The Next Generation in Mixing and Heating Technology has Arrived in MTL
In the past number of weeks MTL has installed and commissioned the latest technology in mixing and heating, The APV Cavitator. The APV Cavitator offers breakthrough benefits for the heating of liquids without scale build-up and/or the mixing of liquids with other liquids, gasses or solids at the microscopic level to improve product quality and functional performance.
The potential applications for the APV Cavitator are numerous and will add to the already expanding versatility in MTL especially regarding mixing and heating. The creators of the APV Cavitator, SPX, have described the benefits how this advanced technology can be used for a multitude of sanitary Applications ranging from pasteurization to low pressure homogenization.
Benefits include:
• Scale-free thermal processing of thick and viscous fluids
• Fast processing
• Improved yield with less off-spec product
• Expanded capacity
• Improved quality
• Easy retrofitting for existing operations
• Improved process efficiencies (time, operating costs, and/or capital costs)
• Enhanced product quality, yield and/or raw material savings from increased mass transfer
• Elimination or reduction of process downtime from maintenance requirements
• Smaller footprint than traditional technology
• The unit is easily disassembled, fully CIP-able and can be manufactured to meet 3-A standards
• Efficient liquid heating without performance loss over time due to fouling
• Produces homogeneous gel, gum or polymer hydration at the proper viscosity without “fish eyes” or other unhydrated powder
• Makes high quality emulsions at the desired particle size
The principle of the APV Cavitator
The heart of the technology is a rotor spinning in a liquid chamber. The rotor has a number of radial holes. The spinning action generates internal liquid friction (disk friction) and the holes generate hydrodynamic cavitation. The cavitation creates high shear ensuring a very efficient microscopic mixing effect and friction which generates controllable scale-free heating.
Potential Customer uses
It is expect that a number of MTLs customers will benefit from its applications. Especially in regard to using it its ability to mix proteins to ensure a fast and short hydration time resulting in product savings, shorter process cycle and extended up-time and lower OpEx. Functionalisation of WPC through a microparticulation process for very accurate particle size distribution at 1μ to enhance water binding, emulsification properties and creamy taste.
The Cavitator has no heat transfer surface and therefore no hot or cold spots. This makes the Cavitator a potential heating device for high fouling and heat sensitive products like whey proteins and cheese. The result is long run time and fewer CIP cycles. And the gentle heating protects the functional properties of the proteins.
