The Application 

Contrec were recently approached by ‘The Product Makers’ an international flavour manufacturer based in Melbourne Australia. Their requirement was a batching solution to assist with the process to produce a Bioactive food additive called ‘Phytolin’. As this is a pilot plant for them to trial and refine their processes and build customer demand, they needed the batching solution needed to be reliable, accurate and flexible.

The Process

This process of making ‘Phytolin’ involves mixing several raw materials such as natural extracts and solvents such as water and ethanol. The process involves batching the products in to one of two mixing tanks. Two mixing tanks are required due to the required extraction time before the activated product in an ethanol solution can be drawn off. While one tank is in the extraction phase, the other can be used for mixing a new batch, decanting activated product or the removing/cleaning of waste. 

Due to the use of Ethanol as a bulk waste product base product, the production rooms have been zoned as hazardous area for the potential of explosive and flammable atmosphere, which results in any equipment being designated for use in the production room to be appropriately IECEx approved to have the correct level of electrical protection.

The Batching Solution 

Contrec proposed that all four products each have dedicated batch controllers mounted in a safe area control panel. Each product was directed to MIX TANK 1 or MIX TANK 2 via selector switches associated with each batch controller. The tank selector switches direct the batch control valve signals to the appropriate hygienic pneumatic butterfly valve on either tank. 

The specified batch controller was the Contrec 515-BS01 Secure Dual Stage Batch Controller, which will control both the valve and pump on each product line. The batch controllers were panel mounted in the ‘safe-area’ and use Exd hazardous area protection to interface to the equipment mounted in the Ex Zoned P1 production room. 

Each batch controller has associated panel lamps indicating which tank a batch controller’s product is directed to.  All four batch controllers are installed in a combined control panel. The control panel also includes the on/off and speed selections switches for mixer motors on both mixing tanks, plus the VFD and motor overload/thermal protection modules for each mixer. 

The 515-BS01 Batch Controllers will log each delivery and are able to have the logs collected via Modbus RTU protocol. Batch presets can also be written to each controller, providing scope for future automation and integration. 

For more information on Contrec 515-BS01 Batch Controllers, email us on sales@contrec.co.uk or call us on +44 1422 829944