ystral rolls out continuously operating powder wetting and dispersing machine

With the YSTRAL Coflow, powdered solids are inducted, mixed and dispersed into liquid streams in a controlled way and in proportion to quantity via volumetric or gravimetric solid dosing systems. The powders and liquids are combined in a premixing zone, fine dispersion then occurs via a rotor-stator system, whereby the dispersing tools can be designed with different slot widths depending on the application. 

“The product then experiences an increase in pressure via an inducer installed between the premixing zone and the rotor-stator zone”, says Uwe Klaumünzner, Expert Process and Application Engineering at ystral. “This change in pressure then causes separation of the air that was introduced with the powder, thus a lower residual air content in the product. In addition, this inducer is used as axial pumping stage, to be able to also process more viscous products and then pump them from the dispersing stage.”

YSTRAL Coflow  is a continuously operating powder wetting and dispersing machine that is suitable to use when producing mayonnaise, milk, and other food products. (Photo: ystral) 

Suitable for a broad range of applications 

The focus here is on products which are produced in large series or are to be manufactured in perspective in large volumes. If post-dispersion is required, an inline dispersing machine can be installed downstream of the Coflow. Amongst others, the continuously operating powder wetting and dispersing machine is a suitable solution for pre-products for dough production, milk and milk substitute products, as well as the production of edible collagen shells, mayonnaise or dressings. 

“Compared to a classic batch process in the vessel, the YSTRAL Coflow enables fabrication with a significantly smaller system footprint, faster lead times, improved OEE values and a higher degree of automation, while the cleaning of such a system is much easier due to the smaller product wetted surface,”, says Raoul Pila Nunninger, Head of R&D at ystral and Project Manager for the development of the YSTRAL Coflow. “Furthermore, the machine is characterised by a lower energy requirement – particularly for lower viscosities, the Coflow only has low power consumption.” 

Première at the ACHEMA  

The YSTRAL Coflow was presented to a trade fair audience for the first time at this year’s ACHEMA in Frankfurt am Main. “We have developed the Coflow based on frequent customer enquiries for a continuously operating dispersing machine, and we also recorded great interest in our newly developed inline disperser at the ACHEMA amongst the trade fair visitors”, says Uwe Klaumünzner, Expert Process and Application Engineering at ystral. For its market launch, the YSTRAL Coflow is available in Coflow-4 size for production with an overall throughput of 6,000-13,500 kg/h. The Coflow-3 size is currently in development and is suitable for small-scale production as well as use in testing plants with an overall throughput of 2,000-8,000 kg/h.