Food & Drink Process & Packaging Issue 23 2019 | Page 36

Compressor success The latest breakthrough in compressor where a piston is used to compress air to Each with a central rotor, suspended on technology not only delivers oil-free high pressures were introduced to offer self-stabilising air foil bearings, with two compressed air, but also reduces almost efficiency and reliability. However, rotary precision balanced titanium impellors, a third off the total cost of ownership. screw and piston compressors can be one mounted at each end of each rotor. BOGE’s General Manager, Mark expensive to buy, operate and maintain, Whitmore, explains. with many numbers of moving parts and Food and beverage manufacturers would struggle to operate efficiently without high levels of energy consumption. They also tend to be large and noisy. The motors allow the impellors to rotate at exceptionally high speeds, typically more than 100,000 rpm, with the impellors on each motor being of compressed air systems to power their BOGE is a pioneer in providing true oil- process, production and packaging lines. free compressors with the development Compressed air in the food and beverage of high-speed turbo technology, which sector must be oil-free due to hygiene can completely eliminate oil from the requirements. compressor. These tend to be more expensive to Compared with traditional oil-free efficiently, with minimal energy losses operate and maintain than conventional machines, high-speed turbo compressors, due to friction between moving parts. compressors, making total cost such as BOGE’s HST 55, 110 and 220kW of ownership (TCO) one of the key machines, are 50% smaller; lighter; considerations when planning investment quieter (typically just 63dB(A) for the in additional systems. However, 55kW machine against 80dB(A) for a pioneering new developments in oil-free traditional screw compressor), and they compressor technology has slashed the have a TCO almost a third lower than the TCO by around 30%. alternatives. Rotary screw compressors, where air is The turbo technology in these compressed by the action of two rotating compressors employs two compact helical screws and piston compressors, permanent magnet motors. 36 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk different sizes and blade arrangements. This, in turn, allows air drawn in via an intake funnel and specially-designed spiral casing to be boosted in three stages to reach operating pressures quickly and This high-speed technology has not only created a new revolutionary generation of compressors but will also allow the food and beverage industry to improve their quality, productivity and reliability. Tel: +44 (0) 1484 719921 Fax: +44 (0) 1484 712516 www.boge.com