Small scale accurate processing
Krauss-Maffei Process Technology (UK) Ltd has announced major developments in lab-scale centrifuges and mixer/dryers, meeting increasing demand for small quantity batch production of chemicals.
Customers looking for ultra low volume solid/liquid separation solutions are now offered a range of small scale peeler centrifuges and mixer/dryers capable of handling volumes of less than 5 litres. The units are based on the company’s established industry standard designs, providing biotech companies or companies undertaking product development with the assurance of accurate small scale production, with many of the features found on larger machines.
Product development and pilot trials on the equipment can be scaled up to production size when appropriate with the full backing of KMPT’s process engineers in the knowledge that the production data is accurate, offering direct comparisons across production quantities.
In cases where ultra low volumes of expensive or potent products are concerned, the equipment provides accurate processing of sensitive products and can be supplied to facilitate CIP or contained process operation.
www.kmpt.co.uk
System for US confectionery giant
Powder and bulk handling specialist Vibrair has designed, manufactured and commissioned a mobile three-stage sugar handling system for a leading US confectionery manufacturer. Designed to transfer virgin and re-circulated sugar to and from the plant’s main extrusion line, the system features two Vibrair Flexflite flexible screw conveyors and a vibratory sieve.
Vibrair was approached when the client had decided to replace a manual transfer system which was laborious, inefficient and did not have a sugar reclamation facility.
The first stage of the new system provides check sieving of incoming virgin pulverised sugar at a bulk density of 0.99 grm per cc. A second stage utilises one of two 75mm diameter Flexflite conveyors to transfer material at around 500kg per hour over a distance of 4m to a transition hopper above a sugar sprinkler. The third and final stage collects any unused sugar from a belt conveyor, conveying it back up to the sieve for onward transfer back to the sprinkler. The process is simultaneously topped up with new sugar when requested by Vibrair's PLC.
All hoppers and conveying tubes are constructed in 304 stainless steel and the two Flexflite units feature 316 stainless steel spirals, geared motors and quick release, interlocked couplings. To increase flexibility, the whole three-stage system is mounted on a painted mild steel frame with lockable castors.
www.vibrair.com
Bespoke valve provides solution
A specialist chemical company recently approached Clyde Materials Handling when they required a bespoke valve for use in the production of monomer, a compound used in water treatment. The valve was required for the discharge of a reactor at the heart of the production process, making reliability a key factor for the client. Clyde’s Dome Valves were specified because of their efficiency and reliability during trials.
Clyde manufactured two 600mm Dome Valves which, because of the nature of the application, required two cylinders to effectively close the valve. Manufactured from stainless steel, the units have an internal surface coating of white epoxy resin to ensure no discolouration of the product. Since installation last year, the valves are said to have performed faultlessly.
Neil Gardiner, general manager of Clyde Materials Handling Support Services, said that the company had been able to demonstrate to the client their expertise in designing and building a bespoke valve for the particular application.
www.clydematerials.co.uk
Open chute drum dumper
Flexicon (Europe) Ltd’s new open chute drum dumper offers a low cost method of discharging bulk materials from drums in applications where dust generation is not a concern.
The drum lift assembly is raised electrically until material discharges from the drum onto the chute and into a receiving vessel. A smooth, wide-diameter product chute allows unobstructed discharge of free-flowing materials as well as non-free-flowing products containing large agglomerates.
All popular sized drums can be accommodated for discharging directly into process equipment or into optional hoppers equipped with pick-up adapters for Flexicon pneumatic conveying systems (as shown) or transition adapters for Flexicon flexible screw conveyors or with universal flanged outlets.
Systems are fully accessible and free of crevices for rapid, thorough cleaning and are available in steel with durable finishes or in stainless steel with material contact surfaces finished to industrial, food or pharmaceutical standards. Lift-and-seal drum dumpers are also produced by the company for applications where total dust containment is required.
www.flexicon.com
K-Tron introduces new batching system
The K-Tron Feeder Group has introduced a new gain-in-weight batching system (KGIW) for use in batch applications involving up to eight materials and 100 recipes lines.
The system can produce batch sizes from 5 to 800kg with weigh hopper volumes ranging from 80 to 750 litres. Each material is sequentially and independently metered to the weighed collection hopper from where the completed batch is discharged.
