The latest issue off PII is out now!

Read here!
Fluids Handling

S Moores Selects MasoSine Pumps For Granola Ingredient Measurement

Listen to this article

A company famed for its manufacture of traditional biscuits, is using three MasoSine SPS200 pumps from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group to help it produce up to 80 tonnes of granola a week.

Importantly, the introduction of ingredients into the blending and mixing process is controlled precisely by counting the revolutions of the pump shaft, a shrewd strategy that has negated investment in a dedicated weighing assembly.

S Moores, a family-owned (fifth generation) business based in Dorset, has been at its current factory near Bridport for over 10 years. Until recently, the company used batch-manufacturing techniques for its granola requirements.

Here, S Moores had to weigh ingredients such as vegetable oil and golden syrup into a mixer. However, to help improve productivity, the company decided to replace this set up with continuous mixer technology.

Measured production

The MasoSine SPS200 that was previously deployed on our batch mixer was transferred to the new continuous mixer with the addition of a speed control for accurate blending,” explains Company Partner David Winship. “This allowed us to dose the warm oil-syrup blend into the mixer at the right rate. In effect, every revolution of the pump produces an identical volume of material. Hence, by controlling the speed, we can inject the precise amount of blend required.

In 2015, S Moores set about acquiring two further MasoSine SPS200 pumps to serve a pair of heated (50°C) vessels, one for syrup and one for oil.  Both pumps are operated on a count down timer which, in conjunction with the speed control, gives the precise volumes required.

For example, if we need 30 litres of oil for a particular granola recipe, then we know that 170 revolutions of the pump shaft will deliver that quantity, and similarly with the syrup,” says Mr Winship. “The oil and syrup travel a distance of 8 metres [including 2 metres of vertical lift] into a blender, which is then activated to mix a blend that is dispensed using our original MasoSine pump into the continuous mixer at a given rate. This means that we now have a fully automated process without any of the buckets, weighing scales and ladders associated with manual operations.”

The mixture of vegetable oil and golden syrup at S Moores produces a substance with a viscosity in the region of 1000-2000 Cp. This blend is pumped into the continuous mixer at around 750 l/h, or 50 litres every 2 minutes.

The sinusoidal rotor design of MasoSine SPS pumps delivers a low shear, gentle pumping action that safely transfers products without risk of degradation. SPS pumps are suitable for food, sanitary and industrial applications up to 15 bar pressure, at flows up to 99,000 l/hr. Products with viscosities from 1 cP to 8 million cP can be transferred with suction up to 0.85 bar.

Sine pumps preferred

Originally we looked at progressive cavity pumps, but they have wear parts and are a bit of a nuisance to clean,” says Mr Winship. “In contrast, with the MasoSine SPS200 pumps, we simply take the front cover plate off and pressure wash, which we do once a week as part of our quality and hygiene control procedures. Other than that, the pumps are utilised heavily every day across a two-shift operation. Our original blend pump has been in place for five years and I think we’ve replaced the plastic gate once – and only as a preventative measure.

Ultimately, the automated pumping operations are helping S Moores output between 70 and 80 tonnes of granola every week.

Mr Winship concludes: “I’m not sure how many other manufacturers are deploying MasoSine pumps in this manner, but to us it seemed that using them as a measuring tool was an obvious way to negate the need for a dedicated weighing assembly – and it works very well.”

For more information please contact:

Joanne Lucas – Group Marketing PR Coordinator
joanne.lucas@wmftg.com
D: +44 (0) 1326 370 214
www.wmftg.com

Watson Marlow
Premium Package

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions

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

  • Flexicon PF7 tabletop peristaltic liquid filling machine

  • Sterile ReNu SU Technology cartridge

  • Quantum and ReNu SU Technology cartridge - Make sterile connections in non-sterile environments

Show More

    Would you like further information about this article?

    Add your details below and we'll be in touch ASAP!


    Input this code: captcha

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Back to top button

    Join 25,000 process industry specialists and subscribe to:

    PII has a global network of suppliers ready to help...