After cooking, blending, mixing or reacting ingredients, product is transferred to the holdingtank, filler, bottling or sachet machine.
The MARPLUG Product Recovery System (PRS) is use to recover residual product from the pipeline.The system is also used to remove any water that remains in the pipeline after steam sterilisation, CIP or bulk water flush. The reason for this is to remove any contaminating interface when running the next batch of product through the pipe. A third reason (and in some companies the most important) is the reduction in effluent discharge (and therefore cost) from the plant.
What is a Marplug™?
Marplug™ is the ‘super pig’ that pushes the product or water through the pipeline. It is manufactured from food grade urethane materials, which are tough yet flexible. The Marplug™ will withstand temperatures up to 80 degrees centigrade without significant expansion or degradation, enabling it to be steam cleaned if required.
Why is it sometimes called a pig?
The name comes from the oil industry, where metal discs connected by a rod were propelled through the oil pipelines to remove the build up of paraffin wax on the inside surface of the pipe. The action of metal on metal made a squealing noise like a pig and the name stuck.
How do we detect a Marplug™ in the pipe?
The Marplug™ has special high flux magnets inside it that allows standard detectors to find the Marplug™ location. Generally, there two detectors on the Launch Station (LS) and two on the Receive / return Station (RS). These detectors are non-intrusive to the product line and can detect the magnetic field that the Marplug™ generates through the stainless steel pipe.
Will a Marplug™ travel through bends?
The short answer is yes. The flexible nature of our Marplug™ allows it to negotiate 1.5D 90° bends as well as S-bends and 180 degree U-bends. This can be achieved at relatively low pressures (normally 2Bar). It will also negotiate changes in pipe diameter, poor welds, dented pipes and flowplates.
Can a Marplug™ get stuck?
Marplug's clients do not, in practice, experience situations of the MarplugTM getting stuck. Unlike the old styles of spheres or cylindrical shape pigs the flexible vanes are designed to accommodate changes in the inner diameter of the pipework, whether due to damage to pipework (e.g. dents) or where these are a permanent feature. The MarplugTM for instance can pass through flowplates, connectors, flexible hoses or other features you would not expet to be able to pig.
If the MarplugTM does stop in the line it is very likely to be due to other issues within the overall system control e.g. Compressed air feed, incorrect sequencing of valves etc.
What steps can I take to improve our cleaning process and reduce cost?
If your manufacturing process involves the use of pipelines, then you should consider Marplug™ line pigging systems. What ever your product, if it can be put through a pipe it can be pigged. if it is pigged, you may be able to make considerable savings in your processing costs and also increase efficiency.
What happens when the pig reaches the end of the pipes?
The Marplug™ enters the receiving station which allows the product to pass through but not the Marplug™. The Marplug™ can then be returned to the launch station by reversing the direction of compressed air. Alternatively, it can be removed manually, inspected, cleaned and replaced in the launcher. CIP inside the vortex cleaning chamber.
Can the pigs be traced in the pipeline?
Yes. We use rare earth magnets with simple detection devices.
What about safety?
Safety is a prime consideration for our designs. As standard,we include a number of safety features. With the leading safety equipment manufacturer we cab also offer interlocking systems.
Who installs the system?
Either you can or we can by using our approved installers. We, of course will commission the system.
What does it cost?
All of our systems are designed and built to individual customer needs and requirements, this is difficult to answer.
What happens next?
Talk to us we would be happy to discuss your requirements and follow this up with a visit to your factory without any obligation on your part.
Why Marplug Technologies?
We offer individual design services and have the necessary experience to provide cost effective solutions to any project. We can offer you an extensive product range and produce equipment for most specialist applications.
What is meant by 'Mechanical CIP Pre-Rinse'
The pre-rinse stage in any CIP is the removal of major soil load before the introduction of detergent cleaning. This can be acheived by flushing to drain (with effluent implications) or the use of a pigging system for recovery by mechanical means. In this case good product becomes valuable revenue instead of problematic waste.