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GEA Insights
La percée qui a révolutionné le séchage par atomisation
En 1976, les ingénieurs de NIRO répondaient à un défi concurrentiel en repensant ce que pouvait faire le séchage par atomisation. Leur idée est à l'origine du sécheur-atomiseur à plusieurs étages MSD. Cinquante ans plus tard, ce même principe fondamental aide à transformer les liquides en poudres, qui sont utilisées dans des produits nutritionnels essentiels et des médicaments importants partout dans le monde. Perfectionné au cours de plusieurs décennies d'expertise technique, d'enquêtes clientèle et de développement continu, le MSD est une histoire d'innovation aux retombées durables.
Au-delà des machines : exploiter les gisements de performance des installations
Ce n'est pas parce que vous avez des machines efficaces que votre usine l'est. Une trajectoire d'amélioration efficace commence souvent par une analyse qui ne se limite pas aux équipements pris individuellement, et cherche à comprendre comment les processus, les systèmes énergétiques et les décisions opérationnelles s'influencent mutuellement. C'est une démarche holistique, conçue pour repérer des opportunités qui, sans cela, risqueraient de passer inaperçues.
Comment une vanne révolutionne la production des aliments et des boissons
Dans les installations agroalimentaires, les vannes sont généralement actionnées en utilisant de l'air comprimé. La technologie d'actionnement GEA Hydract® Actuation Technology, quant à elle, actionne les vannes en utilisant de l'eau, au sein d'un circuit fermé à commande numérique. Résultat, une vanne peut être maintenue en place de manière exacte et réglée par petits paliers. Cela se traduit par une consommation d'énergie en baisse et un meilleur contrôle.
With a design based on proven high shear mixing technologies, the GEA INLINE FORMULA® Powder Dissolver offers energy efficient, cost-efficient powder dissolving for multipurpose manufacturing but with a small footprint.
Fluidizing powder into liquid requires process knowhow and engineering skills
With the focus on flow characteristics the unit is designed to fluidize powder and hydrocolloids into liquid and meanwhile apply shear forces to the product. Compared to conventional addition of powder into the mixer tank with top-mounted agitator – the GEA INLINE FORMULA® Powder Dissolver will reduce the process time significantly. Achieving a homogenized product (without powder lumps) is crucial to keep the uptime on the downstream equipment.
Using a design based on proven high shear mixing technology with the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to ensure optimum flow pattern, we can provide more accurate costing, achieve greater accuracy in design, provide better process insight and significantly reduce risk for customers.
Homogeneity matters
We understand the challenges faced by customers when it comes to dispersing powder into liquid:
- Inhomogeneous products caused by undissolved powder agglomerates can lead to phase separation/precipitation of solids in the downstream mixer tanks. This in turn can lead to an increased risk of fouling of downstream heat treatment resulting in reduced process time due to more frequent cleaning requirements.
- Lack of flexibility with a limit of shear forces applied to the product can often result in a long process time and undissolved powder agglomerates causing an inhomogeneous product.
With the GEA INLINE FORMULA® Powder Dissolver, liquid accelerates over the specially designed injector creating a venturi-based effect. This core design enables the operators to fluidize high volumes of powder without facing issues of “back-flush” or powder blockages of the entire system.
Likewise, the Powder Dissolver is equipped with an integrated stator/rotor in order to apply shear forces to the product to ensure a rapid dispersion of powder and achieve a better, finer distribution of powder and ultimately a homogeneous mix. By using the same flow characteristics as a centrifugal pump, we achieve high recirculation flow over downstream tanks enabling a fast turnover.
A high amount of powder easily fluidizes into a liquid stream due to the combination of vacuum and the liquid injector. With this design, the operator can divert the flow into two streams – partly over the downstream storage tanks, partly over the Powder Dissolver itself. This special feature ensures multi-pass through the high shear mixing device enabling the operators to process applications even with high total solids content of up to 20% (TS).
Key benefits
- Low CAPEX and OPEX
- Pre-assembled skid offering fast installation and set-up
- Designed with the same flow characteristics as a highly efficient centrifugal pump to achieve optimum and simplified installation
- Ergonomic working environment for operators
- Fully drainable after Clean-In-Place (CIP)
- Integrated stator / rotor in order to apply mechanical stress to the product to achieve homogeneity
- A booster pump between recirculation tanks and the unit is not needed (in most cases) due to a low NPSH curve
- A discharge pump after the unit will (in some cases) not be needed due to high dynamic outlet pressure
- Diverted flow streams – partly over the downstream storage tanks partly over the Powder Dissolver This special feature ensures multi-pass through the high shear mixing device enabling the operators to process applications with high total solids (TS) in a short time
- Special design of powder funnel ensures a non-uniformity powder flow to avoid powder from bridging
- Powder addition flowrate can be adjusted to individual processes by using the manual butterfly valve.
Fully equipped for every application
Compact and easy to ship, the GEA INLINE FORMULA® Powder Dissolver complies with the highest safety standards. Further design elements include
- Clean-in-place (CIP)
- Hygienic design
- All parts in contact with the product are made from stainless steel EN 1.4404 (AISI 316L). Other parts are made from EN 1.4307 (AISI 304L).
