Food & Drink Processing & Packaging Issue 36 2021 | Page 40

GEA doubles flow rates of the GEA Hilge CONTRA multistage centrifugal pump range

With the introduction of a third size in the GEA Hilge CONTRA range , GEA is expanding the performance spectrum of its centrifugal pumps to a flow rate of 100 cubic meters per hour . The new GEA Hilge CONTRA III meets the general requirements of the dairy , beverage and food industries . It is particularly well suited for demanding pharmaceutical applications in which sterile , no-cast materials in CIP- and SIP-capable specialized pumps are a critical factor in the manufacture of life science products .
FLOW RATES DOUBLED
The GEA Hilge CONTRA III multistage centrifugal pump in the CONTRA range is designed according to the Hygienic Design guidelines and has a decadeslong track record in sterile applications thanks to its electropolished surfaces , high-quality sealing materials and versatile designs . “ Centrifugal pumps are , so to speak , the workhorses of the process engineering industry . They are the most widely used pumps in the pharmaceutical industry because their design ensures the necessary hygienic , reproducible production ,” explains Martin Zickler , Product Manager for hygienic centrifugal pumps at GEA . and O-ring sets are required to be kept in stock .”
MITIGATING THE RISK OF CONTAMINATION
In both the food and pharmaceutical industries , the requirements for purity and reproducible quality of raw materials , active ingredients and end products are particularly high . In pharma applications , the water typically transferred by pumps is of WFI ( water for injection ), PW ( purified water ) and AP ( aqua purificata ) quality . Other media to be transferred are infusion solutions , suspensions , nutrient solutions , alcoholic solutions , vaccines or blood plasma . The plant components installed directly in the production area must not contaminate circulating media ( highpurity water ) or products ( cell cultures , solutions from the fermenter ) – neither by the penetration of undesirable substances from outside , nor by the materials used .
PROCESS-RELIABLE , FAIL-SAFE , EASY TO CLEAN
GEA has designed the CONTRA pump range to meet the highest process
Our target for the GEA Hilge pump range is to cover as large performance spectrum as possible with just a few sizes
reliability , material and failure safety requirements . “ When CIP cycles are not perfectly carried out , production downtime costs increase . This is why we design plant components such as our GEA Hilge CONTRA III to be both hygienic and easy to maintain so as to improve plant availability ,” says Zickler . This not only contributes to product safety , but also to gentle product handling and plant efficiency . CIP and sanitizing cycle times can be reduced , which in turn saves water and cleaning agents as well as the energy required to heat the cleaning media . Servicefriendly patented Adapta design of the CONTRA III allows the pump to remain
By introducing the new size with increased drive power , GEA has doubled the maximum flow rate to 100 cubic meters per hour compared to the previously available range . “ Our target for the GEA Hilge pump range is to cover as large performance spectrum as possible with just a few sizes ,” says Zickler . “ This reduces spare parts inventory costs for plant operators . The greater the number of individual pump sizes in a process line , the wider the range of mechanical seals 40 FDPP - www . fdpp . co . uk