FEATURE PUMPS, VALVES & ACTUATORS GO OIL-FREE FOR A PURE AND SIMPLE SOLUTION
Iain Cunningham, Food & Beverage sector manager at Elmo Rietschle, a Gardner Denver brand, explains how to ensure contamination risks from vacuum pumps are eliminated or controlled to an acceptable level in food production environments
T
he use of compressed air is covered in the hazard analysis and critical
control point principles (HACCP), an internationally recognised set of guidelines for reducing the risk of safety hazards in food. But what about vacuum pumps, which remove air from food packaging prior to sealing, and are not covered by HACCP? If HACCP seeks to identify what risks
there are to food safety and what can be done to ensure these are removed or reduced to a safe level, then food manufacturers should not overlook vacuum pumps. Many of these will be oil-lubricated, and it’s important to note that most will be reliable products, with the majority of them operating without any issues arising. Nevertheless, poor maintenance
practices or minor equipment faults can risk oil discharging from a vacuum
vacuum pump are managed. Always using genuine parts is another
important means of managing potential problems. Oil-lubricated vacuum pumps run the risk of oil being discharged from the exhaust, and there is a chance that the separator element may fail due to disuse, a poor fit or low quality. Genuine spare parts limit the possibility of these problems occurring and protect the facility’s investment by helping to ensure a long operational lifespan, plus reduced whole life costs too.
time, filters can become blocked, often due to a lack of servicing or problems such as a badly fitting or failing separator. The oil used in an oil- lubricated pump then bypasses the unit’s filters and blows out the back of the system. Oil droplets then circulate in the air of the immediate environment where
By taking the appropriate maintenance action for an oil-lubricated model, or investing in oil-free technology, food
processing sites can help control food safety hazards
‘A major advantage of an oil-free vacuum pump is that it will not need to be removed to carry out maintenance. This means there is no equipment downtime or associated costs from oil, waste oil disposal or labour’
pump’s exhaust. This presents a big problem for sites where air quality simply cannot be compromised. As well as oil discharge from the
exhaust, operators should also be aware that oil-lubricated vacuum pumps run the risk of oil carrying over from an open-ended inlet port, and there is the chance an air/oil separator element may fail due to misuse or through the use of non-genuine parts. Filters can be a real challenge, too. Over
the food is being processed, with food contamination a possibility. However, by taking a predictive and
preventative maintenance approach to vacuum pumps that are being used in food processing applications, these risks can be overcome. For instance, simple measures such as
using a food grade lubricant, fitting a downstream exhaust filter or remotely piping the exhaust air, can ensure the potential risks from an oil-lubricated
TIMELY MAINTENANCE Regular and timely maintenance is also essential. This helps avoid any potential contamination, while ensuring a site’s pumps are operating as expected, with very little or no oil carryover. This will improve the pump’s overall efficiency levels and longevity. However, many customers will want the
assurance that those involved in the food supply chain are making every effort to control these risks, so that it is practically impossible for food to become contaminated. Subsequently, many facilities are now turning to oil-free vacuum pump technology. Oil-free vacuum pumps have been
specifically developed to meet the needs of manufacturers requiring only the highest air purity standards. These pumps do not require the same level of maintenance as oil-lubricated models, as there is no need to replace oil or filters. This reduces a pump’s lifetime costs.
ELIMINATING DOWNTIME Another major advantage of an oil-free vacuum pump is that it will not need to be removed to carry out maintenance. This means there is no equipment downtime or associated costs from oil, waste oil disposal or labour. With the focus on air quality only likely
to increase as time goes on, there’s real potential for those operating in the food processing industry to reap the rewards of oil-free vacuum pumps. Many consider a vacuum pump to be a
Oil-free vacuum pumps have been specifically developed to meet the needs of manufacturers requiring the highest air purity standards
22 DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 | PROCESS & CONTROL
small and ‘hidden’ commodity item, with operators tending to ignore how they are operating until it is too late – do not make this mistake. By taking the appropriate maintenance action for an oil-lubricated model, or investing in oil- free technology, food processing sites can rest assured that they have done everything possible to help control food safety hazards.
Gardner Denver
www.gardnerdenver.com/industrials
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