IDM | Technology/IT were the first components designed especially for food production, marking the start of Coperion's entry into this market in 2005. The decision to focus on the complex world of hygiene requirements was made with an eye on the expected growth rate of >5 % p.a. in the global food industry – a market that is not very volatile when compared to that of the chemicals industry. Sanitary rotary valves The Coperion rotary valves developed especially for dried milk products are hallmarked by their smooth, flush connections, and have a gap-free design for wet cleaning. The "Hygienic" series is supplied in polished stainless with a surface roughness of <0.8 μm. The range includes blow-through, discharge and conveying valves for powder, all designed for a pneumatic pressure of 1.5 bar. Flameproof and pressure surge-proof versions (Atex protection system) that are required, for example, for lactose drying applications are also available. The special feature of these rotary valves is that they have a swivel type extraction device for the rotor for fast cleaning and inspection. Due to a patented sealing system, EHEDG certified (type EL Class I) rotary valves are designed for CIP cleaning and do not require dismantling, which saves the system owner time and money while protecting the system against external contamination. These components only occasionally have to be opened and inspected, Sprung ad vises. Three years ago, the company launched another of its own developments for applications that require dry cleaning which was 28 · 9 2016 | international-dairy.com awarded EHEDG dry cleaning certification, type ED, for its sanitary product design. RotorCheck contact monitoring In extreme cases, malfunctions in the production process such as sudden increases in the product temperature, bearing damage or foreign objects in the product can cause problems in rotating components such as rotary valves, and the rotor can touch the housing, producing fine metal particles that can be released into the conveyed product, for example. To prevent such risks, the company has developed an electronic contact monitoring device called RotorCheck. The system with its patented electronics monitors the rotary valve and works on the basis that the rotor and housing are electrically isolated from one another. If the electrical resistance drops, the RotorCheck sounds an alarm and detects whether the change in resistance is caused by an unwanted metal contact or only a change in the product characteristics, such as moisture. According to Sprung, leading baby food manufacturers already rely on the RotorCheck. "The RotorCheck can prevent serious damage to the component as well as product contamination, but companies must also have a procedure in place for handling alarms, as the alarm requires possibly a complete shutdown of all upstream production processes," adds Sprung, explaining the strategy behind the device. Jochen Sprung, Head of Sales and Business Development Coperion: Our components are EHEDG certified, they come in absolute hygienic design and prevent recontamination (photo: Coperion) EHEDG certified CIP bulk material diverter valve WYK for the highest hygienic demands (photo: Coperion) Bulk material diverter valves Coperion also supplies bulk material diverter valves for pneumatic conveying systems. The range includes two-way diverter valves of various designs, either with parts in contact with the product made of stainless steel or full stainless steel construction. The EHEDG certified CIP diverter valve WYK for the highest hygienic demands is particularly innovative. It permits a fully-automatic wet cleaning by means of automatic retraction of the rotor during CIP cleaning, so that the cleaning media flow is defined and all areas of the diverter valve are cleaned. The Coperion components are also often supplied through the established system integrators (e.g. Tetra Pak Processing, GEA and SPX). An increasing number of system operators in all major dairy regions are asking their system supplier specifically if Coperion rotary valves or bulk material diverter valves will be installed. Coperion's range is rounded off by the products of its sister company Coperion KTron that builds dosing systems for foods and their ingredients, especially for extrusion and mixing processes. Both companies with their combined workforce of around 2,500 have been owned by the US company Hillenbrand Inc. for three years. They have their own subsidiaries and dealerships around the world.
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