With it’s newest high-care spray drying plant, the North German Dairy Uelzena eG has further expand its leading position as contract dryer for food related products. A total of four spray towers of different sizes and designs are now available at the central production site in Uelzen especially for the drying of infant food components.
Efficient new spray drying plant for high-care production
The equipment of the new plant includes a strict hygiene zone concept with product and people access gates to separate the different areas, containment systems for the active ingredient dosing and filling systems, elaborated cleaning concepts with separate washing and drying rooms for cleaning plant components as well as high-performance ventilation and filter systems for fresh and exhaust air.
"Tower 12" also includes a high-performance wet mixing area with various technologies for preparing the raw materials as well as feeding stations for ingredients and active ingredients, fully automated filling systems and various technical and social rooms. Everything is embedded in a completely self-contained separate spray drying plant, which is state-of-the-art in terms of hygiene, technology and efficiency.
Modern spray technology and individual processing procedures
The new spray tower with a flexible nozzle spraying system has a capacity of 650 - 750 kg of powder per hour. For each of the very different spray products, a separate, specifically customised processing procedure is defined in advance. This is one of the greatest challenges for all contract drying projects and at the same time one of the most valuable core competences of the experienced spray drying specialist Uelzena.
Thanks to the flexibly combinable technology options and individually customisable processes, the new plant offers the best conditions for realising a wide variety of spray drying projects.
Flexible technologies for an optimised concentrate production
The upstream process of concentrate production is essential for creating an optimal spray product, as the mixing process directly influences the quality of the subsequent spray product. The new plant is therefore extensively equipped with various technologies, e.g. for heating and emulsification, which can be flexibly combined with each other.
This includes two separate, combinable mixing lines and high-performance high-shear mixers with a dispersing unit for mixing in powders and other raw materials. The entire mixing process is largely automated. The required raw materials are taken directly from various feed stations by recipe control. Active ingredients can be added via special containment systems in a separate active ingredient room with an airlock and a particularly high standard of hygiene.
Automated packaging lines for bag-in-boxes
The packaging in 5 kg to 25 kg aluminium tubular bags (bag-in-box system) takes place on currently two largely automated, separate packaging lines. The filling takes place under optimum high-care conditions within the plant's strictest hygiene zone. The products are then transported via a conveyor bridge with an automatic transport line into the fully automated, neighbouring high-bay warehouse. Palletising and storage are carried out there using state-of-the-art robot technology.