Is a vacuum pump always used in the food and beverage industry?
Air movement is present in roughly 95% of processes: a vacuum pump, roots blower or side channel blower.
- Visible in almost everything packed on the shelf: meat, fish, cheese and ready meals (thermoforming and vacuum sealing)
- And in drying and blow-off processes before packaging and labelling
- Is a vacuum pump always used in the food and beverage industry?
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Air movement is present in roughly 95% of processes: a vacuum pump, roots blower or side channel blower.
- Visible in almost everything packed on the shelf: meat, fish, cheese and ready meals (thermoforming and vacuum sealing)
- And in drying and blow-off processes before packaging and labelling
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- What requirements does the food industry set for a vacuum pump or blower?
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Direct or indirect product contact is decisive. Warm air on an egg in its shell is not the same as blowing off residue next to a slice of ham.
- Is oil lubrication allowed? Then a food grade or approved mineral oil
- If not: a dry (oil-free) design, for example a claw pump
- ISO certification is available from the factory and supplied as supporting evidence
- Energy efficiency weighs heavily, because of CO₂ reduction and energy costs
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- How do I dry products again after washing or pasteurising?
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The standard solution is an air knife combined with a blower, also on a high-speed production line.
| Situation | Why blow dry |
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| Washed bottles and cans | The label has to hold; water left on a can causes oxidation and rust |
| Products after high-pressure pasteurising | The product leaves the process very wet |
| Washed crates | Residual water and crumbs out before reuse |
| Washed eggs | Dry and feather-free into the carton |
| Products from the freezer | Remove the layer of ice before labelling |
| Fruit, apple slices and bakery products | Dry before packing; residual material collected and reused |
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- Why does DOVAC advise a blower instead of compressed air in the food industry?
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- A compressor uses far more power for the same drying result
- DOVAC calculates the air knife and blower combination at the correct operating point and supplies the complete installation
- The result is lower energy consumption with an equal or better drying result
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