Food producers are increasingly relying on the advantages of processing in a clean room. The prerequisite for this is good planning in advance, which takes into account the special conditions of the specific production process. Schilling Engineering, based in Baden-Württemberg, specializes in the development and installation of cleanroom systems and has been increasingly supplying customers in the food industry for several years. Each cleanroom system is individually adapted to the customer’s requirements and planned in close consultation. Managing Director Günther Schilling is pleased with the developments in the food industry: “We have seen a significant increase in investment for some time now. Cleanroom technology offers great advantages in food production, as the open product is protected from germ contamination during the manufacturing process. Constant and precisely directed air flows displace the impure air from the process.” The cleanroom enclosures are designed to be as small as possible without compromising production safety. “Our customers have had very good experiences with cleanroom production. As we only use high-quality materials and the latest technology, the maintenance costs of our systems are very low,” explains Schilling.
Schilling Engineering offers various cleanroom solutions for food production. The CleanFlowCell® laminar flow enclosures and cleanroom tents are flexible, cost-effective cleanroom systems in which the unclean air is replaced by filtered air that is free from mold and bacteria using targeted air flows. The systems consist of aluminum support frame constructions and are shielded from the environment with PVC film curtains. The CleanSteriCell closed cleanroom systems, which were developed to meet the strict requirements of the pharmaceutical industry, offer the highest level of product safety. This is a self-supporting room-in-room system that is usually installed inside the production halls. With an integrated air circulation system within the cleanroom walls and a permanent air exchange, constant particle purity, temperature, humidity and pressure conditions are ensured throughout the room.
Employees can only enter Cleanroom via airlock systems and with suitable cleanroom clothing. Microbiological contamination is safely excluded. With its flexible options, cleanroom technology can also be integrated into smaller operations and contributes to a significant increase in safety and shelf life in food production. Energy-efficient technology The tightness of a cleanroom is crucial for a safe and functional system. At the same time, it also saves a lot of energy. If no particles enter the Cleanroom, the air exchange rate can be significantly reduced. If less air penetrates to the outside, the necessary pressure equalization is significantly lower, and the temperature and humidity in the room can be kept at the set level for longer, thus reducing cooling and heating costs. The CleanCell cleanroom systems ensure tightness thanks to a special technical solution: the wall and ceiling modules are joined together with absolute precision and automatically sealed using a patented sealing clip system. The highest energy consumption of a cleanroom is caused by the need for permanent air exchange.
Filtered air is fed into the Cleanroom, particle-laden air is displaced and led out of the Cleanroom. The air recirculation technology required for this is at the heart of Schilling Engineering’s cleanroom systems. The air is removed from the Cleanroom in a permanent cycle and fed back into the filter systems of the ceiling plenum through the wall modules and into the Cleanroom. This reuse of the already cooled and only slightly polluted air of the cleanroom saves a large part of the energy costs that would normally have to be spent on humidifying and cooling the new air supplied from outside.
The lower particle load of the reused air also means that the filters become less clogged and the air exchange rates can also be reduced. Only ULPA high-performance filters are used, which have a low failure and maintenance rate and are very energy-efficient. Economical LED lighting Cleanroom-compatible LED luminaires can save a lot of energy in the long term. They are economical in terms of consumption and have a much longer service life than conventional lamps. When replacing the lighting, a cleanroom system has to be switched off and restarted. These costs are often not taken into account, but are an argument in favor of using longer-lasting lighting. Another energy-saving potential lies in the precise and coordinated adjustment of all cleanroom components. With the CR-Control® cleanroom control system, all settings, including air conditioning technology, are made at a central point. This avoids energy-intensive coordination losses. Clear warnings, such as when a door has been open too long, enable rapid intervention and prevent unnecessary energy losses. Prompt and flexible intervention is also supported by an app that allows monitoring and control from any location via tablet and smartphone.
This article was published: DEI 7-8/2017, Hüthig Verlag
