Seepex says its new type of progressive cavity pump is saving the UK's poultry processors energy and operating costs.
It cites the case of one of the UK's largest chicken processors, which was finding the handling and disposal of whole birds as waste problematic. The dead birds were being moved about manually in wheelie bins or even wheelbarrows to disposal points at the site.
Seepex installed a BTM range pump with the aim of doing away with this process. As well as whole birds, the pump can handle intestines, claws and feathers.
The pump has an auger feed screw prior to the rotor and stator, but with the feed screw and compression zone being additionally fitted with rotating and stationary knives. A Seepex patented design, the knives have proved effective at mascerating the birds, offal and other waste prior to pumping.
In addition to reducing costs in terms of energy, maintenance and downtime, the pump now handles the adding of dyes to indelibly stain waste meat as a separate operation.
Seepex BTM pumps can chop and pump most types of food product, including all manner of highly viscous and non-flowable products with a dry solids content up to 45%, and at pressures up to 24 bar.