FAQ

Compressed air and nitrogen are key utility supporting the food packaging and food processing industries.

Compressed air must be contaminant-free to ensure the protection of the food products processed in each facility.

Contact our air treatment experts today!

Understanding air treatment in food and beverages

Food and Beverage?Applications
Compressed air is a key utility supporting the food packaging and food processing industries. It is used in machines that fill products such as cakes, pies, and liquid products. Compressed air must be contaminant-free to ensure the protection of the food products processed in each facility.

These contaminants, which are usually grouped into the three families described in ISO 8573-1:2010 (dust, water, oil), can cause serious problems for the plants and equipment, that can result in significantly lower efficiency and higher production costs due to:

  • Corrosion and rusting of the tanks and distribution system
  • Blockages inside the components and damage to valves, tools and other machinery
  • Bad odors and unhealthy working environments
  • Oil condensates that are difficult and expensive to dispose of
  • Higher operating costs and plant maintenance costs

There are also serious risks for the food product including:

  • Product loss
  • Deterioration of characteristics (flavor, smell, color)
  • Shorter shelf life

Without adequate prevention, these risks can harm end consumers —which could result in the product being withdrawn from the market or complex legal action and reputational damage. Protection is therefore needed on two levels:

  • An adequate and correctly sized air treatment system to ensure effective protective of products and processes
  • Constant monitoring of air quality using suitable instruments
Contamination - Need of filtration - Product catalouge

Generators: Pneumatech nitrogen and oxygen generators are most commonly used in food and beverage applications, where gas can be used in almost every part of the production process. Some examples are packaging, grinding, food injection, bottling, cleaning and blanketing.

Dryers & Nitrogen Generators: Air treatment is necessary in food and beverage businesses that use air compressors. Pneumatech offers dryers and nitrogen generators for the air treatment and gas generation needs of your business.

When air compressors are used for bottling, packaging or keg washing, the compression of ambient air pulls in all the humidity and particulates that are floating around in the air. That concentration of liquid and contaminates will get downstream of the compressor and cause many issues for a business of any size. Because F&B industries are focused on sanitation to ensure there is nothing introduced into food or beverages, preventing these contaminates and humidity from reaching the product is imperative. To do this, filters and refrigerated dryers are used. Filters prevent particles and contaminates from ruining the final product. Dryers prevent humidity and condensation from getting into the ingredients, packaging and the products. Dryers also help keep the actuators in a bottling line from becoming clogged or rusted over time because of condensation. This keeps the packaging line moving and reduces the risk of any downtime.

Air treatment is often initially overlooked in the planning process of many industries, but it is imperative to make sure you are using filters, dryers, condensate management and nitrogen in order to produce the best product without contaminants. Pneumatech offers multiple products that provide a full solution for any F&B industry. To learn more about Pneumatech dryers and Pneumatech nitrogen generators, click the product overview below.

Compressed Air Dryers

If you've worked with an air compressor, you've likely noticed the air is saturated with moisture. This is because water, in contrast to air, is incompressible. The amount of moisture per volume unit increases when air is compressed, creating condensation. Our compressed air dryers are vital for removing this moisture, which can cause corrosion, quality issues, and microorganisms in your air system.

Compressed Air Filters

Compressed air can contain a wide range of contaminants, from oil droplets to sand and dust particles. However small, these particles can cause downstream equipment malfunctions, product contamination, and other quality issues. Depending on your application, you may need compressed air filters to prevent air system quality, reliability, and efficiency problems. Pneumatech offers various types of compressed air filters to remove any type of contaminant.