How food and beverage companies can improve water efficiency with the right pump
As food and beverage companies strive for better water management in their production processes , selecting the right pump has become increasingly important . If a company can reduce its water usage then less water needs to be treated , which produces cost savings while also meeting environmental and sustainability standards .
By 2030 demand for water will outstrip supply by 40 % as the world ’ s growing population drives water consumption , according to McKinsey , a global management consultant firm . Climate change is also putting pressure on water availability .
Food and beverage production requires large volumes of water , which is not as cheap as it once was in some countries , while water is a scarce resource in other parts of the world . One way a food and beverage company can address its own water consumption is to consider if its existing pump , or one it is about to purchase , has these capabilities :
• Accuracy , which avoids chemical overdosing and achieves cost savings
• Clean-in-place ( CIP )
• Gentle pumping , which reduces food waste and product damage
• Runs dry without damaging the pump
More companies adopt water reuse
When agricultural produce enters a manufacturing plant for processing , it uses vast volumes of water which must meet specific requirements for different uses such as washing and preparation ; pasteurisation ; cleaning of equipment ; steaming and sterilisation , and as an additive or stabiliser .
To produce the high-water quality required in food production , it is
74 FDPP - www . fdpp . co . uk necessary to collect , transport and treat it , which involves a significant energy requirement , along with building the necessary infrastructure , chemical usage and labour . At the end of the process , a waste stream is also produced , in the form of sludge , which can pollute the environment if poorly managed .
For this reason , wastewater must undergo high levels of treatment prior to discharge . Companies that opt to treat wastewater onsite , rather than through a trade effluent service , are expected to meet evertightening environmental standards before emission to watercourses .
Water reuse is becoming increasingly popular in the food and beverage sector , with companies adding new treatment trains to minimise use of municipal water and reduce abstractions from , and discharges to , the environment .
Accurate dosing makes a difference
In the competitive food and beverage market , standards for health and safety and environmental compliance are of critical importance . But choosing the right chemical dosing pump can mitigate risks from breaches in health and safety and compliance .
Eurial , the France-based milk division of the AGRIAL cooperative group , supplies dairy products to shops , catering and commercial companies . At Eurial ’ s Quincampoix dairy in Normandy , a single Qdos CWT ( Conveying Wave Technology ) dosing pump now treats the 300m3 of water needed to feed the entire plant daily after it replaced a diaphragm pump .
The site has its own well for its supply of running water , which is used in the production process and for cleaning of equipment . This water requires chlorination for disinfection and daily quality control . Eurial relies on the Qdos CWT peristaltic pump , from Watson- Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions ( WMFTS ), for accurate and reliable chlorine dosing .
The dosage is from 0 to 800 mL / h depending on the pump settings and the drawing flow rate of the installations with a back pressure varying from 3 to 4 bar . The pump adapts its flow rate automatically according to the water consumption .
Previously , Eurial experienced problems with a diaphragm pump , which was sensitive to the aggressiveness of chlorine and led to de-priming , clogged valves and clogged suction pipes . As a result , the dosage was not constant and regularly generated nonconformities regarding the chlorine level . In the first half of 2022 , Eurial observed 40 non-conformities and 32 interventions , an average of 5.3 interventions and 6.7 nonconformities per month .
Qdos peristaltic chemical metering pumps provide highly accurate dosing by enabling precise , incremental adjustments . They can handle applications requiring dosing at 0.1 mL / min , right up to 2,000 mL / min . By only using what is needed , chemical quantities and costs are reduced . The Qdos range of pumps requires virtually no ancillary equipment and the patented pumphead can be replaced quickly and easily without tools , for fast and safe maintenance .
Since adopting the Qdos CWT , Eurial has succeeded in obtaining FSSC 22000 certification , a scheme for Food Safety Management Systems .