A major Midwestern snack producer had concerns about the high costs of the defoamer product that they were using and were interested in finding an alternative that would be more cost effective. Kurita America was already a current vendor for the snack producer’s utility water products and services within the plant, and offered assistance in other areas, which included optimizing the foam control needs of the customer.
THE PROBLEM OF EXCESS FOAM
Numerous problems may arise when foaming conditions occur within a facility. Cleaning and sanitation can become more difficult and time consuming due to excess foam. Level sensors, electronic eyes, and automatic switches might not work properly, as the foam height can cause false readings. Additional downtime, waste, overflow and lost production are also concerns.
From an aesthetics standpoint, foam overflow can be tracked on floors throughout the plant. Continuing to control the foam within their system was the only option they had if they wanted to maintain system efficiencies.
TESTING THE DEFOAMER
Kurita America conducted thorough lab evaluations that led to field testing of the defoamer product with Kurita America regulatory staff. This testing would assure that the customer would be selecting the right product for their facility. Once all of the testing was complete, there were three different products that were proposed, all working similarly, but at different costs.
However, finding the best product at the best use cost was just the beginning. To optimize the defoamer feed at various points throughout the system, Kurita America used a proprietary chemical feed control system. In this case, the product was fed to eight different locations in the process where foam was an issue. Rather than feed the same amount of product at all eight locations, the controller allowed customizable control based on varying foam levels throughout the system.
In addition, a “boost” feature allows operators to temporarily increase the product feed when process conditions caused additional foaming.
SUCCESS AND SAVINGS
In the end, Kurita America’s recommended solution reduced the chemical use and costs at the customer site and improved system efficiencies by decreasing foam. The customer saved $30,000 per year, an approximate 25 percent use cost reduction, and had the added benefit of a 50 percent reduction in material handling.
All of these efforts freed up operator’s time to focus on other areas in the plant.
Scott Fisher is regional manager for Kurita America. As part of the Kurita Group, a leading industrial water solutions provider in the world, Kurita America brings innovations to market through a unique, customized water management approach called the Kurita Way. The Kurita Way embodies complete water harmonization through a consultive engineering engagement. By incorporating all aspects of our customers’ facility, including chemical, mechanical, and operational components, Kurita America gets to the root cause of customers’ most complex challenges to deliver optimal results and overall lower cost of ownership for a better, more sustainable world. For more information, visit www.kuritaamerica.com.