OIL FREE SCREW & SCROLL AIR COMPRESSOR FOR FOOD INDUSTRY
OIL FREE SCREW & SCROLL AIR COMPRESSOR FOR FOOD INDUSTRY
An important factor in food safety production-compressed air quality
Putting aside “food additives”, the importance of compressed air quality is easily overlooked in the food safety production process. Compressed air, as the second largest source of power energy and process gas after electricity, is widely used in the production processes of beer, beverages, food fermentation, packaging, liquid transportation, bottle blowing and other food industries. All pneumatic instruments, pneumatic components, cylinders, solenoid valves, and processes used in production require compressed air. In the food and beverage industry, compressed air is needed to control valves and brakes in automated production lines for filling, packaging, and bottling. The transportation, blasting, ventilation, fermentation, cooling, and spraying of powdered materials also require deep drying and cleaning compressed air. And if the compressed air contains oil, water or other impurities, it will cause pollution.
Food Safety–compressed air contaminants
Oil pollutants in compressed air mainly come from three sources. One is the oil contained in the atmosphere itself, the other is the lubricating oil of the beer keg air compressor during the compression process, and the oil stains formed due to time precipitation in the system pipelines.
At present, domestic technology for removing oil and dust impurities has been relatively mature and widely used (such as using oil-free air beverage compressors and dust filters). However, it is still difficult to effectively solve the problem of water removal, and it is difficult to achieve the requirements in food production. Compressed air quality standards.
Food safety – compressed air quality standards
Food safety is a people’s livelihood issue, and any tiny pollutant may bring health risks to consumers. Therefore, the quality of hospital compressed air systems should be controlled more strictly. In food production gas systems, gas usage can be divided into two types: indirect contact and direct contact, and their corresponding quality standards are also different.
Compressed air in indirect contact with food
For example, the contact between air and food in the food production workshop environment, as well as bottle blowing, packaging, etc. The quality of this type of indirect contact compressed air should comply with the following standards of ISO8573.1-2010:
Solid particulate matter level: Level 2
Moisture content level: Level 4
Oil content level: Level 2
Compressed air in direct contact with food
Such as food ingredients, fermentation, mixing, bagging and other technological operations. This type of compressed air must undergo dust removal, water removal, oil removal, sterilization, etc. If the water content of the compressed air exceeds the standard, it will easily lead to the growth of bacteria, which directly affects food quality, safety and hygiene. Therefore, food production requires clean, dry and up to standard compressed air. Air can ensure the safety of food production. This type of compressed air should comply with the following standards of ISO8573.1-2010:
Solid particulate matter level: Level 2
Moisture content level: Level 2
Oil content level: Level 1
When choosing compressed air post-processing equipment for gas used in food production, an adsorption dryer should be selected to meet the gas standards for food production – deep drying and clean (pressure dew point -40°C).
As a livelihood issue, food safety is related to people’s lives and health. Therefore, the system equipment configuration should be selected reasonably and correctly for the compressed air used, which is of great importance to ensuring the quality and safety of food.
