Fluid Engineering is proud to represent Tuthill Pump Group and its line of positive diplacement process pumps. These pumps are ideally suited to the unique challenges associated with pumping chocolate and other components of confections.
To understand the unique challenges in pumping chocolate and other candy components, it is important to understand the chocolate production process.
Chocolate Process Flow
- Cocoa Beans are roasted in large, rotating cylinders.
- Roasting develops the aroma, flavor and rich color of the chocolate.
- The inside of the cocoa bean is called the “Nib.”
- Nibs are ground into a non-alcoholic liquid called chocolate.
- Giant hydraulic presses squeeze the cocoa butter out of the chocolate liquor.
- The pressed cake that remains after the cocoa butter is removed can be cooled, pulverized and sifted into cocoa powder.
- Cocoa butter and other ingredients such as milk and sugar are added.
- During conching, heavy rollers swirl continually through the mixture.
- Before finishing, the chocolate must be tempered. This involves heating, cooling and reheating
- Pouring finished chocolate into molds for candy bars.
- Enrobing is a process that uses chocolate to cover candy centers such as caramel, creams and nuts.
Pumping chocolate presents unique challenges that any successful pump design must address. Among these are the following:
- Chocolate and candy producers hate leakage. Candymakers are averse to losing product to waste, especially through packing, which also presents housekeeping challenges. These are critical concerns in food processing plants.
- Chocolate is susceptible to “caramelization.” Caramelization is the oxidation of sugar in the chocolate (essentially the burning of the chocolate.) The problem is most prevalent on low-fat formulations. Often, it results in the pumping seizing and failing.
- Chocolate is very abrasive. Chocolate is by its very nature exceptionally abrasive. This presents a challenge when it comes to sealing the pump, contributing to the leakage problem noted above.
Current Problems in the Industry
The problem with the leading pumps used in the chocolate market is that they lack a standard vent from the stuffing box of the pump to pump’s suction. A vent to suction increases the flow of the pumped product through the stuffing box, helping to increase seal life. Also, the shafts are undersized, so shaft deflection at higher pressure increases wear on the bracket bushing, mechanical seal, and the shaft. Finally, other pump manufacturers tend to run their pumps at too high a speed, reducing the life of the pump and their reliability.
The Tuthill GlobalGear® Solution
Tuthill’s GlobalGear® product offering includes several features that address the problems noted above:
- GlobalGear® pumps features stuffing box vents to the pump’s suction, addressing the problems noted above by keeping the product from “stalling” in the stuffing box.
- Special “Chocolate-fitting” reduces carmelization. “Root-drilling” the idler gear increases the flow of the pumpage through the idler bushings. Extra clearances in the bushings increase product flow through the bushings.
Tuthill’s Tuffseal® lip seals have been proved extremly well-suited to chocolate applications.Tuthill has experienced success with a style 42 triple lip Tuffseal™ FDA materials with vegetable shortening between the inner and outer lips.
The Tuthill HD Process Pump Solution
Tuthill’s HD Series product offering is the gold-standard for handling chocolate and other candy ingredients.:
- Its low shear characteristics give the HS series the ability to handle shea-sensitive chocolates.
- The pumps can handle solids, allowing them to pump fruits and nuts.
- The features of the HD Design presents a reduced potential for sugar caramelization.The design of the pump provides for a clean sweep of the fluid chamber with each revolution. There are no bushings/friction sources in the pump that can cause caramelization. The design itself reduces product resistance time within the pump.
Tutcal Magdrive geared metering pumps for flavorings and colorants
Tuthill’s Tutcal metering pumps are ideally suited for injecting and dosing the flavoring agents and colorants used in candymaking. These pumps offer repeatable accuracy to better than 1%. There is no observable pulsing in the pumps. The pumps accommodate flavoring agents such as spearmints, apple, “you name it.” Dyes, PIC fluids, acids and caustics are not a problem for these pumps.
Fluid Engineering and Tuthill are committed to serving the pumping needs of chocolate and other candy makers. Put our experience to work for you. Call us at 1-800-841-9944 today!