Deaeration system improves beverage filling

GasTran claims its de-aeration system can use either a vacuum or stripping gas to reduce oxygen in beverages before they proceed to filling lines.    The system can reduce dissolved oxygen to below two parts per billion without the use of membranes or chemicals, the company claimed.    The presence of dissolved oxygen in the feed water used in beverage production reduces the shelf life of products. Less oxygen can translate into increased shelf life. Manufacturers are also looking for ways to reduce the oxygen while maintaining consistent carbon dioxide (C02) levels in order to limit foaming and improve quality.    Improved yield can be achieved and some packagers have increased bottling speeds by 30 per cent since switching to the system, the company claims.    Beverage packagers have also achieved higher quality levels on net content weight and carbonation levels, because deaerated water can absorb more carbon dioxide without excessive foaming, he company claimed.    Reducing foaming can also prevent spill during filling, which reduces the need for washdowns and other hygiene procedures.    Furthermore, improving control - preventing underfills and overfills - enables operations to run at faster speeds as fewer defective products need to be removed, which also saves waste, the company claimed.    GasTran said installations can be customised either as a central system or as point-of-use deaerators on each bottling or canning line.    Systems are constructed from stainless steel, and have food grade seals, taking about 16 sq ft of floor space.    GasTran offers project management services for installation, start-up, and operator training.    US-based GasTran manufacturers industrial wastewater treatment systems as well as beverage deaeration equipment.