Save time and money when pumping cocoa mass in the future

Extended pump maintenance leads to prolonged system downtime and significant losses. Especially in food production, such as the processing of cocoa mass, a failure of a single pump can paralyse an entire production line.

NETZSCH Pumps & Systems, the global specialist in complex fluid management, has developed a pump for cocoa mass and other intermediate products, such as nut or almond pastes, that delivers almost maintenance-free. They show us how to reduce our maintenance times when pumping cocoa mass and simultaneously pump in compliance with even the strictest food safety guidelines.

This is why pumps are indispensable in cocoa mass processing

Fine grinding is essential in producing chocolate and other fat-based confectionery masses. On the one hand, intermediate products such as cocoa masses, nut or almond pastes are finely ground. On the other hand, premixes of coarse recipe ingredients are also finely ground. The horizontal agitator bead mill Master Refiner from NETZSCH Grinding & Dispersing was explicitly designed for applications in the food and confectionery industry. Pumps are necessary to convey the raw material mixtures to the mill reliably. This is the only way to ensure a smooth process flow in the processing of cocoa mass. That’s the point when NETZSCH Pumps & Systems comes into the picture. The challenges for pumps in the food industry are exceptionally significant and complex.

These are the challenges to be aware of when pumping cocoa mass

One of the most apparent requirements for cocoa mass pumps is the high demand for hygiene and cleanliness. Since cocoa mass, nut or almond pastes are foodstuffs, the pump and the connected lines must be hygienic and easy to clean. In addition to the highest demands on hygiene, pumping cocoa mass demands everything from the machines regarding viscosity and the associated accelerated wear. The pumped media, such as cocoa mass, have a high density, making it difficult to pump them with conventional gear or centrifugal pumps. In addition, they often contain solids that can damage and clog the pump parts. As a specialist in complex media, NETZSCH has the optimal solution for pumping cocoa mass into its portfolio.

With the TORNADO® T.Sano® with smooth surface, you can pump even the most demanding media in compliance with the strictest hygiene regulations.

How to pump cocoa mass almost maintenance-free and hygienically

The TORNADO® T.Sano® all-metal rotary lobe pump covers all these requirements and offers you even more advantages. Equipped with a belt drive, the rotary lobe pump operates completely oil-free. The benefit for you is eliminating contamination of your products by lubricating oil when using the T.Sano®. Due to the choice of materials, the pump is also particularly suitable for chocolate and confectionery production. All components of the T.Sano® rotary lobe pump that come into contact with the media are made of stainless steel to comply with food safety guidelines. This ensures excellent cleanability and long service life. Another decisive advantage that the T.Sano® offers is its CIP (Cleaning-In-Place) capability. This enables you to clean the cocoa mass pump in a circular or continuous process without prior disassembly.

The pump is particularly suitable for use in chocolate and confectionery production due to the material selection. All components used in the T.Sano® rotary lobe pump that come into contact with the product are made of stainless steel to comply with food safety guidelines. This ensures excellent cleanability, a long service life and guarantees long-term availability of the pump. The special drive of this pump type also helps to protect products and consumers: “Instead of the usual complex synchromesh gear, in this design a toothed belt transfers the torque from the motor to the rotary lobes while synchronizing their rotation,” says Erwin Weber, responsible for the development of the TORNADO® rotary lobe pump. “The pump runs completely without oil, which not only omits the work for lubrication and oil change, but also excludes product contamination.”

Furthermore, the TORNADO® rotary lobe pump is designed to operate largely maintenance-free, ensure high operational reliability an allow easy cleaning. A key element in this is that the pump chamber, lobes and seals are free from dead spaces and flow-optimized. “The rotary lobes, for example, are attached outside of the pump chamber using quick-release elements, omitting the need for a threaded connection inside the conveying area, which would cause cavities,” explains Weber. “The face sides of the lobes remain smooth and offer no weak points for product adhesion.” Likewise, dead spaces were avoided at the shaft sealings by positioning their sliding surfaces in such a way that they seal flush with the rear side of the rotary lobes. In addition, the full service-in place (FSIP®) principle was implemented for the T.Sano® rotary lobe pump to facilitate comprehensive cleaning and maintenance tasks. “The pump is designed to be opened and cleaned directly on site (COP). In addition, all wearing components can be replaced if necessary without having to disconnecting the pump,” explains Weber. The pump is also suitable for CIP. Overall, this allowed downtime of the unit to be clearly minimized.