Any of K-Tron's wide range of volumetric feeders (single and twin screw), Bulk Solids Pump Feeder™ (BSP) or PID device-can be used, depending on the particular material’s handling characteristics.
All KGIW batching systems are fully integrated and engineered by K-Tron's dedicated Systems Engineering Group. In addition, integrated hopper refill and agitation solutions are available to ensure consistent supply and reliable flow.
• Contact: K-Tron Feeder Group Tel: +1 856-589-0500 Fax +1 856-589-8113. email: info@ktron.com Website: www.ktron.com
Starch provides a stiff challenge
A dense phase vacuum conveying system from Pneumatic Conveying Systems Ltd (PCS) has been successfully employed at National Starch and Chemical's Goole, UK factory. The company is a member of the ICI Group, producing starch products at several sites globally for use in food and industrial applications. Liquid starches are produced at Goole for use in food and paper.
Over a year ago, chief engineer Sean Wright set about the task of reducing manual loading of the starch slurry mixer, improving the working environment and minimising packaging waste. Prior to this, the mixer was manually loaded with 25kg bags of starch through a vented tip hopper - a time consuming operation as around 7t of starch needs to be loaded together with several specialist additives.
The decision was taken to accept starch deliveries in FIBCs from the company's production plants around the world. Only 6 or 7 FIBCs are required per mix leaving just the balance, for viscosity adjustment, and the minor additives to be added manually. A transfer system was therefore required to deliver product from the FIBC discharge station to the mixer without generating dust.
PCS, called in on the recommendation of the FIBC discharger manufacturer, performed trials at their test centre to ensure that the required transfer rate could be achieved over the specified distance. This type of vacuum conveying technique has the ability to convey large volumes of dry bulk solids over short distances. Around 140t of product are produced at the plant per week and the resulting starch loading system now installed has been reliably operating for a year, ensuring a dust-free environment so essential to hygiene requirements.
The benefits with this method of conveying include low power consumption for high tonnage throughput (said to be up to ten times conventional conveying rates with some products - for virtually the same power), almost no product segregation and minimal or no damage to fragile products. The vacuum system also ensures no leakage to atmosphere.
www.4PCSinfo.com
PCS system eliminates towel waste
Vacuum conveying systems specialist Pneumatic Conveying Systems Ltd (PCS) has introduced a new weapon in the fight against bacteriological contamination from washroom towel waste - a critical issue, especially in the case of food and pharmaceutical facilities. All too often used, contaminated or wet paper towels lie around for too long, end up on the floor around un-emptied bins, to be trampled underfoot resulting in an unsightly and unhygienic mess.
PCS's towel waste removal system eliminates the problem by sucking waste safely away to a remote collection disposal point, incinerator or covered skip away from the washroom area. Used towels are simply thrown into a 'funnel in the wall' collection point without the user needing to touch any swing bin lid or mechanism, ensuring that washed hands stay uncontaminated. A sensor within the funnel activates the vacuum system, only operating when waste is present.
In keeping with hygiene standards, the whole system is constructed in stainless steel, with a variety of collection funnel designs and finishes on offer to suit individual requirements.
www.4PCSinfo.com
Malvern launches new particle size analyser
Malvern Instruments has launched a new laser diffraction-based particle size analyser, an addition to its Mastersizer 2000 range.
Mastersizer 2000E is an entry-level system for customers who do not immediately require the full Mastersizer 2000 specification, but require the option to upgrade as their needs develop. It has applications wherever particle size analysis is performed, and is expected to meet specific requirements in sectors such as bulk materials production and in academic applications.
Particle sizes from 0.1 to 1000 microns can be measured without the need to change the optical configuration. A range of semi-automated sample dispersion accessories covers the analysis of a wide variety of sample types, both wet and dry.
A key feature of Mastersizer 2000 is its SOP-driven (standard operating procedure) operation and Mastersizer 2000E benefits from similar SOP support and method definition. The system is upgradeable to the full Mastersizer 2000 specification, a process that can be carried out on-site at any time.
www.malvern.co.uk
Typhoon set to take market by storm
Acrison International has introduced a sifter/deduster to complement its range of dry bulk solids metering equipment. Available in both horizontal and vertical configurations, Typhoon works on the fluidised bed principle, achieving very tight separation tolerances due to the number of parameters that can be precisely set eg optimum material through-flow speed, extraction rate and relationship of fluidising speed and shear current speed. Electrostatic charges are also neutralised to minimise product build-up and blockages.
