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The Project
Over the years Entecon has manufactured many types of Sack Tip Station (STS), for a wide variety of products, on this occasion the customer wanted to open and empty sacks of Corn Starch, a non-toxic food ingredient that is very finely divided and can cause a great deal of nuisance and explosive dust if handled incorrectly. The Corn Starch was used to stop grated cheese sticking together.
The customer used an external third party to carry out a DSEAR Risk Assessment and an LEV Exam on a piece of equipment that was made in house. The two reports showed that the in-house solution created an unacceptable dust explosion and operator exposure hazard.
The Design Brief
In close collaboration with the customer, the following design brief was agreed;
Allow the operator to open the Starch bags without creating a dust release thus removing the dust explosion and operator exposure hazards.
ATEX zone 21 internally and zone 22 externally.
Combine the tipping process with a sieving and vibrating process to de-lump the product.
Include a metal detection step to ensure the Corn Starch is free from metal contamination.
Design the machine around the product drums that the customer has, of which there are many in use in the factory.
Sts image
Our standard machine.
The Solution
Entecon delivered a bespoke STS to satisfy the design brief which included these features:
01
A food grade Stainless Steel 304 STS
with built-in dust extraction and HEPA Filtration. The H13 HEPA was needed because Corn Starch has a fines fraction below 2 microns and the exhaust air was directed back into the factory.
02
Integrated vibratory check sieve
with 9000 gauss removable magnet array.
03
A bespoke drum sealing mechanism operated by air cylinders
to raise and lower a “lid” onto the customers existing drums. The mechanism to be controlled by two push button actuators at least one hands span apart so it is not possible for the operator to trap a hand inside the mechanism.
04
ATEX zone 21 internally
and zone 22 externally, including the locally mounted control panel.
For more information on Sack Tip Stations for Corn Starch Powder Handling talk to Entecon Industries Ltd