Knorr, the internationally recognised brand owned by Unilever, produces food products for consumers and the catering industry.
When the company wanted to reduce waste in its sauce production, a product often containing significant amounts of delicate cooked vegetables, Knorr approached HpE Process for a bespoke product recovery system.
HpE Process creates totally in-line designs with no off-line cavities or external to internal moving parts. The system uses magnets to control the launch and retention of the spherical pig – the projectile that removes the last useable product/liquid in a pipeline.
Such a sphere is designed to ensure the highest standards of cleanliness and extend the lifespan of the pig that is fully cleanable in situ.
HpE Process delivered the brief on time and to spec, coming up with a bespoke system that met our needs
Unilever project manager John Skinner
Knorr’s sauce production presented complex engineering challenges that raised specific problems for HpE Process.
Production involved a hot-fill process and product needed to be transferred to the filler and packed/sealed without allowing the temperature to drop below the specified level.
As the filler bowl was too small to take the entire product that would be recovered from the line, the system needed to be able to stop and start in line with demands from the filler.
HpE Process’ answer was to fit a 3-inch Premisphere product recovery system, plus new product pump and process valves, while working with Unilever’s preferred control systems contractor and to the company’s strict quality control procedures and hygiene standards.
The result was better production efficiency, allowing Unilever to recover 200 litres of every 3,000 litres of Knorr product that they manufactured.
Plus the reduced load on the effluent stream meant environmental targets could be met.
Unilever project manager John Skinner commented: “HpE Process delivered the brief on time and to spec, coming up with a bespoke system that met our needs. We look forward to working with them again in the future.”
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