Steam injection for food processing

Steam Injection for Food and Beverage Processing

Pick Heaters serves the Food and Beverage processing industries in applications ranging from process heating to plant sanitation to in-line cooking.

The Food Industry's special challenges are perfect for Pick Direct Steam Injection. Throughout the food plant, from process heating to plant sanitation, Pick provides instant, unlimited hot water at a precise temperature.

 

When compared to indirect heat exchangers, Pick can cut energy costs up to 28%. Higher processing efficiency, lower energy costs and increased safety are but a few of the benefits.

Pick's 3-A Sanitary Heater is a proven performer, too. Heat, cook or sterilize water or slurry-type products in-line with a non-shearing action.

Application Solutions include:


 

Plant Clean Up and Sanitation

The Pick Variable Flow Direct Steam Injection Heater is the answer for general plant sanitation. Its unique design provides instantaneous hot water at a precisely controlled temperature over a wide operating range. Only Pick can accommodate wide variations in water flows and frequent start-stop applications such as hose stations and still deliver accurately controlled hot water on demand. It is ideal for a central heating system for all your plant sanitation and clean up needs.

 

Heating Jacketed Kettles

An increasing number of process engineers are switching from steam to hot water for jacketed heating, and the Pick Constant Flow Direct Steam Injection Heater is ideally suited to this closed loop application. The temperature in the jacket can be controlled much more accurately with hot water, eliminating hot spots, burn-on or thermal shock. With the Pick Heater, the process can be adjusted to any predetermined rate. And the Pick System is easily adapted to cascade controls allowing heat as well as heat/cool applications.

 

In-Line Cooking

The patented, award winning Pick Sanitary Jet Cooker heats, cooks or sterilizes water or slurry type food products on a continuous, straight-through basis, replacing slow batch processing. Its low velocity mixing and non-shearing design can handle even bite size pieces without damage to product texture or integrity.

 

Clean-In-Place

Pick Direct Steam Injection Heaters provide two alternative methods to CIP. The Pick Sanitary 3A Heater, can be piped directly into your recirculation loop or the Pick Constant Flow Heater can be packaged to provide a fully automated caustic feed system to meet your requirements.

 

Pasteurizing

Pick's Direct Steam Injection technology offers several options for pasteurizing. Each one takes advantage of Pick's precise temperature control, ease of maintenance and compact size. Pick can be used for In-line, Tunnel, or Closed Loop/ Plate and Frame Hot Water Set Pasteurization.

 

Vegetable Can Topping

Because of its ability to deliver hot water on demand at precisely controlled temperatures, the Pick Heater is ideal for can topping. The Sanitary Jet Cooker can also heat syrups, slurries and other liquids for can topping.

 

IQF Freezer Defrosting

The Pick Variable Flow Heater is ideal for removal of ice build-up on multiple belt freezers or defrosting refrigeration coils. Its unique design can handle the variable water demands needed for sequencing wash cycles on multiple systems.

 

Nitrogen Gas Injection

The Pick Sanitary Heater provides thorough mixing and a non-shearing design to ensure product quality and integrity for nitrogen injection into foods like mayonnaise, peanut butter and edible oils to displace oxygen.

 

Confectionery/Starch Cooking

Due to its low velocity mixing and unique variable orifice design, Pick's Sanitary Jet Cooker is the ideal choice for starch and gelatin-based candy cooking. Temperatures of 285°-340°F (140°-171°C) are easily attainable, resulting in products with 80% solids. Reduced introduction of fine air reduces foaming and provides a consistently clear final product with little or no tailing.

 

Depositing of solids within design parameters is easily attainable, typical moisture pick up is generally ½%. On gelatin-based products the Pick Sanitary system will give you a near bubble free deposited product without the added cost of a vacuum chamber.

 

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