Product category:
Brewing, Drink and Dairy Processing News
News Release from: Air Control Industries | Subject: JetPlate dryer
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 18 May 2007
Improved dryer installed for GSK
bottling line
A bottling line at the GlaxoSmithKline Coleford factory has been upgraded recently with a new enclosed bottle dryer that has proven to be more efficient and quieter than its predecessor
The new bottle drying system is installed on an aseptic line handling 330 and 500ml PET bottles of Ribena, Hydro Active and Lucozade Sport at line speeds ranging from 300-600 bottles/min It replaces a configuration of simple airknives that had proven to be not suitable for this application
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 4 Aug 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
AirKnives blow microbrewery label problems away
Most of the ACI bottle and can drying machines are supplied to high throughput, internationally known brewers and bottlers, drying solutions for smaller operations like microbreweries are available
Removal of 'Lights' from waste using air blowers
A novel way of employing blowers for extracting 'lights' from skip loads of waste for more effective - and more financially rewarding - has been applied in two UK recycling plants
Principle reasons for the airknives failure were difficulty in ensuring correct setup for different bottle types and following cleaning/maintenance, noise and containment of moisture.
To operate effectively, airknives must be set at specific pitch to ensure correct air delivery and the angle will vary according to bottle types/shapes and sizes.
With frequent cleaning requirements and product changes drying is performance is not always maximised.
Further reading
Staff approved safe and easy employee de-dusting
Wavin, Europe's leading manufacturer of plastics pipe and ducting, has recently installed a safe and efficient method for personnel de-dusting at its factory in Durham, that is popular with employees
Airknife drying system achieves rapid payback
The new blower-powered Airknife moisture removal system at the Corus Trostre Works, Llanelli saves money and helps to ensure steel strip quality: system payback was achieved in just 21 weeks
Delivery of air in appropriate volume and velocity sufficient to dry bottles on a fast flowing line will always result in high noise levels.
So, for the previous drying system, which was an open one, noise was a problem.
For the same reason, the moisture blown off the bottles was dispersed into the atmosphere inside the factory.
The new system, which resolves all these problems, was supplied by Air Control Industries and is based upon their 'JetPlate' technology.
Unlike airknives, the ACI JetPlate requires no adjustment after installation.
The JetPlate system is based upon two facing plenums that serve both to deliver air and act as guide rails.
Both plenums have facing plates with stepped air delivery slots.
This configuration ensures the air delivery pattern effectively pushes liquid down and off the product as it is conveyed between the plenums.
The close proximity of the plenums also ensures there is no risk of bottles falling over.
Further, air flow is designed to ensure water and spray is driven downwards to prevent possible product re-contamination.
If plenums should require adjustment because of the introduction of new bottle designs, then this is simple to achieve and there would be no risk of incorrect positioning and consequent inefficient drying.
Finally, the JetPlate system is housed in a compact enclosure (1500 x 950 mm footprint) which serves to reduce noise levels and help contain airborne moisture.
According to Andrew Markey, Product Stream Support Engineer, the ACI JetPlate bottle drying system has improved the bottle drying significantly, providing consistent results which benefits the down-line operations of label application and product coding. Request a free brochure from Air Control Industries ...
• Air Control Industries: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Processingtalk email newsletter
• Processingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
