Help with chocolate that hardens.
Hi!
We have a chocolate production line, where the chocolate is getting dispensed through a pipe, onto a layer of caramel/marzipan on the conveyor belt. Then it proceeds through a roller, and gets smoothed out covering the layer of caramel.
The problem that we are facing is that the chocolate in the pipe hardens when the machine stops. The machine operators are currently using a "bottle brush" to remove the hardened chocolate. Which is not very hygenic.
We usually use heatingcables on all of our chocolate transportation. But the problem that we are facing on this dispenser, is that it's not a CIP pipe. The operators manually dismount the pipe and clean it in the washing area.
So i am looking for a system that can heat up the pipe, that's either easily removed, or that can be mounted in a way that they don't have any problems dismounting the pipe.
Take a look at the attatched photo.
Attached Files
Hi Sourvolt,
your factory is like a dream to me :P
talking about your problem... heating pistol?
Would maybe insulating the pipe help prevent the hardening enough when the line stops? Not very cleanable, but foam wrap around insulation is cheap and you may be able to just throw it away after each production run: https://www.google.c...1.0.B_Rcd9o2s2I
Or you could keep a heat gun on the line or some other type of infared heater that kicks on when the line goes down to keep the pipe warm? If you're currently bottle brushing it out anyway, an operator could instead hit the pipe with a heat gun before starting up. https://www.homedepo...ns/N-5yc1vZc2fe
I would call an electrician..........there are ways to keep that section at the correct temperature always.....it will get hardwired so no worry's ..........tell the electrician that you need it to be easily (and safely) removed
When we had this issue we used the heat gun or if it was a small section we would remove that section and clear it with air before it hardened during line stops.
Or a continuous circulation system that recycles the depositor output back to the tempering tank.
Marshall