Dry Ingredient Mixing Area Dust Extraction System Installed at Northumbrian Fine Foods
- Air Quality Greatly Improved
- Cleaning Requirement Reduced
- Fully Bespoke Hood Design
Powerhouse of Northeast biscuit manufacturing Northumbrian Fine Foods have vastly improved the working environment of their dry ingredient mixing area following the implementation of a fully bespoke and comprehensive ROFLOW dust extraction scheme. Northumbrian Fine Foods has long been a linchpin of local food production tracing its heritage all the way back to 1936. Today the 30,000 sq ft BRC Grade A bakery includes four production lines and employs over 200 staff.
The extensive variety of products requires large scale mixing of many ingredients with a variety of product mixing systems. The dry processing stages when disturbing powdered ingredient causes plume to form. To provide a safer working environment, it was determined a high volume dust LEV system was required. The ROFLOW solution was to deploy a number of fixed captor hoods in which were designed in accordance with the considerations and guidance outlined within HSE guidance document HSG 258. The system included the following: –
- Dedicated sack tip type enclosures for the decanting of dry ingredients
- Purpose designed linear slot captor hoods serving the sieves and pans
- Fixed extract duct connection to the existing flour silo.
The system provides a generous high flow rate of dust extract which is capable of safe simultaneous use of all extraction points. All ductwork, supports and captor hoods were fabricated from entirely 316 Grade Stainless Steel. The fixed duct extract system follows from the captor hoods and rises to high level into a common index extract duct leading into the plant room. The plant includes an AAF Optiflo Pulse Jet Automatic Dust Collector with an integral extract fan and ATEX rated rotary valve air lock for auto dispensing of the base waste. Once the dust-laden air is processed, the clean air is then ejected to atmosphere via an external cowl.
The implementation of this system has vastly reduced the presence of airborne dust within the area, improving the air quality for the workers as well as reducing the required frequency of cleaning.
