Confectionery Screening Problems Solved

Kaul have been using Russell self cleaning filters to improve the quality of its liquid ingredients for a considerable period of time and were confident that Russell Finex would have the separation equipment and expertise to also solve their powder problems.

Quality is vitally important to Kaul. Managing director Klaus D. Haupt, stated that “we are only satisfied when our customers are able to shine with success in their market place”. In order to achieve this, Kaul contacted Russell Finex to find a solution for a problem they were having with a food additive powder on their sieves.

Kaul needed sieves to screen and separate their powder into 2000µ, 1500µ and 1000µ (alternatively 800µ) fractions. Their existing tumbler screener was operating with a maximum throughput of only 500 kg/h. In order to increase productivity Kaul needed to screen the powder at a far greater rate.

The powder blinding the mesh screens escalated the problem with the existing sieves. This resulted in throughput falling further and downtime increasing as the machine and mesh needed regular disassembly and cleaning. After discussions with engineers from Russell Finex a series of on site tests with a 1200 mm diameter Finex separator were conducted.

The results were staggering; the screening time for 500kg of the powder was reduced from one hour to just three minutes. The separator’s adjustable weight system created a more vigorous action than the tumbler screener. This raised the sieves screening and separation efficiency.

The separator has been designed to handle high throughput applications and can accommodate up to four screen surfaces, providing up to five predetermined fractions in a single operation.

The nature of Kaul’s powder was still causing some mesh blinding. Russell Finex quickly identified the problem and suggested an effective solution for their sieves. For the coarse mesh screens deblinding discs were used to clear blocked mesh apertures. These discs bounce on the mesh, hitting the screen and freeing blocked material.

Russell’s Vibrasonic Deblinding System (VDS) was used for the finer mesh screens. The VDS uses an acoustically developed transducer to apply an ultrasonic frequency directly to the mesh, breaking down surface tension and eliminating mesh blinding.

Eliminating blinding presented other benefits including an increase in production output. Sieving capacities increased because all the apertures remained clear allowing powder to pass through them.

Eliminating blinding also reduced the sieves costs. Cleaning mesh that has become blocked can damage the screen shortening its useful life. By eliminating blinding regular disassembly and cleaning were no longer necessary, dramatically cutting downtime and increasing the life of the sieves mesh screen.

Kaul ordered the Finex separator and both deblinding systems immediately after the trials and are now benefiting from improved product quality, increased productivity and lower costs.

In addition to a few standard products, Kaul produces mainly tailor made solutions to meet specific customer needs in the confectionery industry. All products are marketed under their global brands; Capol, Capolex, Capoloan and Fix Gum.

Source: Russell Finex