Page 22 - AWA Vol.41-No.3

FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGy

GEA Direct Sprayer DS 25: Efficient cleaning

for tanks with agitators

ith the GEA Direct Sprayer DS 25, GEA introduces a
Wpioneering solution for industrial tank cleaning in
the food and beverage industry, specifically designed for
tanks with rotating installations. The patented spray tech-
nology effectively removes residues from the undersides of
agitators, pipes, and flow breakers. A case study from yogurt
production shows that this method cuts water use by 84.5%
and shortens cleaning time by 87.5% compared to traditional
tank flooding.
Targeted cleaning instead of inefficient flooding
Strict hygiene standards, contamination prevention, and re-
source efficiency are key challenges in food and beverage
production. However, cleaning tanks with internal installa-
tions poses a particular challenge: the undersides of agitator
blades often remain in the spray shadow and are not ade-
quately cleaned by conventional methods. The most common
solution has been to completely flood the tank with cleaning
liquid – a resource-intensive and time-consuming process.
The Direct Sprayer DS 25 sprays directly onto the under-
sides of the agitator blades while ensuring that the agitator
mechanics remain unaffected. The cleaner is flush-mounted
into the tank wall and can be positioned flexibly, ensuring
full coverage inside the tank. The patented valve disc only
opens when activated, ensuring an even distribution of the
cleaning fluid. Since the valve plate opens inward, it does not
interfere with the agitator.
this industry is six meters high with a diameter of three me-
Maximum spray power and reach ters and contains agitator blades arranged on three levels up
The mechanically powerful full-cone spray targets the un- to four meters above the tank floor. The conventional clean-
dersides of the agitators and efficiently removes residues. ing method involves flooding the tank with caustic solution
“Unlike alternative retractable cleaners, which often have a and using rotation to clean the surfaces. This process, includ-
hollow cone or operate with a fan spray, our spray pattern is a ing flooding, circulation, and draining, takes two hours and
true full cone,” explains Jana Zimpel, Product Sales Manager consumes 29 cubic meters of cleaning liquid.
for Cleaning Technology at GEA.
With the new Direct Sprayer DS 25, one cleaner per agita-
With a spray force of up to five kilograms, the GEA Direct tor blade level is integrated into the tank wall. This targeted
Sprayer DS 25 effectively removes even tough residues. Con- cleaning approach drastically reduces fluid consumption to
ventional cleaning systems often operate at lower forces, re- just 4.5 cubic meters, while the cleaning time shrinks to 15
quiring longer exposure times or additional chemicals. The minutes – an 84.5% reduction in water use and an 87.5% de-
full-cone spray of the DS 25 cleans more efficiently while re- crease in cleaning time.
ducing resource consumption. With a cleaning range of up
to five meters, the full-cone spray is also suitable for large “This time saving can be directly used for additional pro-
tanks and reaches areas that previous solutions often left un- duction capacity,” explains Jana Zimpel. “In yogurt produc-
cleaned. tion, for example, this means more batches per day or faster
recipe changes without compromising efficiency.” The sav-
The GEA Direct Sprayer DS 25 is flush-mounted to the tank
wall and seamlessly integrated into the cleaning system. This ings in water and chemicals make the Direct Sprayer DS 25
design prevents any protrusion into the tank, ensuring that one of the most efficient cleaning methods for tanks with agi-
moving agitators remain unobstructed. Source: GEA tators. Versatile applications for maximum efficiency
The GEA Direct Sprayer DS 25 has been developed for use
The GEA Direct Sprayer DS 25 is flush-mounted to the tank
wall and seamlessly integrated into the cleaning system. This in the beverage, food, dairy, pharmaceutical, and home and
design prevents any protrusion into the tank, ensuring that personal care industries. It is particularly advantageous in
moving agitators remain unobstructed. Source: GEA production environments with frequent recipe changes, strict
hygiene standards, and demanding cleaning requirements.
Case study: Yogurt production – 84.5% less water con-
sumption The system delivers fast, efficient cleaning while minimizing
water use and keeping production running smoothly. It can
A real-world example from yogurt production highlights the also be easily integrated into existing systems.
potential of the GEA Direct Sprayer DS 25. A typical tank in Circle 27 on enquiry card
20 Vol. 41 No. 3