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pumps to the vinegar barn for acetification. Thetwo pumps are from the new Sci-Q 323 peristalticpump range and Aspall Cyder are one of the firstbusinesses in the UK food industry to take deliveryof it.

The single channel 323S/D model was chosen forthe Aspall Cyder installation. Two models wererecently installed following a six-monthcomparative trial. The microprocessor-controlledpump is capable of handling a flow rate of2000ml/min, is instantly reversible, has autorestart in case of mains failure, as well as a two-year warranty.

Alan Chittock, maintenance manager at Aspall,says: “We were already very satisfied with the 600series pumps from Watson-Marlow Bredel that wehad installed in another application so we were

naturally keen to trial the new Sci-Q 323 pumps inthe vinegar plant. The service we received fromWatson-Marlow was excellent and the reliability ofthe pumps has far-outweighed the upgradecosts.”

“The pumps are simple to use, easy to set up andhave a low flow rate – a vital requirement in thisnatural process. If the cider is passed too quicklythrough to the vinegar barn, the vinegar processwould be spoiled.”

The benefits of peristaltic pumps – low shear,hygiene, ease of use, cleanability, self-primingand dry running capability – meant that AspallCyder chose them instead of alternative pumpingsystems that do not utilize hoses. The relativelycheap initial layout cost was also a decidingfactor.

a p p l i c a t i o n s f o o d a n d d r i n k

New processing systemat bottling plantincreases production As part of an effort to raise production to 10 million bottles per annum at theirfactory in Stroud, UK, the Bottlegreen Drinks Company, manufacturers of cordialsand carbonated drinks, has installed an automated continuous in-line blendingsystem. The new production system incorporates a number of metering pumps.

The Bottlegreen Drinks Company make sevenflavours of ready-to-drink carbonated products andeight different cordials under their own brandname. The company also supply many of the majorsupermarkets in the UK so the pressure is always onto provide the best drinks at the cheapest possibleprices by achieving high factory throughput rates.

A new continuous in-line blending system designedand supplied by SPX Bran + Luebbe Process Systemsis helping to meet this ambition. The system wentlive during the first quarter of 2003 and is alreadyhelping the company move towards its target ofprocessing 10 million bottles per year.

The continuous in-line blending unit is based onBran + Luebbe’s H-Range of metering pumps and N-form static mixers. The pump unit comes with fiveseparate pumpheads, giving the unit a combinedthroughput of 5,000 l/h. The pump unit can handle7 bar of pressure and operate betweentemperatures of 10-40°C. It is specified in 316

stainless steel specifically for use in the food anddrink sector.

The pumpheads are all fitted with lantern-flushplungers, which enable the back of the seals to becontinually flushed to prevent contamination. Inaddition, each of the pumpheads is equipped witha small vent valve arrangement that assists primingand product changeover. The pumping unit alsoincorporates instrumentation specified byBottlegreen Drinks in the form of ‘flow/no flow’switches, which enable the company to check forthe presence, or absence, of ingredients. There isalso a pressure switch on the discharge line in orderto stop pump operation in the eventof a blocked line.

Previous batch production system

Bottlegreen’s cordials and drinks are made up fromseveral different components including its ownflavours and syrups, fresh juices, spring water, citricacid and sugar syrup. Until the arrival of the Bran

Aspall Cyder has installed two Sci-Q323 peristaltic pumps from Watson-Marlow Bredel at its vinegarmaking plant in Suffolk, UK.

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+ Luebbe system, these components were batchblended in a vat to a predetermined quantity atthe start of each day, and then pumped to theproduction hall. The problem with thisarrangement, however, was that the time taken toaccurately measure each of the individualcomponents into the vat, and then mix them, farexceeded the length of time required forproduction downstream. As a consequence,production at the Stroud factory tended to catchup with the blending process, resulting in delaysthat impacted on all other operations, includingthe ability to quickly move from one product toanother.

Having examined various approaches toovercoming this problem, including increasing thesize of batch blending, Bottlegreen Drinks settledon continuous production as the most appropriatesolution.

“The advantage of continuous processing is thatwe do not have a delay while waiting for the first5,000l to be made up at the start of the workingday,” says Paul Martin, Senior Engineer atBottlegreen Drinks. “With the Bran + Luebbe in-line blending system we are ready to start fullproduction almost as soon as the first shiftbegins.”

Continuous in-line blending

According to Stuart Moffatt, Bran + Luebbe’sProcess Systems Product Manager, Bottle-green Drinks requested a system that couldaccurately bring several different ingredientstogether in varying quantities and then mix themto create a consistent product. “We believewe’ve met their requirements with our unit,”says Moffat. “Production staff can select theingredients for the product, set the metering and

flow rates of the pumps and press the startbutton. No further input is necessary until therequired quantity of the finished product hasbeen reached.”

Bran + Luebbe’s in-line blending systemincorporates an adjustable speed function, whichallows Bottlegreen to vary the production rate –allowing operators to match the speed of thesystem to the remaining process infrastructure.Once production has commenced, the blendercontinuously tops up the storage tank so that ifthere are any stoppages further down the line theblender can be turned off without it affecting thefeed line. If production is running efficiently, thecompany can simply carry on running rightthrough to the end of the day, thereby maximisingproduction.

Before the installation of the automatedcontinuous in-line blending system the factory atStroud would often end up in the invidiousposition where another 1,000-1,500 litres ofproduct was required to finish the day off, butphysically there wasn’t enough time to make upthis batch. “It was also difficult and expensive tomake up small quantities of product,” adds PaulMartin, “so when this happened productionwould shut down and the shift endedprematurely. This is no longer the case with Bran +Luebbe’s system.”

“Since the installation, we now have more time,and more spare production capacity, to investigatenew product developments,” adds Martin. “Theenhanced flexibility of a continuous blendingsystem also allows us to switch productionbetween different drinks, giving us the potentialto increase the number of flavours we offer in ourdrinks range.”

A SPX Bran + Luebbe continuous in-line blending system has been installed at the Bottlegreen Drinks Company’s bottling plant in Stroud, UK.

a p p l i c a t i o n s f o o d a n d d r i n k

An operator checks that the SPX Bran + Luebbe continuous in-line blendingsystem at the Bottlegreen Drinks Company is working correctly. The systemincludes a number of metering pumps.

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