Process instruments for food processing

The ingredients for making ice cream are accurately weighed and fed into a mixing tank, where the “premix” is made. Afterwards, the premix is passed through the homogenizer at a pressure of about 140 bar and then pasteurized at 80 °C. The level in the premix vessel and the pressure in the pipeline leading to the homogenizer need to be continuously monitored to ensure continuous ice cream production.

The thin juice extracted from sugar beet is thickened by the reduction of excess water in multiple stages at the evaporator station. This evaporation process is carried out under vacuum and heat. The liquid in the evaporator boils so violently that great amounts of vapour are formed. A level sensor is needed to monitor and control the thickening process.

After the “conching” process the liquid chocolate is kept in large tanks for further processing. An agitator stirs the chocolate “mass” to maintain a uniform consistency and temperature in the vessel. A reliable level measurement is required in both the chocolate tank and the downstream filler hoppers to control the production process.

In the production of spices, the spices are first mixed with water and oil to form a slurry. This is fed into an evaporator, where water is removed to turn it into a kind of syrup. The thickened spice syrup must have exactly the right density – so that it can be spread thinly onto metal sheets for oven drying, ready to be ground into powder. To ensure the optimal density of the spice syrup, it requires a continuous measurement during manufacture. The pressure in the feed pipe leading to the evaporator also requires careful monitoring to ensure a smooth-running production process.