Inline mixers for anti-foaming agent

A well-known manufacturer of potato-based snacks and other food and beverage products were experiencing problems with process of cooking potatoes in their factory. 

Process points

The process involved the cooking of potatoes in a vat; however the fluid level experienced significant foaming from the immense quantity of starch produced by a large volume of potatoes. Traditionally, this problem was treated by including a small quantity of oil into the fluid; however this caused problems with quality and also the cleaning process. 

In conjunction with a specialist food process contractor, Verder were asked to provide in-line static mixers. The inline mixers would be installed in the process line itself and mix in a special anti-foaming agent dosed by a purpose-built packaged system. The mixer was required to produce a homogenous fluid from water at 45L/ min and a dosing rate of the antifoaming agent at 12-15ml/min. A pressure drop of just 0.31 bar was experienced.

The Verdermix static mixer was ideal for the process

The Verdermix static mixer operates by using a special helical design to provide turbulent flow, generated radial, inverting and cutting forces which rapidly homogenises the fluid. The exact number of helical ‘elements’ create a mixing ‘chain’ depending on the properties of the fluids, solids or gases. The mixers are available in a large number of metallic and non-metallic finishes.