Transfer pumps critical to processing and tanker fleets are often vulnerable to damage, costly leaks and labor-intensive maintenance. To cut these costs, Unibloc Hygienic Technologies, a global provider of hygienic positive displacement pumps, offers its new Unibloc CleanPlus line of hygienic pumps for industries that require durable, sanitary operations, such as meat and poultry processing.

The new lobe pumps feature bolt-free rotors that eliminate downtime and pump damage caused by improper tightening. Suitable for both Clean-in-Place (CIP) and Clean-out-of-Place (COP) applications, the pumps slash maintenance times because of a unique, easy-to-disassemble design specific to the Unibloc brand.

Most features of the new CleanPlus pumps have long been available in other UHT pumps sold throughout the food industry. Thousands of processors and fleet owners have relied on those features to lower the total cost of ownership for pumps in their facilities. For example, manual cleaning that used to take as long as 2 hours for other pumps takes only 20 minutes with a Unibloc CleanPlus pump, freeing up hard-to-find technicians for other work.

Hygienic design

Based on the company’s FoodFirst pump technology proven in applications where hygiene is critical, the Unibloc CleanPlus lobe pumps offer an exceptionally sanitary design compared to other pumps. Stainless non-galling steel rotors eliminate the chance of plastic wear particles contaminating the product and compromising the entire batch, a critical factor in meat and poultry processing where food safety is paramount.

In addition, pump housings are milled from a single billet of steel to avoid seams or weld transitions where bacteria or product could hide, an important safeguard in raw protein environments.

Unlike older pump designs, the new pumps use an easy-to-clean patented FlushCap bearing to stabilize the rotors. This makes the pumps fully compatible with CIP processes that are common in process applications.

Rapid COP

In applications that require COP protocols, manual cleaning often results in hours of costly downtime. The Unibloc CleanPlus pump line featuring UHT’s proprietary QuickStrip design, transforms this process, reducing cleaning times from hours to mere minutes by minimizing component count and enabling toll-free disassembly. The efficiency not only minimizes throughput but also translates directly to reduced labor costs, streamlined spare parts inventory and faster maintenance crew training. This is especially valuable in meat and poultry facilities where sanitation cycles are frequent.

Eliminating damage from rotor bolts

Incorrectly torqued rotor bolts are a leading cause of pump failure. It is not uncommon for the sanitation or maintenance crews to torque rotor bolts incorrectly. Too tight, they crush the sleeves or deflect the shaft, causing leaks and gouging the housing. Too loose, the rotor bolts can back out, allowing shaft deflection. These errors result in costly downtime and potential catastrophic damage. Plant managers and tanker-fleet operators can avoid these issues by specifying the Unibloc CleanPlus pump, which features an innovative design that requires no rotor bolts.

Availability and specifications

Unibloc CleanPlus lobe pumps are now available with a lead time of just two weeks. Featuring port sizes from 1-inch to 8-inch, these pumps offer versatile performance, with certain models capable of moving up to 500 gallons per minute (1900 L/min). They are designed for high-temperature applications, handling product as hot as 400^o F (204^o C).

Source: Unibloc Hygienic Technologies