Raising accuracy in dosing improves product quality for bakery

22 February, 2023

Analysing the situation, Bürkert advised that integrating a ball valve and actuator combination would achieve a significant increase in dosing accuracy. The valve’s fast-closing action could provide high-speed control over the inflight allowance, with rates of accuracy lower than +/- 1g from a 100 g ingredient dose.

Repeatable performance with reliable valve operation

Predictability of the valve closure rate is an important factor for dosing consistency, but it had to be matched with an impermeable barrier. Seepage when the valve is closed also impacts dosing accuracy. However, Bürkert’s ball valves were also specified as they provide optimum sealing, preventing any penetration even against the most aggressive solutions.

A secondary benefit of the valves’ fast closure rates is that if the system experiences a shutdown due to an unexpected power loss, the closure rate is extremely rapid. This secures the media and prevents unwanted excess flow. Within the bakery, orifice plates have also been installed to restrict flow to specified areas. These restrictors aid control accuracy, stabilising flow and reducing variation. Combined with the new valves, hammer effect has also been removed, contributing to a reliable and robust installation.

“With stainless steel bodies and highly durable seals, the bakery can confidently expect a typical lifetime of 10 years or more from Bürkert’s ball valves,” says Bennett. Crucially for the bakery, high accuracy valve control has not only decreased the cost of production, but product quality has also been optimised. This has increased value for supermarkets and retailers, and ultimately, has improved satisfaction for consumers.

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