T-FIT® Hygiene is first choice insulation for cool chain customer
T-FIT® Hygiene is designed for large-scale, aseptic, food processing.
Coca-Cola Bottlers Manufacturing (Suzhou) Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Corporation, bottles non-carbonated beverages, such as fruit juice, for distribution in China.
In 2019, the company had a project for a new cool chain not-from-concentrate juice product. Cool chain means that the product risks being spoiled if temperatures during processing and through the supply chain vary outside set parameters, so the performance of insulation material used on process pipework and vessels is paramount.
What we did
The T-FIT® team in China worked with the customer to retro-fit T-FIT® Hygiene to an existing production line. The product temperature during processing is just 3°C versus an ambient temperature of 25°C in winter and up to 40°C in summer, with a humidity range of 60–75%, so the potential for condensation – considered a high risk in food and beverage production – was significant. However, the fine, closed cell structure of T-FIT® material, produced from Zotefoams’ ZOTEK® F PVDF foam, does not transmit water or water vapour and is manufactured to the precise diameter of pipework, thus limiting the risk of condensation and traps.
T-FIT® materials are modular, supplied in ready-made tubes in straight runs, elbow and tee formats to minimise installation time and maximise efficiency in use. Their performance is such that a thin layer (6.25mm) achieves comparable performance with much thicker traditional open cell foam insulation.
Results
T-FIT® Hygiene was supplied to the customer for installation commencing in May 2019. The line was commissioned in mid-August, with T-FIT® insulation providing a professional appearance and compliance with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice).