The unit is easily cleaned at product changeover and is suitable for most bulk materials. Typical applications include dedusting plastic pellets, cat litter, pet food or grain. Throughputs range from 100 to 100,000 kg per hr.
www.acrisonint.net
Valve development for steel industry
Direct reduction of iron is a rapidly developing new technology, offering significant benefits to both producers and the environment, however, it provides many challenges to equipment suppliers.
When an application for a valve to handle material at temperatures in the region of 850 degrees C was required for a process, suppliers turned to Clyde Materials Handling for the solution. The company has an established reputation in this sector with its injection technology and Dome Valve and, following a successful series of trials, an order was placed for nine high temperature Dome Valves.
Using their Dome Valve concept, Clyde was able to develop a new high temperature valve incorporating a ball with a unique cooling system. Two sizes were provided with 100 or 150mm diameters, weighing in at 700kg. To combat wear, an internal, replaceable wear-resistant lining was provided for quick and easy replacement to extend valve life.
Neil Gardiner, general manager for Clyde Materials Handling Support Services, said that Clyde’s R & D capability has been instrumental in securing the contract and that the development of the valve marked a major step forward for the company, generating great interest in the iron and steel sector.
www.clydematerials.co.uk
Dome valves for Russian detergent
Russia. A leading detergent manufacturer has procured Clyde Materials Handling Dome Valves worth over £100,000 for their Russian production facility. Operating as part of a lock hopper batch dosing system feeding blended product directly into process, the valves are coated inside with a low friction lining to ensure smooth flow through the system.
Another novel feature incorporated into each of the units is an inspection porthole to allow quick and easy inspection of product flow without disturbing the process itself.
Neil Gardiner, general manager for Clyde Materials Handling Support Services, said that material passing through the valves could not be considered to be free flowing so a low friction surface was required to ensure smooth flow and the elimination of build-up. ‘These Dome Valves are the latest in a long line of equipment that we have supplied to this global operation over the last 15 years. Our Dome Valve is the original and it still maintains its leading position in the market place’, he said.
www.clydematerials.co.uk
Halifax launch plastic fan range
Halifax Fan claims to have broken new ground with its new range of welded and fabricated polypropylene fans, especially suitable when handling aggressive gases. Based on the company’s existing fan range, the new design is offered in a range of physical sizes, providing duties up to 50,000 cu m per hr and pressures up to 5000 Pa.
The new plastic material has significant advantages over its stainless steel or nickel alloy equivalent, making it particularly suitable for rooftop fume extraction and other elevated installations - the new versions can be half the weight of metal alternatives in some cases.
Fan casings are fabricated from co-polymer black polypropylene, embossed on the exterior surface to increase durability and scratch resistance and with an impeller that is removable from either the inlet or the drive side of the case. The welded and balanced impellers are in a homo-polymer, secured to the shaft by a machined polypropylene centre boss. Overall, the construction is resistant to acids, alcohols, aldehydes, oils, esters, keytones, hydrocarbons and other aggressive media.
Halifax has made a significant investment in tooling and will manufacture the range, which covers three backward inclined options and also radial blowers, at its Brighouse, UK plant. Tailor-made application engineered variants are offered in addition to the standard range. Units can be provided for elevated temperature operation and there are pressure tight models. There are belt and direct driven alternatives, universally handed cases plus a range of options to provide bespoke flexibility.
All fans meet current noise legislation and performance is guaranteed to BS848 Part 1:1908 within Class B, providing energy efficiency to offset rising energy costs as well as the penalty of the Climate Change Levy.
www.halifax-fan.co.uk
Half frame low cost bulk bag discharger
Flexicon (Europe) Ltd’s new half frame bulk bag discharger offers total dust containment at low cost. Upper frame components for lifting and/or positioning the bag are eliminated, relying instead on a forklift or plant hoist to suspend the bag.
The bag-to-hopper interface consists of a Spout-Lock clamp ring positioned above a pneumatically actuated Tele-Tube telescoping tube, allowing dust-tight connections and unrestricted flow between bag spout and hopper, as well as automatic tensioning of the bag as it empties to promote flow and evacuation.
In operation, the telescoping tube raises the clamp ring assembly, sealing the clean side of the bag spout to the clean side of the telescoping tube, and then lowers until the bag spout is pulled taut. Once the spout is untied, the telescoping assembly exerts continual downward tension on the spout, elongating the bag as it empties.
