Steam generator cleans up on health food

When SHS International was planning a new facility it needed a reliable steam supply that would be able to cope with large fluctuations in demand.

When SHS International was planning a new facility at its plant in Wavertree, Liverpool it needed a steam supply that would be available "as-and-when required" and would be able to cope with large fluctuations in demand.

The solution was found when Engineering Manager Brian Connolly saw a Clayton Steam Generator in action on a similar process, and quickly realised that it would be ideal for SHS's purpose.

The new facility is a modern bakery that produces gluten free bread which is specially made for the growing number of people who suffer from Coeliac disease.

This is a common condition that can strike at any age.

Coeliac disease is caused by an intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and possibly oats.

This gluten causes damage to the lining of the small intestine.

This damage stops the body absorbing nutrients and can lead to weight loss, weakness, fatigue, breathlessness, anaemia and other symptoms.

There is no cure, but nowadays the disease can easily be detected and can be kept under control by avoiding gluten.

Sufferers then find that the symptoms quickly disappear and they are able to lead an active, healthy life.

Gluten is found in flour, and thus can be present in bread, cakes, biscuits, crackers and pasta.

It's no surprise then that bread is the food most missed by people on a gluten free diet.

Fortunately SHS is able to meet the demand for gluten free bread and produces a variety of bread products using some of the most modern and advanced machinery available.

The Clayton Steam Generator is one of the vital parts of this bread making process where steam is essential in the retort cycle for sterilisation of the finished product.

The way steam is produced in a Clayton Steam Generator is very different from the traditional horizontal type of boiler where water is stored in a drum and heated under pressure.

This difference accounts for the quick start-up and fast reaction time.

In a Clayton Steam Generator the feedwater is pumped around a helical coil and heated so that steam is formed in the flowing stream of water.

Only a small amount of water is contained inside the coil and the steam output can be rapidly adjusted by passing more or less water through the coil as required and simultaneously adjusting the heat input.

Because of the method of steam production in a Clayton Steam Generator it is small in size and safe to operate.

Brian Connolly commented: "At the start of the project we looked at traditional boiler designs but they were all much larger and it would have taken around an hour and a half to get steam up to pressure every morning so I would have to have people on site an hour and a half before production started to make sure we had steam available".

Unlike the traditional horizontal boiler, the Clayton Steam Generator does not have a water level, so the safety considerations that govern water level controls do not apply.

As well as this, it is not possible to have a steam explosion with the Clayton design and a separate boiler house is not required.

Clayton Sales Manager, Gerry Rooney said: "We have extended our range of steam generators over the years and it's no longer necessary to use the traditional design of boiler if you need up to 10 tonnes of steam an hour since our largest unit is rated at 6.8MW".

The Clayton Steam Generator can meet the demand for the large quantity of steam that is needed for the up-cycle of the retort and the steam supply can then be adjusted to maintain the critical steady state conditions.

Connolly said: "One of the other advantages for us is that the steam generator is fully automatic and we can have steam when we need it".

"It is also easier to use as well as being fuel efficient".

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