Energy savings claimed for vacuum pump modulisation

The firm said that its innovation signficantly improves conventional practice, which focuses on individually designed vacuum pumps. The conventional pumps were then adapted to the respective filling system based on the specific flow rate, the room temperature, and the CO2 content in the product.

In a statement the firm said: “The modularisation of vacuum pumps means that such complex adaptation is no longer required. In future, a single vacuum pump model will be perfectly suitable for all applications.’​

Brewing industry​

The result, claims the company, is a wide range of benefits for the brewing industry. Those include: reduced power consumption, partial or 100 per cent redundancy, speedy spare parts supply and simplified maintenance.

Also when the electricity consumption is reduced by the pumps being constantly run at their optimum operating points, the amount of cooling required in the heat exchanger is reduced by the same degree.

“Ultimately this results is increased line availability and enhanced production capacity,’​ said the firm. While one pump is adequate for smaller filling capacities, for larger systems, it recommends up to three standard vacuum pumps.

Key to the system is a frequency inverter installed upstream of the vacuum pumps. The inverter ensures that each vacuum pump runs at its optimal working point. If the filling system requires less vacuum when filling smaller bottles, which have a lower flow rate, the vacuum pump runs more slowly, or one of the pumps can be closed. If a higher flow rate is needed, the frequency converter boost the pump output.

Integration​

The system allows the integration of expansion modules enabling partial or 100 per cent redundancy. “This way the system can continue to operate with reduced or full output in the event of pump failure. And the system does not have to shut down for scheduled maintenance,​’ said the company

If a vacuum pump fails, it can be replaced quickly without, as previously, having to wait for a customised replacement model to be produced.

KHS’s modularised vacuum pumps can be used for conventional water ring pumps as well as the firm’s Eco vacuum pumps.