Types of Pumps for Food Processing
Many different kinds and sizes of pumps are used in the food industry, mirroring the many applications that pumps are used for in food processing. From dairy to the sugarcane industry and from starch processing to beet sugar, pumps are part of system necessary to get food on the table.
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Pumps in the Food Industry are Sanitary
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Pumps used in the food processing industry are not like the sump pump in your basement. Because these pumps come in contact with food products, they must be kept in a very sanitary condition. For this reason they are built of materials like stainless steel, with easily cleanable silicone seals. Even if food is processed after it is pumped, manufacturers don't want any contamination entering the process during the pumping stage.
Who Controls the Standards?
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The overseeing body for these sanitary conditions is the International Association of Food Industry Suppliers, which uses standards formulated by 3-A Sanitary Standards Inc. Although the regulations are voluntary, they are accepted across the food processing industry.
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Types of Pumps
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Four types of pumps are commonly found in the food industry. The airlift pump works by having air bubbles act like tiny pneumatic pistons to draw fluid where needed. The centrifugal pump, meanwhile, functions as a rapidly spinning impeller that draws fluids into the intake and forces them through the outtake. A positive displacement pump works by drawing liquid into one side of the pump and then mechanically displacing it out the other side. The jet pump is very similar to the centrifugal pump but adds a diffuser to the system.
Uses of the Pumps
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Centrifugal pumps move relatively light liquids like milk, cream or whey in the dairy industry. In the bakery business, they are used for batter, oils, fats, yeast slurry and flavorings. Centrifugal pumps also move beverages and even things like blood for the meat packing industry. Jet pumps can also be used for these applications. Positive displacement pumps are used for more viscous materials like jellies, baby food and yogurt. Airlift pumps are less common today than in the past, but can be used for nonviscous liquids.
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- Photo Credit Pipes inside energy plant image by Andrei Merkulov from Fotolia.com
