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Speed and precision are the watchwords for beverage producers worldwide. To meet consumer demands, today's bottlers must focus not only on consistent product quality, but rapid system changeovers as well. The TB-200 Series carbonated beverage processing system from TechniBlend is designed to meet industry challenges head-on by optimizing a critical part of the operation.
Wisconsin-based TechniBlend designs and manufactures engineered process systems and solutions for the world's leading food and beverage, consumer products, chemical, and liquid processing companies. For the carbonated beverage sector specifically, the company provides high quality inline carbonation, deaeration and blending options. “Our TB-200 system is designed to help carbonated beverage manufacturers achieve the efficiency and flexibility they need to address today's challenges,” said Derek Deubel, president, TechniBlend. Typically installed between the syrup blending room and the can or bottle filler in a carbonated beverage plant, the TB-200 deaerates the process water, utilizing a resource-efficient membrane deaeration process. Next, it precisely blends the incoming flavor syrup and water, cools and carbonates the blended product, and finally sends it to the filling machine at production speeds of about 175 gallons per minute.
The system offers true “variable speed blending” and maintains in-spec blending, carbonation and product temperature across a wide range of flow rates. To adjust for syrup variations, the system utilizes a Coriolis mass flow meter to measure syrup density and Brix (sugar content) value. “The TB-200 delivers high product quality and yield in a small footprint,” Deubel explained. “It is also designed to change over very rapidly and automatically. Fifteen years
ago, a soft drink production line changed flavors two or three times a day. Now, up to ten daily flavor changes are the norm.”
In standard implementations, the TB-200 system can achieve changeovers in seven minutes or less. Even faster changeover is enabled by the company's innovative Clean in Place (CIP) technology, which is used to clean processing equipment at key times between product runs. The TechniBlend CIP On-Demand™ system is integrated into the TB-200 skid. “Many CIP systems are located at a distance from the processing equipment,” explained Peter Schultz, manager of controls and automation engineering, TechniBlend. “When the cleaning process is initiated, the processing equipment as well as the piping to it must be heated. Steam must be introduced regularly to maintain temperature.”
The onboard CIP On-Demand system reduces this cycle loop – and decreases cycle times by up to 50 percent, significantly reducing chemical, water and energy consumption. “The functionality of our TB-200 system is dependent on the automation equipment installed,” said Schultz. “From a control standpoint, the programmable controllers, variable frequency drives and Coriolis mass flow meters are critical.” TechniBlend utilizes a Rockwell Automation solution, featuring Allen-Bradley® CompactLogix™ controllers and Allen-Bradley PowerFlex® 525 AC drives for process and power control, integrated on an EtherNet/IP™ network. The system incorporates Proline Promass F100 Coriolis flow meters from Rockwell Automation strategic alliance partner Endress+Hauser and valve manifolds from Rockwell Automation Encompass™ partner Festo. FactoryTalk® View supervisory edition (SE) HMI software monitors the system.
“Because Rockwell Automation maintains an alliance with Endress+Hauser, we are able to capture significant time-savings during machine development,” said Schultz. “The CompactLogix controller's Studio 5000® software includes an add-on profile for the flow meters – no separate programming package is required. As a result, I can set up a meter on EtherNet/IP in about one minute.” EtherNet/IP connectivity also enables TechniBlend to provide remote monitoring services for their end users. TechniBlend continues to focus on innovation that combines the latest technology in fluid handling and process measurement instrumentation with process control solutions from Rockwell Automation. “Bringing all these elements together in a system allows us to deliver best-in-class product quality – and extraordinary production efficiency, flexibility and sustainability,” Deubel said.
For more information, contact: TechniBlend, Inc. Phone: 262.484.4090 Email: contact@techniblend.com
Published August 1, 2014