Key points
Nowhere is the prioritising of safety more critical within industrial and process water management than within the food and beverage industry where consumer safety is paramount.
From producing soft drinks, juices, bottled water and alcoholic drinks to the preparation of fruit, vegetables, dairy and meat products, water is crucial to any F&B processing plant –as an essential ingredient, as well as for supporting the entire process and for cleaning and sanitising.
Since Britain’s exit from the EU, trust in the UK food industry is at an all-time high, thanks to strong support for local suppliers and the emphasis on health and ethics, according to IGD’s shopper confidence index earlier this year. This means the onus is on the industry to capitalise on consumer confidence and put safety regulations to the fore.
Upholding stringent safety standards is a key challenge for the industry: not only must water be of a sufficient quality to avoid tainting products, as well as eliminating wear and tear on equipment, but the output must also meet rigorous quality requirements.
Temperature fluctuation, abrasive solids and transportation demands can all present barriers to smooth and efficient food processing, bottling or drink dispensing in the utmost hygienic conditions.
With the lockdowns of 2020 and early 2021 increasing the risk of legionella within certain circumstance, it is more important than ever to ensure the highest quality of water to protect the public.
The latest treating and pumping technologies offer an opportunity to improve on safety measures, from automated monitoring to self-cleaning equipment, as well as optimising the way water is used, conserved, and increasingly re-used. Smart solutions – for both manufacturing and agriculture – can protect both staff and consumers, maintaining trust in the industry and avoiding costly downtime at a time when many sectors are expected to do more with less.
Safely protecting water intake
To ensure water intake into the processing plant is of the highest quality, and minimise the use of chemicals, new ultraviolet (UV) and ozone treatments provide a high level of disinfection without altering the taste or smell of products.
UV disinfection, which works by deactivating microorganisms including chemical-resistant cryptosporidium, can be used for both water and wastewater applications and particularly suits the production of soft drinks, juices, beer and other beverages. Additionally, the self-wiping system works without chemical cleaning additives and the long-life UV lamps employ variable power bulbs that offer energy savings of up to 20%.
Ozone disinfection is well suited to cleaning and rinsing applications where a brief residual is required, and is also used for decolouration, taste and odour removal for water.
No compromise on water quality
With the baby food market highly regulated, one German manufacturer installed two UV disinfection units to end chemical water disinfection while safely eliminating all micro-elements. By removing chlorine, the lifetime of the system’s reverse osmosis membranes was extended, and the highest water quality levels achieved without any by-products or risk of contamination.
Similarly, Arborea mozzarella manufacturers in Italy turned to UV sterilisation of the water used for cooling their products in an effort to minimise the use of chlorine dioxide and avoid any impact on taste and quality. The introduction of a continuous sterilisation cycle, using UV along with chlorine dioxide, meant the UV rays eliminated bacteria without leaving chemical residues while the chlorine dioxide protected the tubs and cooling line.
Without the high energy costs of heat sterilisation, Arborea recouped its investment in 18 months; productivity was increased by not changing the sterilisation water multiple times a day, while preserving the prized characteristics of the mozzarella.
Supporting processing needs
Pumps and smart solutions must be energy-efficient whilst also safely protecting water intake and transportation within the plant. To provide a fail-safe pump set-up, and avoid downtime, installing a redundant pump system has traditionally been the solution.
However, the next generation of Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) work with existing systems to bring energy savings of up to 70% but also to offer a more reliable, durable solution. The lower speed of the pumps during operation means less wear and less mechanical stress, plus no additional load in the starting moment because of the soft start feature.
Controls available include stopping the pump or pumps at zero demand or halting operation in case of water failure, allowing protection against dry running.
Digital monitoring at every stage
Beginning with suitable conditions at intake, monitoring water quality throughout the process is key – whether physical parameters, like flow and turbidity, or pH levels, using the data available is vital to ensure each stage is operating at optimal levels.
Water is also at risk of becoming contaminated while in use at the plant, often from biofilms on equipment surfaces; as well as affecting purity, this can affect efficiency of heat exchangers, increase corrosion and affect water flow.
Advances in digitalisation allow staff to view the performance of assets remotely, a solution vital in the pandemic to protect workers and prioritise their safety. These automated monitoring and control platforms make measurement easier and data available remotely, meaning pollution or system failures that could affect the quality and safety of the manufactured goods can be averted well in advance.
The data available can also be used to build a programme of preventative maintenance which can be carried out before issues become critical to uptime, avoiding the risks and costs of a reactive regime.
Safe management of wastewater
Producing purified wastewater of a quality that meets discharge requirements for public watercourses is an ongoing challenge for the food processing industry, particularly for meat and dairy producers or processors mindful of the safety of the communities in which they operate.
A tertiary level of treatment, beyond the existing anaerobic or aerobic biological processes, must be capable of effectively tackling parasites and micro-organisms; here, UV systems can eliminate and disinfect wastewater to ensure it reaches safe effluent levels. Renting UV treatment systems can be a useful short-term measure to bridge the gap when demand increases suddenly to boost infrastructure and treat wastewater being discharged into rivers to avoid costly fines.
Handling the high nitrogen and phosphorous load generated by the meat products sector, for example, can require several stages of treatment. Submersible pumps with self-cleaning N impeller technology can be particularly useful here, delivering safe and sustained high efficiency in wastewater transport operations, even in the toughest applications.
Advanced control systems can raise the bar for safety by providing real-time measurement and control of biological processes to improve the operation of wastewater treatment systems, identifying trends and allowing opportunities for continuing optimisation.
Biogas as a valuable by-product
With soaring gas prices hitting the headlines, biogas offers a productive avenue for livestock producers to convert manure into a viable source of renewable energy.
Biogas recovery systems consist of an anaerobic digester and gas collection system to produce usable energy and safely recover methane while controlling odours. New powerful, high-efficiency mid-sized mixers with propellers made with duplex steel are the latest development in the market: resistant to abrasion and corrosion, the spherical hub design guarantees non-clogging performance to increase reliability.
Putting the consumer first
The combined impact of Brexit and Covid-19, and the subsequent labour shortages and budget cuts, have all raised the stakes for the food processing industry. It has never been more important not to compromise on quality and hygiene, not only to avoid denting consumer confidence but to prioritise public health above all.
Ensuring safety standards are upheld in water management must cover every stage, not only its use as an ingredient but also as an essential element in many operations necessary for the functioning of production plants.
Technological advances can help the industry to better meet its challenges and offer peace of mind to manufacturers and producers keen to put consumer safety first. From advanced pumping systems that react according to need to monitoring solutions which maximise the data available, the latest developments mean getting the most out of every drop of water involved in the production process.