The dust-tight seal between bag spout and clamp ring allows fully open discharge from bag spouts of differing diameters, eliminating the need for valves commonly employed to lessen dust escape when bag spouts hang loosely in hopper intake chutes.
The discharger is also equipped with Flow-Flexer bag activators, raising and lowering opposite bottom edges of the bag at timed intervals, loosening compacted material and promoting flow into the bag discharge spout. As the bag lightens, the stroke of the bag activators increases, raising the bag into a steep ‘V’ shape, eliminating dead spots for total evacuation of material without manual intervention.
The transition hopper is equipped with pneumatic flow promotion devices, a rotary airlock valve and pick-up adapter for the discharging of free-flowing materials into dilute phase pneumatic conveying systems. Options include a Power-Cincher flow control valve that cinches the spout concentrically for leak-proof retying of partially empty bags and integral Bag-Vac dust collector that creates negative pressure within the dust-tight system to collapse empty bags prior to retying and disconnection, eliminating dust emitted during manual flattening of empty bags.
www.flexicon.com
World first for high containment
The new HiCoFlex SL self-locking coupling from Buck Valve GmbH allows highly sensitive or toxic powders and granules to be transferred safely from flexible sacks into the manufacturing process or vice versa.
Normally, contained transfer of powder products requires rigid containers fitted with high value containment valves assembled from precision-made stainless steel components. Rising costs are now encouraging manufacturers to consider the use of flexible containers such as FIBCs, sacks and Big Bags. However, up until now contained docking systems have been unsuitable for flexible containers and containment cannot therefore be guaranteed.
Using HiCoFlex, materials can now be supplied in flexible bags and transferred in a controlled and contained way. Operating on the principle of a snap ring (like a spectacle case), containment is achieved by a split coupling principle, similar to existing Buck Valve technology. Two complementary half couplings dock to form a combined coupling, which open and close together during the decanting and undocking process.
Importantly, it is inexpensive, operates automatically and is designed for areas requiring up to OEB4 dust emission class containment. Fitted to a flexible bag, it can be kept or disposed of with the bag after use.
Buck has also fitted the HiCoFlex SL to a transport sack called the BuckBag to meet the needs of research and development laboratories in the pharmaceutical/chemical sectors, potentially revolutionising contamination-free handling and making isolators and containment suits unnecessary. The need for a similar closure mechanism for large flexible containers has also been recognised and a manual-closing version, the HiCoFlex ML, has been developed.
Joachim.Stoye@buckvalve.de
www.buckvalve.de
Low profile for tight spots
Flexicon (Europe) Ltd’s new low profile flexible screw conveyor positions the motor drive at the inlet end of the conveyor tube, allowing the discharge end to fit into restricted headroom areas typically encountered above weigh hoppers and other receiving vessels.
Enclosed and dust-free, the conveyor can move material vertically, horizontally or at any angle, through small openings in walls or ceilings and can handle products ranging from sub-micron powders to large pellets, including materials that pack, cake, plug, seize, smear or fluidise with no separation of blended products.
The only moving part contacting material is a flexible inner screw. The removable screw and tube interior are smooth and crevice-free, allowing rapid, thorough cleaning.
Conveyors are offered in diameters ranging from 64 to 203mm in stationary and mobile configurations to meet industrial, food, dairy and pharmaceutical standards, with optional hoppers, flow promotion devices, sensors, controllers and interchangeable screw designs to satisfy wide-ranging material and process requirements.
www.flexicon.co.uk
High capacity weighing in harsh environments
Thames Side-Maywood announce the availability of their T30LA high capacity compression load cell assembly in a range of capacities up to 600t.
Designed for tank, silo and vessel weighing applications, the unit features integral lift-off prevention and readily accommodates misalignment and movement, ensuring consistent, accurate results in even the most arduous of tank and silo weighing applications.
Available in 100, 200, 300 and 600t capacities, it is constructed in zinc plated alloy steel and comes as a locked assembly ready to install, avoiding most of the traditional problems encountered when installing high capacity weighing systems.
Special mounting plates allow the cell to cope with steelwork misalignment and movement due to thermal expansion and contraction. Lift-off protection means that the assembly can be used in exposed installations subject to strong winds.
