Microdat Launch New Hygienic (Sanitary) Metering Pump at Brau 2008

Leeds based Microdat travelled to Brau 2008 with a brand new Hygienic (Sanitary) Metering Pump, the first of a full range of pumps designed to meet the needs of beer filling systems for Casks and Kegs.

For many years Microdat have been adapting industrial peristaltic pumps to integrate into brewery fillers. These pumps were less than ideal requiring extensive modifications to meet hygienic standards and the metering accuracy required. Thus, Microdat decided to develop its own range of Hygienic (Sanitary) Peristaltic Metering Pumps the HMP Range.

These pumps are designed using Microdat’s 3D modelling technology, which is then digitally transferred to the accurate water jet profiler, CNC brake press and CNC machine shop. The final welding of the hose connections is undertaken on a computerised orbital welder.

The pumps are unique in that they are designed for hygienic (sanitary) metering applications such as beer, finings, yeast, hop oil, Kieselgur, sugar syrups and many other liquid and semi solid products found in the brewing, food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries.

The pump body is 304 stainless steel, the hose is FDA approved and all wetted parts are 316SS. The motors are high efficiency Lenze units, with Lenze digital drives and Microdat software. The pumps can be 240v or 415v with Profibus, Can, Ethernet and many other control interface options.

The peristaltic pump is very simple and is often called a hose pump. Rotating shoes or rollers squash the hose and push out the product. Hose pumps were originally designed for pumping slurries waste water etc and very small versions are often found in labs or hospitals pumping blood. Industrial pumps are large bulky units often made from cast iron (or similar materials). The requirements for a hygienic (sanitary) metering pump are however much different as the pump tolerances and construction need to be carefully considered.

Many Industrial peristaltic pumps use the gearbox output bearing to support the rotor assembly, which reduces the life of the gearbox or requires special gearbox output bearings and shafts. The Microdat pump has been designed with its own integral support bearings lubricated by the food lube coolant in the pump. This prevents contaminants from the gearbox fouling the pumps coolant. A simple shaft oil seal and gap keeps the gearbox from the pump.

The Microdat HMP uses rollers supported on ball races to squash the tube and seal it. Pumps using rollers with bushes wear quickly and allow slippage, while pumps with shoes cause excessive friction, heat and hose wear. Microdat’s solution to this is slightly more expensive but will produce a reliable consistent metering pump with half the power requirements of shoe pumps.

The main use for Microdat HMP’s is for beer filling systems. These have been developed at Black Sheep and Moorhouses Brewery to deliver a quick, accurate, black fill with the minimum beer losses and practically no counter-pressure gas usage. The Moorhouses system fills 120 Firkins per hour from a single pump with no counter-pressure gas. This makes Moorhouses one of the Greenest Cask Fillers in the UK. Moorhouses brimfill to satisfy HM Customs & Excise requirements but even when overfilled to the probe it is possible to reverse the pump to remove even the small overfill thus producing the perfect black, brim filled cask.

Microdat are now working with kegging partners Lambrechts NV Belgium to produce the first CO2 Free, Green Keg filler using Microdat’s new HMP’s.

If you would like more information on Microdat please visit our website www.microdat.co.uk or email us on sales@microdat.co.uk or call our office on 0113 2445225.