The Tetra Therm Aseptic Drink system, launched today, is suitable for juices, nectars, still drinks and tea. It can also be used for enhanced water beverages including new wellness drinks, said the company.
Water savings
The equipment’s new technology means beverage producers can cut water use by up to 80 per cent thanks to its closed cooling circuit in the deaerator and the closed water system for the vacuum pump. Improved heat recovery and efficient heat transfer through a double hot water circuit in the tubular heat exchanger can deliver energy savings reaching 30 per cent, said Tetra Pak.
A reduction in product loss of up to 30 per cent is achieved through the development of the vessel and valve design. This, combined with a product return recovery system “in which the product in the return pipe is pushed back into the balance tank when it is time to stop production” , make such savings possible, said a company statement. Product loss is further cut by the improved mix phase control, in which instrumentation measures product change-over, it added.
Automation Systems
The packaging and processing company said its pasteurizer offers optimum operational efficiency and life-cycle performance thanks to the introduction of a range of advanced automation systems.
The equipment comes with a self-diagnostic systems that “ensure optimal performance at all times”, said Sam Stromersten, president of Tetra Pak Processing Systems.
It will also automatically identify deviations in process parameters to enable immediate corrective action by the operator to maintain production efficiencies providing “automatic notification of every maintenance requirement – helping all but eliminate costly, unplanned production stops”, a Tetra Pak spokesperson told FoodProductionDaily.com.
Flexibility, safety
The unit is characterised by its flexibility and can be customised to meet specific customer demands. It is also hygienically designed for easy and thorough cleaning. Each system is pre-tested before shipping, said the firm.
The new pasteurizer is also compatible with the Tetra PlantMaster control system which, said the company, enables additional intelligence functions such as full traceability, with unit history, batch control and review of all previous actions.
“These are important aspects that cut the risk of human error and contribute to food safety,” added the spokesman.