CONTA® spray drying feed system
Designers and engineers at GEA are always working to develop components and equipment that improve the safety, efficiency and environmental sustainability of food and dairy processing for our customers around the world. In what we think is a remarkable achievement we’ve developed the CONTA® dual block valve technology to substantially reduce a potential product safety issue that can occur during spray drying.
High pressure valves
Just like traditional spray dryer atomizer valve units, the patented CONTA® dual block valve receives feed, typically conveyed from the feed system, and divides it between multiple atomizer nozzles, which then spray the feed into the dryer’s drying chamber. But in designing the CONTA® technology we’ve addressed a perhaps underappreciated potential source of microbiological contamination and engineered a system without difficult-to-CIP (cleaning-in-place) areas.
In any pipework or valve system there may be areas where feed can pool during a production run, representing a potential microbiological risk. Compared with its predecessor, the GEA CONTA® design reduces those areas by about 96%. This enables a much more efficient CIP and so significantly reduced microbiological risk.
Benefits of the GEA CONTA® dual block valve for spray dryers:
- Greater process and product safety
- Significantly reduced microbiological risk
- Increased reliability
- Improved operational health and safety
- Simpler inspection and maintenance
- Reduced plant down time
Increase confidence in product safety
Installing the CONTA® dual block valve system into your food or dairy spray drying plant could significantly improve sanitary operation and give you greater confidence in your product safety.
Features of the GEA CONTA® dual valve block for spray dryers:
- Dual feed valve block, each block connected to up to 10 atomizer nozzles
- Lighter in weight than other types of valve block
- Designed for user-friendly inspection and maintenance
- Can be built into new spray dryers with atomizer nozzles, or retrofit into existing compatible plants
- Standardized design that is easily tailored for each plant
- Smaller footprint
- Fast supply and installation
Supporting 24/7 processing and operator safety
We’ve incorporated multiple beneficial features into the CONTA® block valve design. Supporting 24/7 operation, the unit is significantly lighter in weight than existing atomizer valve blocks. Each CONTA® valve weighs about half as much as a valve in a traditional system, so handling is easier and safer for operators. Weight reduction, together with the lack of welds and manifolds, has allowed us to perfect a more user-friendly design that makes it possible to manually inspect and maintain individual valves, without reliance on complicated tools or the need for heavy lifting. Operators only need simple tools to release each valve cover so that the valve can be removed.
The combined features of our technology mean that plant operators can more easily keep the CONTA® dual block valve units operating optimally, minimize the risk of valve failure or deteriorating performance, and so reduce plant down time, all with improved operational health and safety.
A nozzle feed system for more efficient spray drying
We believe that when installed into a new spray dryer plant or retrofit into an existing plant, the CONTA® dual block valve system can give you more efficient and safer food and dairy processing. And as well as offering the same functionality and throughput as traditional valve blocks, the CONTA® valve system offers comparatively better sanitary design and ease of use. The good news is that it may be easier than you might think to retrofit the CONTA® dual block component into a working plant. It’s commonly possible to directly swap out an existing spray dryer valve block for the CONTA® dual block component, with some basic programming changes.
Fast configuration and installation
We’ve created a standardized CONTA® dual block valve unit that can be easily configured for installation in both new, and existing spray drying plants. This helps us supply, install and commission your new valve blocks with minimal disruption and delay, so you can be up and running as fast as possible.
To find out more, just contact your local GEA representative, and let’s get talking.
Want to know more? Get in touch with our experts today
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