Breatec B.V. (part of BRAIN Biotech AG) develops enzymes and enzyme mixtures for flour mills, bread improver manufacturers, pasta and noodle producers and distributors.
Breatec expansion
Due to huge demand for natural ingredients in the form of enzymes, Breatec decided to expand production. Breatec was looking for an automated line that could dose microcomponents accurately, but above all could ensure a maximum emission standard of 0.6 mg/m³ dust load for the operator. Food ingredients such as enzymes can be harmful if inhaled frequently in too high a concentration. The new extension had to be built into the existing (limited) space.
Cooperation Poeth-Breatec
Breatec challenged six suppliers to set up a smart basic concept. After extensive preliminary research, Poeth Solids Processing was selected for pre-engineering to develop the concept further. ”Poeth quickly came up with inventive and practical solutions,” explains operational director Jacobus Richter Breatec. ”Poeth Solids Processing immediately gave the feeling that they saw it as a challenge, but also want to invest in this themselves.
They already have a lot of experience in the field of powder handling, and are strong in affordable customisation, however, based as much as possible on proven techniques. The choice was therefore made fairly quickly.”
Exit points:
- maximum emission standard of 0.6 mg/m³
- component dosing and weighing accurate to 5 grams
- Very easy to clean
- Control must be able to retrieve recipes from external ERP system
- Existing mixer must be fitted with a liquid dosing device
- Product carrier (e.g. wheat flour) must be automatically transported to the mixer via big-bag
Emptying raw material from bagged goods
Basic components are emptied into bagging booths by the operator. The booths are designed to create a laminar air flow away from the operator. One cabin was built as a prototype beforehand. Airflow and dust emission measurements were extensively tested, and important details were adjusted where necessary. A glovebox cabin was still considered, but test results showed that this was not necessary, and would only result in reduced hygiene and ergonomics.
Removing the empty bag from the cabin often produces the most dust. As a result, an exit opening has been provided in the cabin at the rear, allowing the empty bag to be packed dust-free into a 45m-long endless bag. The empty bags are pushed away in this, and when the trunk is sufficiently long, are closed with two tiewraps, then cut between the 2 tiewraps. When 45 m length is nearly exhausted, it can be extended again with the next endless bag of 45 m. This way, an open connection is never created.
Micro-component dosing / mobile weigher
The components are dosed via sanitary dosing valves on a mobile weigher with a bucket with inliner on top. There is a crucial detail at this point, which ensures dust-free connection without affecting weighing.
The bucket, fitted with a lid, is then manually dosed into the mixer, again via a special dumping booth. A powder transport system was not chosen due to contamination.
Dosing of carrier raw material
Each mixture consists of a carrier such as wheat flour. This product is delivered in big-bags. Using a sanitary dosing valve, the product is dosed onto a mobile vibrating screen. At the bottom of the sifter, this feeds a pneumatic suction conveyor, which transports the product towards the weighing vacuum separator above the mixer.
The weighing vacuum separator doses the product out of mixer according to loss-in-weight principle.
Control
The controller supplied by Poeth retrieves the recipes from an external ERP system. There is therefore no need for the operator to enter recipes manually. This thus eliminates manual errors. A linked label printer labels the recipes.
