FOOD & BEVERAGE FEATURE
lengths of straight pipe run by up to 75%. ABB VortexMaster flowmeters are used
to measure the flow of steam and condensate from the site’s steam supply to the distillation vessels. VortexMaster meters suit steam mass flow as they employ integral temperature measurement, eliminating the cost, space and potential measurement errors associated with using separate devices. During the mashing process, ABB
CoriolisMaster FCB 450 meters are used. Bain said: “During the process we also need to check how much spirit is being produced and ABB CoriolisMaster meters are the only ones able to provide a density measurement in addition to flow rate, indicating the alcohol content of the wort.” ABB CoriolisMaster flowmeters employ
THE TRUE SPIRIT OF ACCURATE FLOW CONTROL
ABB flow meters ensure correct flow rates and spirit strength in premium whisky production after the famous whisky brand Macallan moved to a new distillery to help increase output
A
ccurate measurement delivered by a range of ABB flowmeters is helping
the company behind the Macallan whisky brand to maintain its high product quality standards following its move to a new £140m distillery. The Macallan distillery in Craigellachie,
Speyside, is owned by the Edrington Group and replaces the previous distillery that had reached its capacity. With an increased production capacity of 30%, the new distillery will produce premium spirit with the help of a selection of accurate ABB flow meters. The flow meters were installed and
commissioned by ABB channel partner JWF Ltd, which won the bid to supply a turnkey measurement solution for the distillery. Raymond Bain, project engineer,
Electrical and Control for Edrington, said: “Because the site is quite remote, after sales service is vital for us. Quality and cost are very important, but support is critical, which is why we found the JWF and ABB offer so compelling. “Both companies have already
demonstrated that they will remain onsite until any issues are resolved.” The different stages of the whisky
production process, which all need accurate and reliable measurement, require different types of flowmetering technologies. JWF used ABB’s range of electromagnetic, swirl and vortex and coriolis flow meters to meet these needs, as well its 261 series pressure transmitters.
ABB’s WaterMaster electromagnetic flow
meters are used to measure the volume of cooling water which is sourced from boreholes on the Macallan Estate. In another unusual application, additional WaterMaster flowmeters are also used to help ensure that the distillery’s distinctive 14,000m2
blend in with the local countryside, is not over-watered. The distilling process itself employs 36
copper stills, which are exact replicas of the original ones used in the company’s old distillery. ABB Swirl meters are used in the actual spirit production as they can measure very low flow rates. Swirl meters were also the best fit as the raw spirit is not as conductive as water and therefore magnetic flow meters were not suitable. The ABB SwirlMaster FSS430 is the basic
meter for volume flow applications. It offers good vibration compensation and enables user-friendly intuitive operation. It is also flexible in installation, as it can cope with short inlet and outlet sections, reducing the upstream and downstream
Swirl flow meters are used in spirit production as they can measure very low flow rates
The copper stills at the new distillery are exact replicas of the original ones used in the previous Macallan plant
grass roof, which was created to
DensiMass software for direct concentration measurement and FillMass software for filling application control. This makes them suitable for the loading of the tankers for transporting spirit to the bottling plant. “We make spirit at 72% and need to
reduce the strength to 67-68%. ABB’s coriolis flowmeters help ensure the spirit is at the correct strength before loading for transportation.” Some 64 ProcessMaster FEP300 series
electromagnetic flow meters are used for various process water applications, including wort flow measurement. The unit’s high accuracy of 0.4% of measured value, combined with ease of use, low maintenance costs and longevity means they suit standard measurement applications in a range of industries. Other products used in the applications
include the ABB 261GS Gauge Pressure transmitter, which can be used in a range of process and ambient conditions due to its high corrosion resistance. A total of 78 of these are used in applications such as pressure measurement of the eight spirit stills, inlet steam pressure for the stills, cooling water line pressure and pressure and steam inlet pressure for the wash stills. Their large turndown ratio of 20:1 means they warn if the stills are in danger of collapse, which can occur at pressures of below 25 millibar. “The global prestige of the Macallan
whisky brand means that literally only the very best will do when it comes to the performance of the equipment used in the whisky production process,” said David Bowers, product manager Pressure and Process Flow for ABB Measurement and Analytics. “Widely recognised for their accuracy and reliability, our flowmeters are perfectly matched to applications such as this where precise measurement is key to ensuring a high quality product.”
ABB
new.abb.com
PROCESS & CONTROL | JUNE 2020 33
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
