is labour each time the pump failed — not lates into under/over dosing into the
pumped from the box straight to the to mention the clean-up time needed main process flow line with the poten-
mixing point. Fresh egg has a maxi- whenever the muddy slurry spilled out. tial to incorrectly treat effluent, or, add
mum shelf life of four days when stored After extensive trials, a Watson-Marlow
Mid-flow 620 too much chemical.
at between 0-4˚C and must be handled hose pump sold for the same duty, con- pumps provide Avoiding these issues and reducing
carefully to prevent heat transfer or tinues to handle the abrasive sludge hygienic flows to costs can be achieved by specifying
damage to the product. twelve months after its installation, 18l/min and rapid peristaltic pumps which can be con-
Watson-Marlow pumps are increas- without maintenance or downtime. tube loading trolled by process signal or run as part
ingly being used at both egg processing of a Profibus network and provide
companies and food manufacturers for dosing accuracy of +/-0.5%, irrespec-
handling eggs in their liquid form. tive of fluctuations in line pressure or
Liquid egg is transferred straight fluid viscosity.
through a sterile tube and without con- Improving the performance of an
tacting the pumps mechanical parts. effluent treatment plant makes econom-
There is no risk of shear to the mixture ical sense in terms of reducing operat-
and no risk of contamination during the ing costs. Accurate chemical dosing
transfer process. Moreover, cleaning at negates the need for corrective mea-
the end of each shift is simple. sures and ensures no excess energy is
Ashley Shepherd, UK Sales consumed so providing further cost
Manager at Watson-Marlow com- savings to the user.
ments: “Peristaltic pumping might not
Watson-Marlow Pumps Group
be new, but it is nonetheless a product
T: 01326 370370 Enter 251
which is continually being refined and
www.watson-marlow.co.uk
Process & Control JUNE 2009 13
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