What are the compressed air facilities of food companies?

The compressed air facilities used by food companies mainly include the following key components:

1. Functions of air compressors: The air compressor is the core of compressed air facilities, responsible for compressing the air in the atmosphere into high-pressure gas, providing the required power and control for food processing.

Type: Common types of air compressors include screw type, piston type and centrifugal type. Among them, screw air compressors are widely used in the food industry due to their stable operation, low noise and convenient maintenance. Especially for oil-free screw air compressors, because they do not require lubricating oil, they avoid the potential contamination risk of lubricating oil on food.

Parameters: When choosing an air compressor, it is necessary to consider its exhaust volume, exhaust pressure and other parameters to ensure that the gas consumption needs of food processing equipment are met.

2. Function of the gas storage tank: The gas storage tank is used to store compressed air, balances the system pressure fluctuations, and ensures that the equipment obtains a stable air supply. At the same time, the gas storage tank can also reduce the moisture content in the compressed air.

Configuration: The gas storage tank must be equipped with a safety valve and a pressure gauge to ensure its safe operation. In addition, the capacity and working pressure of the gas tank should be considered to meet production needs.

3. Post-treatment equipment

• Function: Since compressed air may contain impurities such as moisture, oil, dust, etc., these impurities will contaminate the food processing process, so post-treatment equipment is needed to purify the compressed air.

• Common Equipment:

  • Dryer: Remove moisture from compressed air, prevent moisture from corroding the equipment, and ensure that the dryness of the compressed air meets food processing requirements.
  • Filter: Filter out impurities such as dust, oil mist and other impurities in the compressed air to ensure the cleanliness of the compressed air. According to the filter accuracy, filters can be divided into primary filters, main line filters, precision filters, etc. For the food industry, precision filters with high precision are often required to ensure the purity of compressed air.
  • Grease Delever: For oil-containing compressed air, use a delever to further remove oil and prevent oil from contaminating food.

IV. Pipeline system

• function: The pipeline system is responsible for transporting compressed air from the compressor to various gas points, such as pneumatic tools, automation devices, etc.
• Requirements: The pipeline system should be made of stainless steel that meets food safety standards to prevent the potential risk of food contamination by the pipeline. At the same time, the pipeline system should be designed reasonably to reduce pressure loss and energy consumption.

5. Control valves and instruments

• Function: Control valves and instruments are used to regulate and control parameters such as flow rate and pressure of compressed air to meet the gas consumption needs of different equipment.
• Type: Common control valves include pressure control valves, flow control valves, directional control valves, etc. The instrument includes a pressure gauge, a flowmeter, etc., which is used to monitor the state of compressed air.

6. Safety accessories

• Function: In order to ensure the safe operation of compressed air facilities, a series of safety accessories must also be equipped, such as safety valves, automatic traps, etc.
• Function: The safety valve automatically opens when the pressure in the gas storage tank exceeds the set value to release the pressure; the automatic trap is used to automatically discharge condensate in the gas storage tank and pipelines.

In summary, the compressed air facility used by food companies is a complex system, including air compressors, gas storage tanks, after-treatment equipment, piping systems, control valves and instruments, and safety accessories. These facilities work together to provide a stable, efficient and reliable supply of compressed gases for food processing.