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Gently convey viscous tomato paste for organic food production.

Mobile drum-emptying system replaces shovels: Gentle transfer and emptying to less than 1%    At Zwergenwiese, the VISCOFLUX mobile S hygienically transfers high-viscosity organic tomato paste from 200-liter drums with inner liners. The mobile system makes work easier and can be used flexibly in production.

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Image: © Zwergenwiese Naturkost GmbH

The Challenge

To produce more than 100 organic products, Zwergenwiese processes paste-like, double-concentrated tomato paste from up to 9,200-liter barrels every day. However, the previous manual withdrawal method reached its limits when dealing with this highly viscous, non-free-flowing medium.

Manual removal

The thick tomato paste had to be scooped out of the tall 200-liter barrels with shovels. Even lifting the shovel was difficult. Removing the paste, especially from the bottom of the barrel, was physically demanding and time-consuming.

Controlled addition

Depending on the recipe, different amounts of tomato paste are required. Adding it manually made it difficult to maintain a consistent and well-coordinated production process.

Hygienic Product Protection

When dispensing the tomato paste and during any interruptions, it must be reliably protected from contamination and the carryover of traces, such as allergens.

The solution:

VISCOFLUX mobile S Drum Emptying System

The VISCOFLUX mobile S replaces the physically demanding process of emptying drums with a shovel. It can be driven directly up to the drum pallet and allows for the emptying of up to four drums on a single pallet. An eccentric screw pump and follow-up plate ensure continuous, low-pulsation, and product-gentle conveyance in a closed-loop process. The conveying speed can be adjusted via the variable-frequency drive. With a pressure of up to 8 bar, the tomato paste can be conveyed even through longer hoses. This ensures that the drums are emptied efficiently and consistently to less than 1% residual content.
 
“The mobile design of the drum emptying system is particularly ideal for us. It allows us to move the drum pallets back and forth individually between our three production lines,” explains Thorsten Ponath, production manager at Zwergenwiese.
VISCOFLUX mobile S

Mobile System for Emptying Drums of High-Viscosity Fluids

Eccentric screw pump

Gently and self-primingly pumps high-viscosity tomato paste

3-kW three-phase motor

Enables flow rates of up to 70 l/min

Backplate with molded gasket

It also smooths out small dents on the drum caused by transport and creases in the liner.

Frequency Converter

Enables the necessary precise volume control during dosing

Battery-powered lifting arm

Lower the pump unit into the fluid

Process Flow

From mobile positioning to hygienic storage of opened drums.

1. Barrel-rolling system

Thanks to its swivel rear wheels, the mobile system can be moved to the drum pallet. The four drums on the pallet can be emptied without having to move the pallet.

2. Lower the pump unit onto the medium

The battery-powered lifting arm lowers the pump unit until the support plate rests on the tomato paste. The pump is then started.

3. Dispensing tomato paste in measured amounts

The eccentric screw pump gently conveys the highly viscous fluid. The vacuum or air pressure drives the follower plate. The variable-frequency drive controls precise dosing; external signals from a flow meter or scale can take over control.

4. Adjust the trailing plate

The molded gasket ensures a continuous supply of fluid to the self-priming pump and hermetically seals the contents. The vacuum or air pressure generated by the pump gently feeds the sheet forward. Transport dents and folds in the liner are tolerated.

5. Seal the container hygienically

Once the pump unit has been removed, opened drums can be hygienically sealed with a sealing plug. After the drum has been completely emptied, the lid is lifted using compressed air; the internal pressure simultaneously secures the liner to the drum wall.

6. Lift the cover plate back up

Once completely emptied, the support plate is lifted using compressed air. At the same time, the internal pressure secures the liner to the drum wall. The pump parts that come into contact with the fluid can then be disassembled by hand for cleaning.

Easy to Operate and Clean

The barrel-emptying system is made of stainless steel and designed for use in hygienic environments. Thanks to its IP66 protection rating, the process unit can be cleaned with a water jet. “The entire system is very well thought out; all parts of the pump that come into contact with the medium can be easily disassembled by hand for thorough cleaning. This means the pump is quickly ready for use again. The pump’s robust construction and high reliability make it a dependable asset in production.” 

Image: © Zwergenwiese Naturkost GmbH

Cover Plate with Sealing Plug

After removing the pump unit, the airtight end plate can be sealed with a closure plug. This allows partially used drums to be returned hygienically to cold storage or the warehouse for later processing. The sealed drum contents are protected from the ingress of foreign objects even if the transfer process is interrupted. At the same time, the airtight seal supports allergen management and provides additional protection against contamination and trace carryover.

Conveying Raw Materials Gently

To convey tomato paste—which does not flow freely on its own—from a barrel lined with a plastic liner, the system uses an eccentric screw pump that gently transports even highly viscous media.

With different screw designs, the system can be adapted to meet various volume and pressure requirements. This makes it ideal for other highly viscous food products as well, such as fruit and vegetable concentrates, caramel, peanut butter, or nut nougat cream.

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Products Used

Barrel-Emptying Systems

For pumping high-viscosity fluids from drum containers

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Three-Phase Motors

For extended operating time and extreme operating conditions

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VISCOPOWER Eccentric Screw Pumps

Pure Power for Low- to High-Viscosity Fluids

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