CLIENT
Fonterra
INDUSTRY
Food & Beverage Manufacturing
PRODUCT
UV-C tunnel
Empty Bag UV Disinfection System
DETAILED DESIGN
Our customer required a reliable control method to ensure that empty 25kg powder bags entering an High Hygiene Area (HHA) met stringent disinfection standards. This was crucial for treating packaging materials to prevent contamination.
UV technology was considered as a potential solution. Although not typically used within the food processing industry, this presented a unique opportunity for our UV team to deliver an innovative response.
During the detailed design phase, we needed to navigate three key challenges:
- Ensuring the UV-C light provided effective disinfection to meet the required standards. We conducted extensive testing to validate the efficacy of UV-C against various pathogens.
- Adapting the UV-C system to fit seamlessly into the customer's existing plant infrastructure. This involved custom engineering solutions to ensure compatibility and minimal disruption to current operations.
- Demonstrating the effectiveness of UV-C technology in the food processing industry –a technology not commonly used in NZ. We conducted pilot studies to gather data and build a strong case for UV-C's benefits.
TESTING
OUTCOME
Our solution needed to consider the impact on current operations, while protecting staff from harmful UV-C light, as operators work in this area daily. We used air knives to remove debris from the 25kg bags and retrofitted UV-C light onto the conveyor line to ensure total disinfection. By integrating quality control methods into the HHA, our customer was able to meet its stringent disinfection requirements across two commissioned lines. Despite the complexities of retrofitting or upgrading equipment, our design team delivered a solution that avoided operational disruption and optimised manufacturing processes.
Similar solutions can be customised for various industries, adapting the technology to any product packaging requiring a high-level of disinfection.