Baking&Snack - May 2011 - 88

CONTINUOUS MIXERS

quick cleaning. “Crevices and seams are eliminated, and clean-in-place is often available,” he noted. “Mixers are built so they are easy not only to clean but also to inspect.” Continuous mixing is based on proven technology that has been refined over the years, Mr. Copenhaver said. Systems now include variable-speed motors and drives. To achieve control over dough temperatures during the mixing process, designs offer mixing chamber jacketing, while heat transfer pins can be located inside the chamber barrel and along the mixing shaft. Modular plug-and-play designs result in timely installation and start-up. PLC control applications such as alarm messaging and on-line diagnostics to ensure greater uptime and reliability are among a variety

of other improvements made since continuous mixers were originally introduced. “PLC and control technologies became operator and user friendly, weighing and scaling accuracy improved and delivery of dry materials became dependable,” he said. Additionally, liquid metering improved in accuracy, and tool-free reconfiguration of the actual mixing chamber was made standard. Many systems also provide sustainability benefits. Rapidojet, for instance, can produce 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) of dough with less than 2 kWh of electricity, and the dough temperature can be controlled just using the proper water temperature because the mixer doesn’t heat up the dough. Moreover, the continuous process can eliminate bowl handling.

Continuously and Consistently Mixing Batters and Cremes
(continued from Page 86) Bakeries commonly use continuous mixers when they need constant density, flow rate, specific gravity and temperature of cake batters, whipped toppings, icings and fillings, according to Mr. Wilkinson. “Producers needing high levels of automation with minimal product changeover and longer production cycles generally benefit most from continuous mixers,” he added. “However, it should be noted that Tonelli continuous mixers are also used in smaller operations by customers demanding precise control of their operations. ‘Continuous mixers,’ as the name implies, means continuous production, which allows for high efficiency and product accuracy.” Continuous batter mixers are not for every operation, and the lack of quick changeovers between products and relatively narrow range of production applications for a specific model can limit the usefulness of continuous mixers in smaller bakeries with a variety of products. “Continuous mixers, however, are the most efficient way to produce cake batters or creme toppings and fillings for larger producers requiring low labor and consistency in product results such as density, temperature and production rate,” Mr. Wilkinson added. The Tonelli Group manufactures a wide range of continuous batter and creme mixers for production rates ranging from 350 lb per hour up to 10,000 lb per hour. “Some of the newer Tonelli systems include internal scrapped surface heat exchangers, which allow the production of very cold products and even the option of pasteurizing of dairy products inline in a continuous process of heating, cooling, aerating and depositing,” he said. The Mondotherm is a scraped surface heat exchanger from Haas Mondomix B.V., Almere, The Netherlands. It continuously heats or cools viscous products or products with particulates. The Mondotherm features a sanitary design with no dead corners and stainless steel product surfaces. The Peerless Group, Sidney, OH, has focused on improving sanitation of its Fedco continuous mixing systems. After being asked by a client to reduce the amount of water to clean its machines, Peerless redesigned the discharges on the mixers and the radius at the bottom of the bowl as well as improved seal designs. And by using flush-mounted stator blades as well as a flush mount on the batter discharge outlet, the company eliminated pockets where batter, flour, sugar or shortening could collect. — Shane Whitaker

BAKING & SNACK / May 2011

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Baking&Snack - May 2011

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