Screw Pumps: Top Applications in Food and Beverage
The food and beverage F&B industry comes into contact with a large volume of fluid both directly in beverage production and food processing and often indirectly in a range of ancillary processes. The F&B industry is very much concerned about hygiene and safety in the transfer of fluids and the conveyance of foods. Screw pumps are adequate for the transfer and convey of food and, therefore, can be said to be an essential component of the F&B industry. The screw pumps can be classified among the most effective, robust and universal kinds of pumps.
Significance of Screw Pumps
Screw pumps are positive displacement pumps capable of operating with high-viscosity fluids with low pulsation characteristics. They are characterized by the use of screws that turn inside a casing to pump the fluids are used. This design has certain advantages: the efficiency, the low noise level, and the ability to separate a variety of types of fluids. The main purpose of this blog is to outline and discuss as many types of screw pumps and their uses in different industries as possible.
Features of Screw Pumps
Screw pumps are comprehensive pumps of the food-grade sector. The reason is that high or low flow rates can be accommodated, and they can work under different pressures. They are self-priming, have a steady flow, output that can be regulated, have low pulsing frequency, make less noise, and are smooth-running pumps. They are anti-corrosive, they can be cleaned CIP & sterilized in place, and this makes them suitable for use in F&B processing plants.
Understanding Screw Pumps
Screw pumps function on the basis of positive displacement, where one or more screws transfer the fluid through the casing of the pump. This mechanism makes it easier to provide a continuous flow hence making screw pump applications suitable where constant pressure and flow rates are needed. In recent times, new screw pumps are made of better materials, and are more precisely engineered for modern higher-level uses.
Beverage Production
The screw pumps ensure uniform mixing results, thereby ensuring a consistent and desired taste. These pumps also transport raw materials such as concentrates, beverage slurries, juices, etc.
Food Packaging
Food-grade screw pumps guarantee that raw materials are transported smoothly towards the packing process while providing accurate metering and filling of the products. These pumps are either FDA compliant, which actually refers to the selection of material of gaskets, seals & plastic parts, or EHEDG certified, whereby the entire pump is put for testing & certification for its use in a hygienic environment.
Food Processing
They are involved in improving production efficiency, hygiene, and food quality. They transport raw materials into the food processing industry and, for the preparation of syrups, provide uniform blending and stir slurry.
Industrial Screw Pumps
The family of dry compressing gas transfer pumps is screw pumps. They are positive displacement pumps and operate through two screw-shaped intermeshing rotors that move gas along the axis of the screw. They are often used as industrial screw pumps, generally provided with root blowers and as oil-free roughing pumps in high and ultra-high vacuum systems. Screw pumps work through two counter-rotating screw rotors designed so that they screw "towards each other". That way, the gas will be trapped in the space between the "screws" of their rotors. As the screws turn, this locked volume decreases, which compresses the gas and also moves it toward the exhaust.
Advantages
Since screw pumps can be applied for nearly all the range of flow rates and pressures, they are probably some of the most diverse pumps in the industry. They can provide constant flow rates with controllable output; they operate quietly and smoothly, with minimal pulsation. Additionally, they have high volumetric efficiency and can self-prime themselves. One of the significant disadvantages of screw pumps is that they often cost a pretty penny.
Positive Displacement
Pumps are categorized into one of three major families; rotary positive displacement pumps, reciprocating positive displacement, and centrifugal. This article will give an overview of what rotary pumps and reciprocating positive displacement pumps are, also referred to as PD. We'll take a little foray into why they are important, what type or design is best for an application at times, and finally, some reasons to choose a positive displacement pump for your application.
