What Matters Most in Residual Emptying
Five factors that are crucial when designing a residual emptiyng solution.
Remaining quantity
- Successor plate with flexible process seal
- Residual quantity < 1% in the ISO-lidded drum
- < 2% in an aseptic bag (VISCOFLUX mobile S)
Viscosity range
- High-viscosity media that are just barely flowable (VISCOFLUX lite)
- Paste-like media that cannot flow on their own (VISCOFLUX mobile S)
- Up to 500,000 mPas and grease class 3
Process Safety & Explosion Protection
- VISCOFLUX lite Ex for Zone 0/1 (II 1 G IIB TX)
- Conductive components, stainless steel corrugated hose
- Closed-loop pumping without air ingress
Material Hygiene
- Stainless steel 1.4404/1.4571 for parts in contact with the medium
- Process seals: NBR, FKM, EPDM (media-specific)
- FOOD version in accordance with EC 1935/2004 and FDA CFR 21
Mobility & Packaging Flexibility
- VISCOFLUX mobile S on a battery-powered process unit
- ISO drum containers, conical drums, cardboard and shipping container drums
- Narrow and wide chassis (Euro pallet / floor drum)
Case Studies
Real-World Examples: How Customers Use FLUX Systems for Residual Discharge.
Efficiently and nearly completely emptying Vaseline from drums
VISCOFLUX mobile S, F 560 S – completely empty high-viscosity petroleum jelly from the drum and portion it out.
Hygienically and nearly completely transfer tomato paste concentrate
VISCOFLUX mobile S, F 580 S FOOD – gently transfers thick tomato paste from a drum with a lid in compliance with food safety regulations.
Efficient Filling of High-Viscosity Glucose Syrup
F 580 S FOOD – Discharge high-viscosity, FDA-compliant syrup from 200-liter drums.
Safely Conveying and Filling High-Viscosity Silicone Pastes
F 550 S TR – Completely empty pasty silicone base materials from the barrel without altering their structure.
Residual Emptying in Various Industries
Residual emptying is relevant wherever material value, hygiene, or disposal costs necessitate the complete emptying of drums.
Food & Beverage
Tomato paste, fruit juice, cocoa butter, and low-viscosity oils—compliant with FDA, 3-A, and EC Regulation 1935/2004, using hygienic pumps or VISCOFLUX FOOD.
Pharmacy
Contamination-free dispensing of creams, ointments, and petroleum jelly—materials compliant with FDA, EC 1935/2004, and GMP standards.
Cosmetics
Gently dispense Vaseline, mascara, lipstick, and skincare products from 200-liter drums—without altering their texture.
Industry
Discharge soft greases up to NLGI Class 3 almost completely from drum containers.
Paints & Lacquers
High-viscosity paints, base materials, and coating compounds – Ex-rated version for solvent-based mixing pastes in Zone 0/1.
Frequently Asked Questions About Final Emptying
VISCOFLUX systems achieve a residual volume of less than 1% in ISO-lidded drums. For aseptic bags, the residual volume is less than 2%. This is made possible by the discharge plate with a flexible process seal that adapts to beads, weld seams, and slight deformations in the drum wall. For a 200-liter drum, this typically corresponds to a material loss of less than 2 liters—a tangible, quantifiable cost-saving factor when dealing with expensive media (lubricating greases, pharmaceutical raw materials, adhesives).
Both systems cover viscosities up to 500,000 mPas. The difference lies in the flow behavior: VISCOFLUX lite is suitable for higher-viscosity media that are just barely flowable (e.g., soft greases up to NLGI Class 2, paints, adhesives). VISCOFLUX mobile S also conveys non-free-flowing, paste-like media (e.g., tomato paste, petroleum jelly, creams, potting compounds, greases up to grease class 3) —thanks to the 15-bar delivery pressure and the VISCOPOWER F 580 eccentric screw pump.
The pump, rear plate, and process seal can be disassembled in just a few simple steps without special tools. With the VISCOFLUX mobile S, the motor remains attached to the process unit—only the parts that come into contact with the medium are removed and rinsed. Smooth surfaces, a design with minimal dead space, and IP 66 protection (water jets) allow for cleaning by operating personnel. A CIP/SIP-compatible version is available as an option.
VISCOFLUX lite is designed for ISO-lidded drums with an inner diameter of 571.5 mm. VISCOFLUX mobile S accommodates drum diameters of 540, 550, 560, and 571 mm—including conical drums (550 mm at the top, 515 mm at the bottom), cardboard drums, shipping container drums, and drums with aseptic bags or liners. The process seal is custom-designed based on the drum’s inner diameter and the consistency of the media.
VISCOFLUX lite Ex (II 1 G IIB TX) is the certified solution for flammable media in Zone 0/1. The pump centering crossbar and support plate are made of conductive material; the compressed air hose is a stainless steel Ringwell hose; and the U-shaped handles are made of 1.4571 stainless steel. The system is pneumatically driven by a compressed-air motor—with a reduced flow rate of 30 l/min (instead of 50 l/min for the lite model). The grounding concept and the equipotential bonding between the source and destination containers are part of the ATEX-compliant system design.
Get in touch.
Find documents.
Sales & Advice
Select a pump suitable for the application
We determine the medium, flow rate, viscosity and operating environment.
Requests for quotations
Please send us your requirements
We will assess your requirements and advise you on the most suitable option.
Service & Support
Documents for planning, operation and servicing
Find user manuals, dimension sheets, technical specifications and FAQs.