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08/26/2011

New KHS concept for modularization of vacuum pumps offers wide range of benefits for the brewing sector

With the modularization of vacuum pumps KHS has created a wide range of benefits for the brewing sector, including reduced power consumption, partial or 100% redundancy, particularly speedy spare parts supply, and simplified maintenance. Ultimately this results in increased line availability and therefore enhanced production capacity. The standard practice to date was to have individually designed vacuum pumps that were specifically adapted to the respective filling system, based on the specified flow rate, the product temperature, the CO2 content in the product and other criteria. The modularization of vacuum pumps means that such complex adaptation is no longer required. In future a single vacuum pump model will be perfectly suitable for all applications. With reference to the filling system, there is only one decision to make, i.e. whether to invest in one, two or three identical vacuum pumps. While a single standard vacuum pump is adequate for smaller filler capacities, for larger systems up to three standard vacuum pumps may be required. A frequency inverter is installed upstream of the identical vacuum pumps. It ensures that each vacuum pump runs at its optimal working point. Through exact frequency control alone the power consumption can be reduced by 45% compared with previous solutions. The new concept offers options for integration of expansion modules into the system, which enable partial redundancy or even 100% redundancy. This way, the system can continue to operate with reduced or full output in the event of a pump failure, and the system does not have to be shut down during scheduled maintenance. Another benefit of the modularized vacuum pump concept is that  spare parts are standardized, which ensures speedy delivery. The situation was quite different when spare parts had to be manufactured individually. A further plus  of standardized spare parts is reduced inventory management in applications where several vacuum pumps are used. Also, should a vacuum pump fail, it can be replaced quickly, without having to wait for a replacement model to be produced, as has previously been necessary. The new KHS concept of modularized vacuum pumps will be used for conventional water ring pumps as well as for KHS Eco vacuum pumps. The Eco vacuum pump reduces water consumption significantly. For this particular model modularization offers an additional benefit: if the power consumption is reduced thanks to the fact that the pumps continuously operate at the optimal working point, the energy required for cooling in the heat exchanger is reduced correspondingly, i.e. by up to 45%.