Changeover times on food lines are important for maximising efficiency, particularly in the case of short runs.
A new cooker/cooler technology, called Clean-Flow, developed by Lyco Manufacturing, utilises Lyco’s rotary drum system which provides water injection for agitation that keeps the product in uniform suspension while moving through the unit, minimizing the cleaning change-over on short runs to as low as 15 minutes, and on a totally automated mode without the need for manual labour.
This can accommodate for as many as two product change-overs per hour, or 16 change-overs per shift, allowing for maximum flexibility and efficiency in lean manufacturing for food processors.
The Clean-Flow design begins with a very accurately made screw similar to that used in a screw blancher.
It resides in a stationary wedge-wire screen that encapsulates the screw from the 3:00 to 9:00 o’clock position. The tolerance between the screw and the screen is less than one-half a grain of rice.
The water agitation injected through the screen keeps the product off the floor of the screen, where it is maintained in total suspension.
Damage to fragile product is a fraction of one percent, and even less than in a rotary drum.
Clean-up time is reduced from hours to minutes in the Clean-Flow design because the screw is totally exposed for cleaning.
During clean-up the screen is released from its fixed position, and is continually rotated 360 degrees around the screw alternately exposing the interior and exterior of the screen to Clean-in-Place manifolds located in the cover of the machine.
The screw can be rotated at the same time as the screen, again exposing all surfaces to the cleansing water sprays.
Clean-up times depend upon the types of product being run. Vegetable matter is relatively easy to remove, but products with starch – such as pasta, rice and sugar – take longer to clean.
Clean-up times can be reduced as much as 75% compared to conventional rotary drum blanchers.
For more information on Lyco Manufacturing.
www.lycomfg.com
jeff.zittel@lycomfg.com