Key points
Project highlights / summary…
- Droyt Products replaces manual decanting with Bredel 32 hose pump
- 1000 litres of liquid soap pumped daily
- Low shear capability vital to success – maintains product quality
Quality and running costs make Bredel pump easy choice at soap firm
Chorley-based Droyt Products Ltd has selected a Bredel 32 hose pump from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group, to help transfer liquid glycerine soap between a mixing vessel and a cooling/setting mould.
The pump was selected over lower cost competitor models due to its quality and far more efficient lifetime running costs. Replacing a previously manual operation, the low-shear handling characteristics of the Bredel pump makes clean, light work of what was once an extremely laborious process.
Droyt Products is a privately-owned manufacturer that has been hand-making glycerine soaps since 1893. In fact, somewhat unusually for the industry, Droyt produces its soap from first principles, namely from the reacting of vegetable oils and alkali.
This process is known as saponification and takes place in a large heated (60°C) vessel. Here, additional ingredients such as essential oils, extracts, fragrances and colourants may be added as required.
New era
While Droyt’s production ethics lend quality to its distinguished brand, the company’s managing director, Chris Effendowicz, thought it high time that the latest technology was introduced to the early stages of its manufacturing operation.
“Because our type of product is largely unmachineable, the initial phases of our production process have remained manual for decades,” he says. “For instance, at the end of each shift we would pour out 1000 litres of liquid soap from a stainless steel reacting vessel into large frames to set into solid soap. Alternatively, the liquid soap is transferred into IBC containers if the soap is to be sold in liquid form.”
To facilitate this process, Droyt would deploy a steel scoop mounted on a pole to transfer the soap manually on to a stainless steel runway, from where it would pass through filters and into the frame.
“We finally decided to replace our time consuming manual process with a pump because, frankly, it was hard work that involved a lot of twisting, and secondly because it would provide a cleaner, more efficient operation,” says Mr Effendowicz. “We tried to do it years ago but couldn’t find a pump offering gentle handling and low shear.”
Low shear pumping
Too much shear is undesirable when it comes to pumping liquid soap. Firstly, it creates high levels of lather, and secondly, too many bubbles. Because Droyt’s glycerine soap is clear, bubbles can easily ruin its appearance.
“When I recently heard about peristaltic pumps offering no or very low shear, I invited a couple of suppliers to pitch, including Watson-Marlow,” says Mr Effendowicz.
Watson-Marlow proposed a Bredel 32 pump with nitrile rubber hose to match a required flow rate of 1000 to 2000 l/hr and provide the necessary 1.25m suction lift from the mixing tank.
Because Droyt adds liquid sugar (as a transparency aid) to the saponified oil base, the soap has the consistency of thick custard. However, this is not a problem for the Bredel pump, which delivers low shear and gentle handling regardless of viscosity.
Local support
“Watson-Marlow were extremely helpful on this project,” says Mr Effendowicz. “They provided lots of useful advice, such as suggesting that the inlet piping should be of larger diameter than the discharge piping, for example, which wouldn’t have crossed my mind.”
Installed in November 2014, the Bredel continues to ensure customer satisfaction at Droyt – thanks to trouble-free operation and tangible process improvements.
Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions
- 01326370370
- info@wmftg.co.uk
- https://www.wmfts.com/
- Bicklandwater Road, Falmouth Business Park, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 4RU GB
About us
Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) peristaltic tube and hose pumps meet requirements including: value for money; low cost of ownership; reliability and ease of maintenance to the food and beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical, mining and many other industries.
We demonstrate how pumps deliver significant process efficiencies over the lifetime of the equipment. Whether performing flavouring addition in food processing, chemical metering in water treatment or mineral recovery, we have a solution which can cut pump downtime and reduce costs through higher accuracy metering and transfer. WMFTG has dedicated application engineers available to help customers make the right pump and tubing choice from a range providing microlitres per minute to 80 cubic metres per hour flow rates.
The only part of the pump to come into contact with the product is the tube or hose. This means there are no seals or valves that can wear or fail. Replacing the tube or hose can be performed quickly and safely. Peristaltic pump benefits include:
Total fluid containment with no seals No ancillaries Handle viscous and abrasive slurries and sludge Self-priming capability Dry running without damage to the pump In addition to their range of positive displacement pumps, Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group has added PTFE-lined chemical and industrial hoses to their range. Aflex hoses are reinforced to withstand the most severe conditions and use.
Where we supply to
Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, North America
Industries we supply to
Automation, Chemicals, Consultants, Components Electronics, Energy and Power, Food and Beverage, Glass Ceramics Cement, Metals and Minerals, OEM, Paper and Pulp, Pharmaceutical Cosmetics Toiletries, Plastics and Rubber, Recycling, Textiles, Tobacco, Water and Wastewater
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