FOR SALE        

Butter Tempering Machine

MICROWAVE BUTTER TEMPERING UNIT    –    120KW 896MHZ

 GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The equipment described is intended for heating 25kg blocks of frozen butter, (typically) –18°c to –2°c using microwave energy at 896 MHz.

The butter is taken directly from the cold store and fed continuously through the applicator tunnel on a ‘caterpillar track’ type polypropylene belt.  Power from the separate free-standing generator is fed via a circulator and waveguide power dividers to four horns located alternately on each of the four walls of the tunnel.

The horns produce a horizontally polarised E field which is excited transversely to the direction of travel of the conveyor.  This ensures a good uniformity of heating as the blocks pass by the horns.

An infra-red beam angled across the tunnel entrance monitors the continuous feed of product.  If the feed is interrupted the microwave power is clamped to zero and the conveyor is stopped.  An alarm alerts the operator and the arrival of the next box automatically restores the microwave power and starts the conveyor.

Additional infra-red beams are also provided at the junction of the active cavity and attenuator sections.  These are used in the run-up / run-down mode of operation.        It is necessary to ensure that all the horn apertures are covered by the product before microwave energy is fed into the tunnel, and because of this the first five blocks will be incompletely processed.  When a short run is planned the incompletely processed blocks can be fed in at the end of the run thereby completing the tempering.

A belt washing system allows the belt to be cleaned without stopping production.   Hot water is pumped through a spray head which is located above the belt.  The water used is collected and re-circulated.  The belt subsequently passes under a further spray head for rinsing with water supplied by the customer.  (Normally cold mains water.)  This water goes to waste.  The belt then passes through a blower unit which removes the surplus water.

A further system is included for cleaning the empty tunnel.  A stainless steel tank, complete with immersion heater, contains water which is manually dosed with a detergent of the customers choice and supply.  This water is then pumped through strategically placed nozzles in the tunnel.  The tunnel is provided with drain pipes which discharge onto the factory floor and the design assumes that the factory floor has been suitably angled to carry this waste water to a drain.  The hot detergent wash is followed by a rinse using the same source of water (supplied by the customer) as mentioned above.

TECHNICAL DATA

Electrical

            Power Supply                           :           3 x 415V 3ph + N + E

            Frequency                                :           48-62 Hz

            Line Current                             :           Max. 125/115/115 Amps per generator

                                                                        (For the three phases ie. unbalanced)   

            Neutral Current                        :           10 Amps

            Earth                                        :           An EARTH appropriate for the above

                                                                        rating has to be provided by the customer

            Microwave Power                    :           120kW – infinitely variable over the

                                                                        range 12-120kW

            Microwave Frequency             :           896MHz +/- 10MHz

            Output Waveguide                    :           WG4

            Load Impedance                      :      The Generator is provided with a

                                                                       circulator + water-load for protection

                                                                       against adverse load conditions

                                                                        Max. VSWR 3:1 – continuous in any

                                                                        phase

Cooling Water

            Consumption                            :           20 litres/min (Minimum)

            Inlet Temp                                :           20°c   (Maximum)

            Pressure                                   :           4 Bar  (Maximum)

            Back Pressure                             :           0.3 Bar (Maximum) open drain preferred

Compressed Air

           Consumption                            :           Virtually Nil

            Pressure                                   :           4-6 Bar

Dimensions

            Applicator                                :           L = 10.34m (excluding run-in/run-out

                                                                                              Tables 700mm long)

                                                            :           W = 2.26m

                                                            :           H = 2.2m (excluding any over head

                                                                                         waveguides)

                                                            :           Wt = Approx 1000kgs

            Generators                             :           D = 1.150m

                                                            :           W = 1.540m

                                                            :           H = 1.940m

                                                            :           Wt = 1750kgs

            Process Data

            Product                                    :           Butter blocks

            Size                                          :           Blocks in cardboard boxes      

                                                                          of 286mm x 286mm cross section

            Throughput                               :           4000kgs/hr

            Inlet Temp                                :           - 18°c (typical)

            Outlet Temp                             :           - 2°c

            Tunnel Aperture (working)        :           W = 310mm

                                                                :           H (above conveyor) = 305mm

            Conveyor Width                       :           279mm (11”)

            Conveyor Speed                      :           Variable 10:1 ratio about a mean

                                                                            consistent with customers requirements

            Conveyor Material                    :           Hinged polypropylene segments

            Conveyor Cleaning                   :           Water/detergent spray system

Please call or Email For Further Information

+44(0)1455 285666

sales@industrialmicrowaveservices.com

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