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Solving drying challenges on congested beverage lines By Dan Anjos, business development manager, Hyroic
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s beverage manufacturers continue to increase production speeds and maximise output, space on production fl oors has become a valuable
commodity. New equipment often needs to be integrated into lines that were designed years earlier, leaving little room for modifi cations. This creates challenges when addressing moisture- related quality issues.
One area where this is encountered is around bottle closures. Moisture remaining on the cap and neck of bottles following fi lling, rinsing or cooling processes can create a range of problems. Excess water can interfere with labelling and coding, aff ect packaging appearance and lead to issues during quality inspections. While the importance of removing moisture is well-known, fi nding space for eff ective drying equipment is not always straightforward. Many beverage facilities operate highly congested conveyor systems where every available space is already allocated.
Meanwhile, on high-speed lines, the time available to remove moisture can be minimal. Drying systems need to deliver suffi cient performance within a very limited space. Achieving eff ective drying without extending the conveyor footprint is diffi cult. In these environments, simply increasing airfl ow is not the answer. Broad airfl ow patterns can waste energy and may not focus drying performance where it is needed most. The cap and neck area of a bottle often represents a relatively small target, yet it
is one of the most critical locations for moisture removal. Directing airfl ow precisely at this area can signifi cantly improve drying effi ciency while reducing the overall size of the system. Manufacturers are looking for compact solutions that can be integrated directly into existing conveyor layouts. The ability to install drying equipment without the need for structural changes helps reduce installation costs and allows production schedules to continue with minimal disruption.
A common challenge on high-output drinks lines is persistent moisture around the cap and neck area of bottles. Residual water can create quality concerns further along the production process, while facilities often face a signifi cant constraint: heavily congested production lines with very little space available for additional equipment.
In this type of environment, redesigning the conveyor system is rarely desirable, instead, we at Hyroic would recommend a compact Top Dryer. With a footprint of just 450mm, or one metre if enclosed, the Top Dryer can be mounted directly onto the existing conveyor infrastructure. A specially designed mounting arrangement would allow the unit to be positioned precisely where drying performance is required, focusing airfl ow directly onto the cap and neck area of each bottle as it passes through. By concentrating airfl ow on the specifi c area
aff ected by moisture, eff ective drying could be achieved without requiring a large installation footprint. The compact design would enable manufacturers to maintain their existing line
confi guration while addressing the quality issue at source. This targeted approach allows high- speed beverage lines to achieve eff ective drying while maintaining their existing layout. Output can be increased without disrupting operations or compromising quality requirements. By resolving moisture issues within the space available, facilities can improve effi ciency and productivity without the need for signifi cant infrastructure changes.
In many cases, the key to success lies in the accurate and effi cient direction of air. A targeted approach can deliver better results while using less space and energy than more traditional methods. For beverage producers, maintaining dry containers helps support consistent product quality and reduces the risk of downstream disruptions. Labelling, coding and packaging processes can operate more reliably when excess moisture is eliminated before containers reach these stages.
Importantly, solutions that can be integrated into existing layouts allow manufacturers to improve performance without sacrifi cing production capacity. In facilities where fl oor space is limited, avoiding major line modifi cations can signifi cantly reduce project costs and implementation timescales.
As beverage manufacturers continue to pursue higher production rates and greater operational effi ciency, compact and targeted drying technologies are becoming increasingly important. Addressing moisture at critical points along the line can help eliminate quality issues and support increased throughput. In many cases, the most eff ective solutions are those that deliver maximum performance within the smallest possible footprint.
www.convertermag.com
July/August 2026
29
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