SNP tastes sweet success by removing tough chocolate liquor from Abbey tankers
Cleaning chocolate liquor from the inside of road tankers is the litmus test for an effective tank cleaning head.
Abbey Logistics Group, one of the UK’s leading logistics services providers, was overhauling its Hull-based food grade tank wash bay that provides services for its own fleet and third party road hauliers.
In addition to installing new boilers and water softeners, the company was seeking a new cleaning head system for the internal washing of the tankers which would “exceed legal compliance and all customer requirements” while reducing water and energy consumption.
The Food Hygiene Regulations (2006) place an obligation on all food businesses to make sure that their activities are carried out hygienically, making it ‘an offence to supply food which is unsafe to be consumed and harmful to human health’.
Food businesses are defined as those involved in any process to do with preparing or selling food and this includes transport companies.
Ensuring road tankers carrying food products are scrupulously clean and comply with regulations is, therefore, of paramount importance.
The containers were 2 metres by 4 metres an there was 6 bar pressure available. Abbey Logistics had previously used a cleaning head with exposed gearing which would become clogged due to the hard water in the area and which was not able to deliver thorough enough cleaning of some food residues, the toughest of which was the coating left by chocolate known as ‘chocolate liquor’.
One cleaning head they tried failed to remove the liquor and, in addition, was too lightweight and rocked back and forth in the container.
The company then approached SNP to find a solution to this sticky problem.
SNP engineers recommended the use of the Orbitor 4 rotary spray nozzle, a hygienic, self-cleaning, self-lubricating and highly versatile tank washing machine capable of cleaning tough residues in tanks from 2 metres to 26 metres in diameter.
The Orbitor 4 is typically used in food processing, beverage, pharmaceutical and chemical tank cleaning applications making it ideal for the food tanker cleaning application.
The 4.2mm model with a 360˚ clean pattern was trialled against the other products and produced far superior results in the tough chocolate liquor test.
Abbey installed two Orbitors in each of its cleaning bays. On a site visit, SNP engineers were surprised to discover the Orbitors were being run at 2-3 bar pressure and achieved excellent results.
“Our goal was to set the standard for food grade tank washes in terms of reliability, quality and environmental efficiency and I think what we have achieved in Hull does that,” said Adam Copping, Abbey’s technical and quality manager.
Abbey Logistics Group, one of the UK’s leading logistics services providers, was overhauling its Hull-based food grade tank wash bay that provides services for its own fleet and third party road hauliers.
In addition to installing new boilers and water softeners, the company was seeking a new cleaning head system for the internal washing of the tankers which would “exceed legal compliance and all customer requirements” while reducing water and energy consumption.
The Food Hygiene Regulations (2006) place an obligation on all food businesses to make sure that their activities are carried out hygienically, making it ‘an offence to supply food which is unsafe to be consumed and harmful to human health’.
Food businesses are defined as those involved in any process to do with preparing or selling food and this includes transport companies.
Ensuring road tankers carrying food products are scrupulously clean and comply with regulations is, therefore, of paramount importance.
The containers were 2 metres by 4 metres an there was 6 bar pressure available. Abbey Logistics had previously used a cleaning head with exposed gearing which would become clogged due to the hard water in the area and which was not able to deliver thorough enough cleaning of some food residues, the toughest of which was the coating left by chocolate known as ‘chocolate liquor’.
One cleaning head they tried failed to remove the liquor and, in addition, was too lightweight and rocked back and forth in the container.
The company then approached SNP to find a solution to this sticky problem.
SNP engineers recommended the use of the Orbitor 4 rotary spray nozzle, a hygienic, self-cleaning, self-lubricating and highly versatile tank washing machine capable of cleaning tough residues in tanks from 2 metres to 26 metres in diameter.
The Orbitor 4 is typically used in food processing, beverage, pharmaceutical and chemical tank cleaning applications making it ideal for the food tanker cleaning application.
The 4.2mm model with a 360˚ clean pattern was trialled against the other products and produced far superior results in the tough chocolate liquor test.
Abbey installed two Orbitors in each of its cleaning bays. On a site visit, SNP engineers were surprised to discover the Orbitors were being run at 2-3 bar pressure and achieved excellent results.
“Our goal was to set the standard for food grade tank washes in terms of reliability, quality and environmental efficiency and I think what we have achieved in Hull does that,” said Adam Copping, Abbey’s technical and quality manager.
