Food & Beverage Applications

The use of positive displacement blowers in pneumatic conveying provides efficient transfer of dry bulk material from point to point at varying pressures and vacuum levels. Pneumatic conveying is achieved by creating a pressure differential along a pipeline and using the air that moves toward the area of lower pressure to move the dry bulk material. This process can be accomplished with a vacuum inducer or by injecting compressed air into one end of the pipeline. Unlike other air moving technologies, M-D Pneumatics’s rotary positive displacement design provides constant flow regardless of pressure. Our positive displacement blowers have been successful in pneumatic conveying applications in a variety of industries for over 60 years.

The freeze-drying process has seen heightened demand due to an increase in the need for dry foods with extended shelf life, or to make perishable materials more convenient for transport. Freeze-drying is a low temperature dehydration process performed under a vacuum that involves freezing the material, placing under a deep vacuum to reduce the pressure, and adding heat to allow the frozen water to sublimate. To achieve a successful freeze-drying process, it should be repeatable with well-defined temperatures, pressure, and time parameters for each step.

Production for maple syrup typically happens during the late winter months, as freezing nights and warmer days are needed in order to induce sap flow. With such a narrow timeframe to extract sap from the trees, maple sugar producers must make the most of their extraction process. Today’s maple sap extraction process has evolved to the use of plastic tubing and a liquid ring vacuum pump, allowing for an increase in production and ensuring the finished product arrives cold and clear to the sugarhouse.

Kinney's rotary vane vacuum pumps and liquid ring vacuum pumps can be found in a variety of applications within the meat processing industry including stuffing, packaging, mixing, and tumbling. Vacuums perform countless tasks in meat processing facilities including removing excess air out of products improving product color and texture (stuffing), providing a gas-tight package for lower shelf life (packaging), blending meats and spices for a more desirable texture (mixing), and opening tissue for a more uniform distribution of flavor (tumbling). Vacuums have also become more prevalent in the cooling process, conserving meat after it has been cooked in order to help kill pathogenic microorganisms that can cause toxins or spoil.

Sterilization is a process designed to remove or destroy all viable forms of microbial life. Ethylene oxide (EtO) treatment methods have been used for decades throughout the low-moisture food industries to safely eliminate pathogens such as salmonella and e-coli. Ethylene oxide is a toxic, flammable gas that breaks down microorganisms on a chemical level. EtO sterilization is often preferred for sterilizing temperature or moisture sensitive products and requires that they be preconditioned in a controlled environment of temperature and humidity. The effectiveness of this process relies four critical factors: gas concentration, humidity, temperature, and time. Kinney’s liquid ring vacuum pump has been a preferred solution in EtO sterilization due to its water sealing and ability to handle flammable gases.

The use of vacuum pumps in the packaging process is key to extending the shelf life of products. Vacuum pumps are responsible for evacuating air as well as removing water, vapor, fat, and granular materials before goods go to market. In the chamber packaging process, food is placed inside a vacuum bag and loaded into a packaging chamber where the air can be evacuated, and the bag heat sealed. Blowers can also be used in low vacuum applications for packaging and handling in order to filter impurities and dust.