Sausage Maker Reduces Bacteria Level With Specially Designed Casing Removal System
A sausage maker in Ohio needed a cleaner, more efficient way to remove and dispose of sausage casings. The plant used seven high-performance casing peelers to automatically remove sausage casings before product was packaged for shipment. Once removed, the casings had to be collected in carts and hauled through the processing area and outside for disposal. The sausage manufacturer figured there must be a better way.
After consulting with Quickdraft, a pneumatic conveying company in Canton, OH, the company decided to install a system that would collect and dispose of the used casings automatically. The results were better than they had hoped for.
How it works
The removed casings are picked up from the seven casing peeler stations within the plant and conveyed outdoors to Quickdraft's proprietary eductor system. With no leading edges that material can get hung up on, the system is virtually snag-proof. And since the casings are not conveyed in or through a fan, the possibility of fan plugging is eliminated. The system design also features a backup blower that eliminates the possibility of a production shutdown due to casing buildup at the peeler stations.
From the eductor, the casings move to the Casing/Air Separator (Quickdraft Cylindrical Receiver - QCR) where they are continuously discharged into the plant compactor or receiver.
Features and Benefits
The Quickdraft system is completely enclosed, with all conveying ducts, flanges, and hardware made of stainless steel. There are no discharge gate valves to stick or freeze.
The system's suction allows cleaning solution to be pulled through the conveying ducts. Removable flanged sections permit steam cleaning at regular maintenance intervals, which contributes to reduced bacteria levels.Production slowdowns and stoppage have been eliminated at a result of no longer needing to dispose of used casings by hand. This has improved productivity considerably.
The system's greater efficiency has allowed the crew size to be reduced by one person per shift.
The bulk of the steam used in the peeling process is captured within the peelers and conveyed directly to the atmosphere, practically eliminating condensation in the peeler working area. Best of all, the new system has reduced bacteria levels in this area of the plant by more than 75% and eliminated the need for citric acid, previously used for bacteria removal.
For more information contact Quickdraft, Div. of C.A. Litzler Co., Inc., 1525 Perry Drive SW, Canton, OH 44710. Tel: 330-477-4574; Fax: 330-477-3314.