ICB Distillers, a prominent producer of spirit-based drinks located in Middlesbrough, has adopted Bürkert’s FLOWave flowmeter to optimise its production processes. This strategic move is set to reduce both product wastage and water usage, ensuring the company maintains high standards of hygiene and product quality.
At the Middlesbrough facility, ICB Distillers manufactures beverages for its own brand and blends products for various other brands and supermarkets. The plant, which also features a bottling facility, produces approximately 30 million retail-ready bottles annually. Spirits such as rum and ethanol are delivered to the site, where they are combined with ingredients like fruit juices, creams, purified water, and sugar according to specific recipes.
Accurate flow measurement is critical in ensuring beverage quality and optimising production cost efficiency. The flow devices must prevent cross-contamination as various spirits traverse the pipeline network. The clean-in-place (CIP) process further complicates matters, as it requires thorough rinsing to avoid chemical residue, traditionally consuming significant water volumes and contributing to product wastage.
Gary Bragman, Project Manager at ICB Distillers, highlights the importance of an efficient system: “Spirits left in the line have been washed away during CIP. It was important for us to move to a system that could integrate a pigging system, save on water, and control product flow with greater accuracy.”
Bürkert’s FLOWave flowmeter, which engineers Kieran Bennett and Chris Hughes specified, addresses these challenges. The device, free of seals and internal components, reduces bacterial accumulation risks and is easy to clean. FLOWave utilises Surface Acoustic Waves (SAW) to measure flow, mass, temperature, and density without media contact, ensuring precise and hygienic operation.
The flowmeter also optimises CIP processes by accurately detecting phase changes, allowing for more efficient use of water resources. According to Bennett, “Total water saving can be up to 50%, which also achieves a significant environmental benefit.”
ICB Distillers has already activated the first of the new flow meters, with promising results in improving production efficiency. “Previously, challenges in accuracy controlling the flow of spirits using mag-based flow meters meant continually adjusting the mixture,” Bragman explains. “Now, with Bürkert’s FLOWave, we can get a much more accurate measurement.”
Installed in an ATEX Zone 2 hazardous area, the flow meters communicate with a Bürkert ME61 display via a single cable, providing comprehensive data on batch and total flow rates. This setup enables precise tracking of production metrics and supports the planned extension of the pigging system, further reducing waste and water use.
As additional flow meters are commissioned, ICB Distillers anticipates a rapid return on investment. Reduced cleaning time and enhanced production efficiency promise to bolster the company’s operational capabilities while maintaining its commitment to quality and sustainability.
