Cleanly mixing cosmetic formulations

As a supplier to the fragrance, cosmetics, food, and beverage industries, Symrise offers a wide variety of products blended to customer specifications. Depending on the formulation, a wide range of raw materials is mixed with solvents such as water or alcohol, and the finished mixture is filled into appropriate containers for further processing. In the field of cosmetic ingredients in particular, there is a wide range of formulations, the quantities of which also vary greatly. Here, Symrise relies on proven pump solutions from FLUX. The modular pumps enable reliable and hygienic production and ensure cost-effective operation even with frequent product changes.

A flexible pumping solution is essential

A flexible pumping solution is essential for precisely conveying the wide range of individual components in varying quantities. In this case, a new, clean pump assembly is mounted for each product on a stationary motor (Figure 2), which is kept virtually weightless by a balancer. Used pump assemblies with product residues are sent to the washroom, where they are disassembled and hygienically cleaned. This ensures that neither cross-contamination nor foreign substances or contaminants such as germs enter the mixing or filling process. The simple combination of the F/FP 425 pump unit and drive motor, along with the easy, tool-free disassembly of the pump for cleaning, enables process-oriented, cost-effective operation even with more viscous fluids.

Pump tubes of varying lengths with immersion depths ranging from 500 to 2000 mm allow for easy adaptation to different container sizes, from 20-liter canisters to IBCs or drums. The pump enables nearly complete emptying of the container. In a 200-liter drum, this leaves only 0.05 liters of residual volume—or 0.02% of the total volume. The pumps used here are also equipped with a built-in check valve. This prevents the fluid in the pump rod from flowing back when the pump is lifted or removed from the container. As a result, expensive fluids are fully utilized when transferring from one container to another, while the pump unit can be easily removed and prepared for cleaning with virtually no dripping. Separate cleaning and the emptying and disposal of residual quantities by product type have proven to be significantly more economical than the otherwise standard practice of rinsing with fresh water and the subsequent wastewater treatment.

Designed for Practical Use

According to Albrecht, another advantage of the polished, burr-free stainless steel pumps is their practical design: “The welded milk line connection is ideal for our frequently changing media and the frequent pump changes. Unlike the simple hose fittings typically used, this screw connection guarantees a quick and consistently hygienic connection of pipes or hoses. The ceiling-mounted suspension eliminates accident-prone cable routing, keeping the work area clear and accessible between mixing operations. We’ve been using these pumps in various configurations and with different motors in other plant departments for over 20 years, as their ease of use, occupational safety, and price-to-performance ratio are optimal for us.” Should a seal or bearing on the drum pumps ever need to be replaced—due to foreign objects or prolonged operation—this can be done in no time at all thanks to the simple design and ease of disassembly. The pump specialists offer a fast spare parts service for this purpose.

Whether handling large flow rates or precisely metered small quantities for mixtures or filling smaller containers, these easily disassembled drum pumps deliver cost-effective operation. The easy replacement of the pump units, combined with separate cleaning, ensures consistently hygienic operation and thus guarantees the highest level of product quality.