Success Story
Temperature-critical gel,
complex recipe - Kitzmann delivers the solution
The challenge:
When process engineering reaches its limits
A complex gel was to be produced – from liquids with widely varying viscosities (1 to 50,000 mPas) and extremely fine, sticky powders. The product could only be processed at exactly 150 °C, with deviations of ± 3 °C already rendering it unusable.
In addition, cross-contamination with vapors had to be ruled out, hygroscopic powders had to be dosed safely and stable explosion protection had to be guaranteed. We supplied a comprehensive explosion protection concept for this – naturally in accordance with the principle of good engineering practice. A process that placed the highest demands on temperature control, material handling, reaction safety and hygiene – with no room for compromise.
The solution:
Customized process system with maximum control
Kitzmann developed a highly individualized process system – from material handling to temperature control – in which all risks were analyzed and eliminated in advance by means of an FMEA.
The highlights of the solution included:
- Demand-oriented rapid heating of solid liquid raw materials to save energy
- Gas condensate barriers to prevent back contamination
- Dosing concepts according to raw material behavior: Screw conveyors, vibrating conveyors, disk feeders
- Double-walled heated pipes & flanges for seamless temperature maintenance
- Automated cleaning process for quality assurance & prevention of microbial contamination
- Explosion protection optimization with individually graded zone planning (supported by external experts)
The result:
Reliable, scalable and energy-efficient
The newly developed process was scaled up from a successful laboratory phase to a fully automated production line. The system meets the highest standards of reproducibility, safety and quality – and at the same time ensures energy efficiency through innovative, process-integrated solutions.
Outlook:
This plant exemplifies what Kitzmann is all about: thinking holistically about complex requirements, minimizing risks and combining process engineering safety with innovation. It is not for nothing that many customers invite the Kitzmann team to open their plants as the sole supplier.
