Pump selection for the food and beverage industry

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It is crucial to select a suitable device for transporting raw materials, as it is important to maintain optimal efficiency and product quality while also taking into account operating costs. However, food and beverage processors find it difficult to make purchasing decisions when installing new equipment or upgrading old ones. In fact, the food and beverage processing industry offers a variety of pump types to choose from. For users, these options seem countless: for example, the new types of twin-screw pumps available in the industry, reliable rotor pumps, electric and pneumatic diaphragm pumps suitable for various operating conditions, powerful piston pumps, and so on. With so many options available on the market, what should users do? Understanding the following four points will help in making the right choice. 1. Flow rate is determined by multiplying the medium velocity by the pipe size to find out how many gallons or liters per minute, thereby establishing the flow rate. Determining the flow rate is crucial for selecting the ideal pump. In actual operating conditions, a pump that is too small will have insufficient capacity or overheat, which may lead to pump failure. Pumps that are too large result in higher purchase and operating costs. Generally, the pump should operate at between 30% and 60% of its maximum pumping capacity. This can reduce unnecessary wear caused by high speeds, and allow for redundant expansion or an increase in processing capacity when needed in the future. This applies to rotor pumps, diaphragm pumps, twin-screw pumps, sine pumps, and almost any other pump that may be installed in an application. 2. Product Features ▨ Viscosity The viscosity of the fluid is the characteristic that pump operators are most concerned about. The aforementioned rated flow performance of the pump will decrease as the viscosity of the medium increases. The rated maximum flow rate for most pumps is at 1 cP of water. Most food ingredients are more concentrated than water, so the maximum flow rate will decrease by 5% to 25%. Generally, centrifugal pumps are used for fluids with lower viscosity, while piston pumps, rotor pumps, diaphragm pumps, etc., are used for liquids with higher viscosity. The viscosity of the medium not only affects fluid output but also influences the ease of pumping in the fluid. Since cam pumps do not generate strong self-priming force at the inlet, it is difficult for them to draw in media with high viscosity. Electric or pneumatic diaphragm pumps and peristaltic pumps can use the suction they generate to feed high-viscosity media into the pump. If the viscosity of the medium exceeds 100,000 cP, a set of cylinder column supports must be installed to apply downward pressure on the material in order to force it into the pump when discharging it from the container. ▨ The abrasiveness of abrasive media can easily wear out the components of pumps; this is especially true when centrifugal pumps are used, as it leads to higher maintenance costs. Compared to other media, those with a high sugar content cause rapid wear of components. Cam pumps sometimes use special materials and coatings to deal properly with this increased wear, but over time, it remains difficult to overcome leaks in the rotary seals and rotor wear. Since diaphragm pumps do not use rotating seals or rotating components, they can handle abrasives more easily compared to the strict tolerance requirements of cam pumps. ▨ In applications such as tomatoes, pie fillings, whey cheese, meat, and poultry, users should pay attention to medium shear. Diaphragm pumps, peristaltic pumps, and sine pumps handle materials gently; they do not shear the material being pumped, as centrifugal pumps, cam pumps, twin-screw pumps, or other rotary pumps do. This is important for users whose products are susceptible to shear and heat, as this can alter the final product manufactured by the equipment. ▨ Particle size: Users should pay attention to any solids or particles present in the medium to be transported. Ingredients such as salsa and fruit fillings contain large pieces of food within the liquid. Diaphragm pumps and peristaltic pumps equipped with baffle check valves are designed to handle solids with a diameter of over 4 inches. Rotary pumps can handle some solids, but they are not large in size, and due to the type of pump and its operating speed, they often damage the particles and reduce the quality of the medium. 3. The structural material ensures that the pump’s material is compatible with the medium being transported, thereby enabling long-term operation of the pump. Most sanitary pumps are made of stainless steel, but they all use some kind of elastomeric seal, and such seals are more susceptible to compatibility issues. In the meat and poultry industry, many elastomers cannot resist animal fats in the medium effectively. The structure of the pump and the elastomers also need to be compatible with the factory cleaning procedures as well as the CIP/COP requirements. Many failures occur when the pump’s elastomers or seals are compatible with food ingredients but cannot withstand the alkaline cleaning agents used in cleaning equipment. When selecting the right pump, its cleaning capacity and the factory’s cleaning procedures must be taken into account. Does this facility require a pump that can be cleaned on-site without disassembly? This may lead users to rotary pumps or other rotating pumps designed for CIP functions. Diaphragm pumps can be cleaned in place, but this depends on the medium. Now, many factories use steam for on-site cleaning, which means that all pump components must withstand the extreme steam temperatures passing through the pumps. 4. Certification: Does this process require any device certification? Approval and design by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are the most widely used standards in the food industry. Ensure that the equipment complies with all FDA standards and Title 21 of the FDA Federal Regulations (CFR). Many other approvals may prompt the selection of a specific pump. Approval is required when working in solvent-resistant or explosive environments (ATEX). European manufacturers may need to use equipment approved under the European Framework Regulation (EC) of 1935, while many personal care and pharmaceutical facilities require components that meet USP Class VI standards. Approval depends on the medium in which it is produced and how the customer will consume or use the product. There are many factors that influence the selection of equipment for food and beverage applications. It is important to fully understand the requirements for handling the medium fluid before selecting a pump. Note: Richter (Zhejiang) Technology Co., Ltd.’s pneumatic diaphragm pumps are capable of handling large flow rates and particles up to 10(mm); you can contact us via private message!