Hygienic bucket elevator for salt for hygienic cleaning
SINFIMASA has manufactured two 316L stainless steel bucket elevators for a large mining company according to the principles of hygienic design.
Common salt (NaCl) is considered a neutral powder and is used for dry cleaning of hygienically designed equipment and installations. The handling and treatment of this salt requires equipment that is equally hygienically designed to prevent contamination during the cleaning process. In addition, the characteristics of the product - highly corrosive and hygroscopic - must be taken into account.
When designing an elevator for handling this salt, a number of specifications must be taken into account to reduce or eliminate the risk of the conveyor being a direct or indirect source of contamination. This is achieved by ensuring that the elevator can be easily cleaned, inspected and maintained, and by preventing the accumulation of dirt in the elevator.
All materials that come into contact with the salt must be stable and inert. Since it concerns a belt elevator, the choice of belt must comply with FDA regulations, as must the rubber of the drive pulley, pulley blocks, gaskets, etc.
The contact surfaces inside the elevator must also be designed and constructed so that they can be easily cleaned. For example, the interior corners and angles are all wide and rounded, and the base and head of the elevator contain several manholes so that the interior is easily accessible for cleaning and inspection. In addition, the connections between the different bodies of the elevator are sealed with FDA-certified seals to ensure they are watertight and hygienic.
With regard to the geared motor, as a precautionary measure, a catch basin for any oil leaks is included in the design. The oil itself, as well as the grease of the equipment’s various bearings, is certified for use in foodstuffs.
For a major mining company, SINFIMASA manufactured two 316L stainless steel bucket elevators following the principles of hygienic design as a key element to prevent contamination. These bucket elevators, each over 31 metres high, have a capacity of 30 tonnes per hour. After installation, they were thermally insulated to prevent condensation in the conveyors due to temperature differences.