GEA Westfalia Separator At ACHEMA 2009
Gastight decanter and steam-sterilizable clarifier from GEA Westfalia Separator
With a capacity of up to 10,000 litres of fermentation broth per hour, the new clarifier type CSE 170 from GEA Westfalia Separator is currently the largest steam-sterilizable centrifuge in the world. This new development is focused entirely on the safety of biotechnological processes and the efficiency of active ingredient recovery. To meet the stringent demands of production processes in biotechnology, the CSE 170 is equipped with numerous special features to ensure high yields of valuable constituents, gentle product treatment and optimal SIP and CIP capability. This separator, which GEA Westfalia Separator is presenting at Achema 2009, as well as a further CSE 170 with package unit will subsequently be used by the European pharmaceutical and biotechnology concern Merck-Serono in in its Corsier-sur-Vevey plant in Switzerland for the treatment of mammalian cell cultures.
For applications in explosion-hazarded areas in the chemicals and pharmaceuticals sector, GEA Westfalia Separator has developed a new gastight decanter which will be presented to a broad public at Achema 2009 for the first time. The gastight decanter will be made available in two versions: a clarifying decanter and an extraction decanter. The relatively small machine size of the CE 345 and 346 respectively are designed to achieve high capacities, improved separation efficiency, minimal energy consumption, fewer components, compact design and optimized service. The proven Westfalia Separator varipond system has also been realized for the first time on a gastight extraction decanter. This means that the liquid streams can be adjusted precisely and flexibly. Westfalia Separator varipond therefore makes it possible for the customers to respond flexibly to changing production conditions and to always run the decanter at the optimum working point. The machine can be preassembled as a package unit on a frame with the complete periphery. The nitrogen supply unit is also integrated in the package unit as is an operating panel. The machine is consequently a completely functional gastight unit for explosion-hazarded zones which features CE conformity verification and which complies with the ATEX Directive.
GEA Westfalia Separator is concentrating everything concerned with the growth market of renewable resources in the newly formed Business Unit Renewable Resources. Through bundling the competences for the processes for the recovery and processing of oils and fats, starch and proteins as well as fermentation products and biofuels, GEA Westfalia Separator is creating the ideal platform for future-oriented solutions. The new business unit remains a partner in tried-and-tested processes and is, at the same time, a centre of competence for new ideas and visions. The users benefit from the concentrated innovative strength and process competence, shorter decision-making processes as well as best separating and clarifying efficiency for highest raw material yield.
GEA Westfalia Separator has now created an Internet-based web portal for the machine and process monitoring system Westfalia Separator wewatch which, designed as a simple and self-explanatory tool, informs the machine operators in good time about possible error statuses. The portal generates service notifications or alarms which are forwarded directly to the responsible persons per e-mail or mobile phone. Westfalia Separator wewatch informs prophylactically and issues quasi live concrete recommendations on possible troubleshooting. The advantages are obvious: optimization of the plant availability and avoidance of unplanned downtime as well as service that can be planned in conjunction with fixed budget service agreements for transparent cost control.
Membraflow operations integrated GEA Westfalia Separator will in future integrate Membraflow GmbH, the manufacturer of ceramic microfiltration and ultrafiltration membranes with headquarters in Essingen South Germany taken over several years ago, more actively in the business units. The further technology development will be pushed forward at GEA Westfalia Separator in Oelde as will the construction and pre-assembly of complete installations and the control concepts. Membrane production will remain in Essingen. With its proven worldwide sales and service network, GEA Westfalia Separator in Oelde will smoothly integrate the operations of Membraflow.
SOURCE: GEA Westfalia Separator