The cell is sealed to IP67 and has a toughened autophoretic surface coating which makes it hard and corrosion resistant, yet ductile enough to prevent cracking or flaking under heavy loads or stresses.
www.thames-side-maywood.com
Multi-purpose micronising plant
The current trend for pharmaceutical manufacturing systems is to move away from dedicated single product facilities to highly flexible multi-purpose plants able to process several high value products in one fully validated production unit. With this design criteria in mind, Hosokawa Micron Ltd has collaborated to produce a flexible ultra fine grinding/micronising suite with high containment isolation capable of meeting all current and future micronising needs.
The brief was to design a fine grinding system to mill pharmaceutical products without relying on PPE (personal protective equipment) within the processing area, avoiding the use of special protective clothing during processing with CIP (clean in place) systems to ensure cleanliness between batches as well as operator safety during dismantling procedures.
The ultra fine grinding system consists of an enclosed drum tipping section for unloading primary coarse product, state-of-the art classifier milling unit and fill/weigh packing system for final milled end product. Each drum handling operation is carried out in purpose-designed negative pressure isolators, each unit designed for optimum ergonomic accessibility during processing, cleaning and maintenance and with its own internal CIP capability.
Designed for maximum product manipulation whilst maintaining product isolation, the drum tip unit is enclosed in a Stott isolator, achieving barrier containment levels down to 5 microgrammes per cu m. Interlocked door access ensures each compartment is secure during processing and material from the drums is discharged into the milling system.
In this particular instance, the customer required a product with a steep particle size distribution, free from oversize particles. This was achieved using an Alpine 100ZPS air classifier mill which has an internal air classifier to ensure a sharp cut-off at the top size and a narrow particle size distribution without oversize or coarse material tail which would require further grinding. The low energy, air swept design is suited to milling temperature sensitive pharmaceutical materials.
The 100ZPS is also flexible as it can be converted to a 200AFG fluid bed jet micronising unit, using compressed air or gas, by simply exchanging the bottom section of the mill. This means that current products can be processed and allows the product size specifications of future products to be met.
Working closely with the client’s engineers, Hosokawa Micron provided an integrated milling system with Stott isolator units situated in a multi-storey process area. All system controls have been integrated into existing plant control systems, enabling critical process parameters to be monitored for historical trend analysis. The containment philosophy employed allows the system to be operated in dual mode - laminar flow achieving operator exposure levels of 10 microgrammes per cu m and full isolation achieving containment levels below 5 microgrammes per cu m.
www.hosokawa.com
Refinements make DPVC viable
Leading vacuum conveying systems specialist Pneumatic Conveying Systems Ltd (PCS) has recently refined the concept of dense phase vacuum conveying.
Positive pressure, dense phase pneumatic conveying systems are normally associated with the transfer of large throughputs over long distances, however, dense phase vacuum conveying (DPVC) has never been fully exploited until now says PCS.
This type of conveying offers benefits in terms of low power consumption for high throughputs, practically no product segregation and minimal or no damage to fragile products. To prove this point, the company already has six satisfied customers using these systems.
Applications for which DPVC can be considered include: movement of substantial amounts of product over short distances - such as the emptying of FIBCs; transfer of critical products during pharmaceutical preparation; or transfer of fragile products such as spray dried milk powder. A DPVC test centre is available for clients to undertake product trials.
www.4PCSinfo.com
Ultimate protection from danger
PBSC, part of Extract Technology/CLS/CPS, has launched two new fire resistant cleanroom fixtures in the form of a one-hour fire resistant transfer hatch, developed to complement a new explosion-proof vision panel system.The transfer hatch is designed for cleanrooms that need rated fire barriers between operating zones.
The initial production run featured a stainless steel and glass design, with the 500mm cube hatch containing a Pyran heat resistant vision panel (as used in the EuroStar Channel Tunnel carriages). Hatch doors seal against a fire-resistant silicone rubber seal system and also incorporate intumescent strips to alleviate smoke transfer.Ian Hargill, chief design engineer at PBSC confirmed that the 500mm cube size had been tested and approved by the Fire Research Authority, adding that other sizes would now be possible, subject to additional approval.
The triple-glazed vision unit of the explosion-proof vision panel system incorporates a heavy-duty inner blastproof glass and fire-rated exterior panels. A system has already been supplied to a pharmaceutical facility in Singapore. Both of the new fixtures have a clean external finish with few visible fixings, enhancing cleanroom appearance.
www.extract-technology.com
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