When the uniformity of a blended product is called into question, it can be challenging to evaluate the magnitude of the problem and to determine the root cause.  As a starting point, you may ask:

• How should blend quality be measured?
• What size samples should be collected?
• How many samples should be collected?
• From what points in the process or locations within the blender should the samples be collected?
• Is the problem occurring in the blender or after the product leaves the blender?
• Is the final package uniformity within specification?
• Is the final package specification achievable and meaningful?
• Is the correct type of blender being used?
• Has the blender operation been optimized (fill level, blend time, speed)?
• What happens after the blender that may contribute to or even cause the problem?

A discussion on product uniformity must encompass three topics: blending, post blend segregation, and a sampling plan.  These will develop a meaningful understanding of the observed blend quality and how the blend quality changes through your process.  
 
Jenike & Johanson engineers have worked on numerous projects diagnosing and solving product uniformity problems in many industrial processes.  Our typical project approach includes material characterization in which the results are used as the basis for analysis leading to the most practical solution as efficiently as possible.

Course Offering - Flow of Solids in Bins, Hoppers, Chutes & Feeders

 

Jenike & Johanson engineers will present their popular powder and bulk solids handling courses for ASME/AIChE (American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Institute of Chemical Engineers) in San Diego in May, Chicago in October and Atlanta in December. 
 
Additional courses will be presented at PBE East in Atlanta in April, at IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement course in Palm Springs in June, and at our lab in Tyngsboro, MA in July. 

Additional courses will be posted on our web site as they are scheduled.  We can also offer courses at your facility, which allows the content to be tailored to your specific needs. 

 

These courses are intended for plant managers, plant design engineers, process engineers, product development and R&D personnel, food scientists, and others concerned about the proper flow of bulk materials in a food processing environment.  These courses have been presented to thousands of attendees representing dozens of food manufacturing companies.
 
Proper training of personnel involved in design, optimization and operation of bulk solids handling systems is essential to operating an efficient and reliable food processing plant.  Since the theory of bulk solids handling is seldom a part of formal engineering training, many in industry lack an understanding of why solids handling problems occur and what practical steps can be taken to diagnose, alleviate, or prevent them.  Training helps to foster greater awareness of operating efficiency, safety, and process improvement, along with an understanding of the reasoning behind required equipment modifications or upgrades.

 

Recent Food Publications   

For more information on the following publications, please contact our librarian directly via email or telephone at 978-649-3300. 

Learn some great tips for your own food processing applications. 

• "Prevent Caking and Unintended Agglomeration", Greg Mehos Ph.D. and Scott Clement , Chemical Engineering, August 2008

• "Preventing Solids Flow Problems at Breweries", Roger A. Barnum,  Master Brewers Association of the Americas, Technical Quarterly and The MBAA Communicator

• "Tips for Handling Dry Bulk Ingredients in Confectionery Processes", Scott Clement and Eric Maynard, presented at Pennsylvania Manufacturing Confectioners' Association's Annual Production Conference, May 2006

• "Customizing Silo Storage and Feeding for Sodium Bicarbonate Using Bulk Solids Flow Principles", David Craig, Ph.D. of Jenike & Johanson, Inc. and Naleen A. Mayberry of Wright-Pierce, The Journal of the New England Water Works Association

• "Blending, Segregation, and Sampling", Scott Clement, James K. Prescott, Encapsulated and Powdered Foods, C. Onwulata, Ed. (Taylor & Francis Group, NY), Food Sciences and Technology Series