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Longer shelf life of food - avoid contamination

Whether bread, sausage, yoghurt, vegetables or beverages - contamination can be completely avoided during the production, processing, filling and packaging of sensitive goods by cleanroom technology. Practically germ-free processing not only extends the shelf life of the products, but also increases safety, which is reflected in lower complaint figures.

Food producers are increasingly relying on the advantages offered by processing in a clean room. The prerequisite is good planning in advance, which takes into account the special circumstances of the specific production process. The Baden-Württemberg-based company Schilling Engineering specialises 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 been noticing 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 machining process. Constant and precisely aligned air flows displace impure air from the process." The cleanroom enclosures are designed to be as small as possible without compromising the safety of production. "Our customers have had very good experiences with cleanroom production. Since we only use high-quality materials and up-to-date 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 that use targeted airflows to replace unclean air with filtered air that is free of mould and bacteria. The systems consist of aluminium support frame constructions and are shielded from the environment with PVC film curtains. Product safety at the highest level is offered by the CleanSteriCell closed cleanroom systems, which were developed for the strict specifications of the pharmaceutical industry. This is a cantilevered room-in-room system usually installed inside production halls. With an integrated air circulation system within the cleanroom walls and a permanent air exchange, constant conditions of particle purity, temperature, humidity and pressure are ensured throughout the room.

Employees can only enter the cleanroom via airlock systems and with suitable cleanroom clothing. Microbiological contamination is reliably excluded. With its flexible options, cleanroom technology can also be sensibly 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 of crucial importance for a safe and functional system. At the same time, it 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 equalisation is much lower. In addition, 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 through a special technical solution: using a patented sealing clip system, the wall and ceiling modules are joined together with absolute precision and automatically sealed. The highest energy consumption of a clean room 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 recirculation technology required for this is the heart of the cleanroom systems from Schilling Engineering. The air is removed from the cleanroom in a permanent circuit and fed back into the filter systems of the ceiling plenum through the wall modules. This reuse of the already cooled and only slightly polluted air of the clean room 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 are less clogged and the air exchange rates can 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 LED luminaires suitable for cleanrooms can save a lot of energy in the long term. They are economical in consumption and have a much longer service life than conventional lamps. When the lighting is replaced, a cleanroom system has to be switched off and restarted. These costs are often not considered, but they speak in favour 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 tuning losses. Clear warnings, such as when a door has been open too long, enable quick intervention and prevent unnecessary energy losses. A prompt and flexible intervention is supported besides by an App, which permits the monitoring and control completely location-independently over tablet and Smartphone.

This article was published: DEI 7-8/2017, Hüthig Verlag

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