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MasoSine pump replaces AOD pump and halves drum emptying times at soft drink manufacturer
Purity Soft Drinks
Fluids Handling

MasoSine pump replaces AOD pump and halves drum emptying times at soft drink manufacturer

Photo of Watson Marlow Watson Marlow Send an email 08/09/2011
155 2 minutes read
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Purity Soft Drinks Ltd, a West Midlands-based beverage manufacturer with a history stretching back over a century, has replaced air operated diaphragm pumps with MasoSine process pumps from Watson-Marlow Pumps Group. The move has cut the time taken to unload barrels of juice concentrate by a factor of 10 – the operation now takes just 2 minutes against the previous time of 20 minutes.

Increasing numbers of process engineers in the beverage industry are beginning to realise the benefits of sine pumps and Purity Soft Drinks is among the latest to adopt this innovative technology. Established in 1892, Purity today places itself among the UK’s leading family-owned soft drink manufacturers. Its commitment to delivering quality and value for money to its customers is epitomised by its strategy of investing in technology that will enhance both its product offer and process efficiency.

The adoption of MasoSine SPS series pumps from Watson-Marlow is a case in point. Juice concentrate can arrive at the company’s advanced manufacturing facility in quantities upward of 200 barrels at a time. To decant these, Purity was until recently using air operated diaphragm (AOD) pumps. However, the process was taking 20-30 minutes for each one, causing a significant production bottleneck.

Proven track record

Having successfully used another Watson-Marlow product in the past, namely Bredel high pressure peristaltic hose pumps, Purity approached the company for a solution to its decanting problem. The results speak for themselves. Using the Watson-Marlow electric-operated sine pumps, the transfer time is now reduced to 2 minutes for the same volume of concentrate. This is aided considerably by the sine pump’s suction lift capability, and this fact will also help Purity pump up a thick prune juice concentrate for use in a new product.

There are large financial benefits too. With labour costed at £10 per hour during drum pumping, three syrup room operators were previously employed for up to five hours a day on this task alone. It doesn’t take a genius to see the significant sum that has been saved – a figure that ensures very rapid payback on Purity’s investment.

“There’s no doubt that the sine pump technology has reduced our make-up time and allowed greater production time,” states Purity’s Production Director, Stuart Nalley. “Furthermore, the ability to vary the speed easily via an inverter to match it to the product being handled is of great benefit and allows us to pump concentrate ranging from semi-frozen juices to thick purees.”

Gentle but robust

MasoSine pumps feature a sinusoidal rotor for gentle, low shear product handling, while their heavy duty construction means they can also handle high pressure applications. Mr Nalley says that “the pump is robust, of simple construction and easy to strip down for inspection and cleaning”.

The success of the pump replacement project is yet another reflection of Purity’s advance in recent years. For instance, the company recently purpose-built a £1.5 million national distribution centre in Wednesbury, West Midlands. The move is based on the success of its premium juice drinks range, known as Juice Burst™, where increased sales now require distribution of more than 500,000 bottles per week. In total, Purity’s bottling plant today produces more than 18,000 bottles per hour, more than a month’s production when compared to output in 1892.

www.wmpg.co.uk

Watson Marlow
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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

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Photo of Watson Marlow Watson Marlow Send an email 08/09/2011
155 2 minutes read
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