The Swiss subsidiary of Dutch firm DSM Nutritional Products AG makes use of the spray drying methodology when producing vitamin and carotenoid powders for the pharmaceutical and food industries. The procedure makes use of pump expertise to convey numerous emulsions into a spray tower, where they’re dried into powder. But the feed and booster pump that was being used proved to be an uncertainty factor as a end result of the diaphragm required for the pumping course of tended to tear when the pump was started up. Generally, such manufacturing interruptions could be corrected through immediate upkeep and restore work.
However, it is very expensive to switch a diaphragm or an entire system. DSM was in search of an alternate and finally made a discover once they talked to the pump consultants at Lewa Nikkiso Switzerland, who beneficial a Lewa triplex course of diaphragm pump for the spray tower utility. The drive unit includes a secure start-up mode that keeps the diaphragm situated in the neutral position, and steady regulation using an built-in monitoring system. Since the hermetically tight pumps are electropolished and CIP-approved, it is straightforward to fulfill the meals industry’s stringent hygienic provisions.
a hundred PERCENT INTEGRATION

“Pump technology plays a central position in drying oil-in-water emulsions for the meals and pharmaceutical industries. These emulsions comprise substances similar to vitamins, carotenoids, or polyunsaturated fatty acids as active ingredients,” explains Natalie Ibald, plant manager of formulations at DSM Nutritional Products AG. “As a part of the process chain, every pump is 100% built-in into the closed plant system. The pumps are used for conveying the mixtures into the spray tower.”

With the earlier system, the chance of unexpected interruptions to this process couldn’t be dominated out. As a outcome, the completely different emulsions could not be processed additional. In different phrases, it was not potential to dry them into powder. The pump diaphragm was the explanation: it was typically too sensitive to resist the stress positioned on it when beginning up the pump and would rupture. Replacing the diaphragm decreased the system’s service life and typically meant that trouble-free operation could not be assured.
FINDING THE RIGHT PARTNER

In the course of trying to find a dependable different, DSM received in touch with the Swiss subsidiary of pump manufacturer Lewa.
“We had been already conversant in Lewa Nikkiso Switzerland as a supplier of strong methods with long service lives in the SFP sector. To guarantee trouble-free spray drying, we thought it will be sensible to join forces with the specialists from Lewa and give you a design to unravel the technical problems,” says Ibald.
DSM is dedicated to continually enhancing its processes and investing in know-how. This commitment, along with prior experience with the quick service lives of the earlier pumps, led DSM to put special concentrate on dependable function and a robust design in the course of the venture planning section. The list of necessities additionally included a substantial variety of stringent hygienic provisions that needed to be fulfilled.
“Certain foods have provisions relating to microbiological purity that are many occasions more stringent than those for producing different meals products,” explains Ibald. “This meant that the model new feed and booster pump had to meet these more difficult circumstances and every type of contamination had to be dominated out to supply the widest attainable number of merchandise on the system.”

ROYAL DSM: PARTNER PROFILE

Royal DSM is a worldwide science-oriented company that is particularly lively in the areas of vitamin, well being, and sustainable dwelling. DSM’s mission is to enhance the lives of all. Products and options from DSM handle a few of the world’s greatest challenges whereas simultaneously creating financial, environmental, and societal value for all its stakeholders—including customers, staff, shareholders, and society at large.
DSM delivers revolutionary solutions for the vitamin, animal vitamin, personal care and aromatics, medical merchandise, environmentally pleasant products and purposes, as well as new mobility and interconnectivity.
DSM and its affiliated corporations employ greater than 23,000 folks and generate an annual web turnover of approximately 10 billion euros. The firm was based in 1902 and is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam stock trade.
For more information, visit www.dsm.com.
GUARANTEED SAFE START-UP OPERATION

After a go to at the company premises to contemplate the spatial and technical parameters, Lewa Nikkiso Switzerland beneficial a type G3F triplex course of diaphragm pump for the spray tower application. This pump features a fully safe start-up operation, since a spring repeatedly holds the built-in sandwich diaphragm situated in a impartial place.
This protects the diaphragm in opposition to incorrect positioning and prevents it from being damaged while the pump is starting up, increasing system availability considerably. And the Lewa triplex is managed using a stress relief valve that is installed in the hydraulic half and could be configured for the specific situation. Therefore, the pump can be adapted to different operational situations so as to prevent any overloads that may come up. This ensures that the unit has an extended service life and easy common operation for the entire system.
THE POWER OF DESIGN

In addition to the stress relief valve and the spring control, the design of the diaphragm also plays an necessary position in ensuring reliable pump operation. The patented sandwich diaphragm consists of two separate PTFE diaphragms that are extremely long-lasting. They are connected to each other through optimistic interlocking in the course of the discharge stroke and mechanical force-fitting in the course of the suction stroke.
This makes the pump hermetically tight and effectively prevents external contamination. As เพรสเชอร์เกจ , the DPS monitoring system from Lewa repeatedly monitors the condition of the diaphragm. The monitoring unit promptly shows any harm to the system that results in elevated stress within the diaphragm area.
This makes it possible to carry out preventive upkeep and restore work earlier than the diaphragm even begins to rupture and doubtlessly contaminates the pumped fluid. Thus, it is normally pointless to change the pump off instantly, which implies that neither the pumping process nor spray drying are negatively impacted to a big extent. If harm to a diaphragm is detected, production can proceed with none issues as a lot as a planned upkeep cease. The components can then get replaced shortly and easily by releasing the cassette for the meeting.
ASEPTIC, FDA-COMPLIANT OPERATION

The hermetically tight design of the method diaphragm pump does extra than just ensure reliable continuous operation. It can be a central part for fulfilling the stringent hygiene provisions that the spray tower utility is subject to. The Lewa triplex maintains a hermetically tight house with out dynamic seals, guaranteeing fully clean and aseptic manufacturing circumstances. All pump heads that come into contact with the product are also electropolished, which makes it attainable to ensure FDA-compliant pump operation.
Because the pump can be cleaned in place (CIP) utilizing different alkaline and acidic agents and with out prior dismantling, it’s potential to fulfill the particular necessities for child food as well. The provisions for baby meals are 1,000 times extra stringent than these for other merchandise within the food sector. Thanks to the hermetically tight design, electropolishing, and CIP cleansing, we had been capable of rule out any contamination of the pumped medium and clearly meet the required hygiene normal.
QUICK RESPONSE TIMES AND WELL-FOUNDED EXPERTISE

The first quote was received in June of 2018 and in September of the same yr, DSM Nutritional Products AG positioned an order for the triplex process diaphragm pump. In operation since April 2019, the pump has turn out to be an indispensable a half of manufacturing at the plant in Sisseln.
“In every section of the venture, Lewa Nikkiso Switzerland demonstrated quick response instances and well-founded experience, which made a key contribution to implementing the challenge efficiently,” says Ibald. “Our specifications with regard to high quality, robustness, and hygiene have been followed to the letter in this venture. As a end result, our manufacturing has turn out to be noticeably extra efficient and dependable.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Lewa develops technologies and offers solutions for the vast array of functions among its clients. Its merchandise are used mainly within the oil and gasoline trade, in gasoline odorization, in refineries and petrochemicals, as properly as within the production of plastics, detergents, and cleaners. Additional utility areas embrace the chemical business, cosmetics industry, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, meals and beverage industry, and energy utilities. For extra information, visit www.lewa.com.
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