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Innovative Processing Solutions to Meet the Needs of Today and Tomorrow

Innovative Processing Solutions to Meet the Needs of Today and Tomorrow
28 Sep 2022  |
At this year’s Pack Expo International (October 23-26, 2022 McCormick Place, Chicago, IL) Coperion and Coperion K-Tron will present their application expertise in conveying, feeding, and extrusion at Booth LU7756. The focus in the booth will include Coperion’s technologically advanced equipment and smart processing solutions especially developed for emerging markets, such as plant-based meat substitutes and plastics recycling technologies, that are looking for ideas to meet the responsible needs of today and tomorrow.

Offering Complete Systems to Produce TVP and HMMA

While the food market for plant-based meat substitutes is growing rapidly as consumers seek to reduce their meat intake for personal health reasons, animal welfare concerns and a desire to limit climate change, Coperion advanced technology for the production of TVP (Texturized Vegetable Proteins) and HMMA (High Moisture Meat Analogues) offers producers a way to expand their production and for new companies to enter the market. With its ZSK Food Extruder in Hybrid Design, Coperion has developed an innovative solution for manufacturing various meat substitute products based on plant proteins — Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) and High Moisture Meat Analogues (HMMA) — on the same machine. An adapter solution makes it possible to retrofit the extruder with minimum effort in a short amount of time. By turning a few screws, the ZGF Centric Food Pelletizer that cuts TVP product directly at the die plate after the process section, can be exchanged with a special cooling nozzle in no time at all for manufacturing HMMA product. Furthermore, thanks to the twin screw extruders’ self-cleaning effect and modular construction, it is possible to manufacture numerous other extrudates such as snacks and cereals on the same ZSK Extruder.

There are many challenges to plant-based protein processing. Some protein powders have difficult flow properties, and several factors contribute to the quality of finished products.

Gravimetric feeders with flow aid devices such as the Coperion K-Tron ActiFlowTM system play a vital role in continuous supply of protein powder to the manufacturing process. The ActiFlow™ smart bulk solid activator is a non-product contact device, designed specifically to work with Coperion K-Tron’s line of gravimetric loss-in-weight feeders. Together with the ActiFlow control unit, it continuously activates the material inside the hopper with an optimized frequency and amplitude, without exerting any mechanical force on the bulk material.

Plastics Recycling: A Second Life for a Valuable Raw Material

As a raw material, plastic can make a valuable contribution to environmental protection and to the energy revolution. Key to both is the efficient recycling of plastics. As a systems provider, Coperion offers combined process solutions and technologies for the economical recycling of various plastics while achieving the highest levels of product quality. Coperion’s plastics recycling technologies are suitable for a wide range of recycling applications, from multi-layer film recycling, to PET recycling, upcycling and chemical recycling. Stop by our booth and learn more about the twin screw extruders for various plastics recycling processes and feeding solutions such as the SWB Smart Weigh Belt Feeder. The SWB is an extremely reliable gravimetric feeder from Coperion K-Tron that can process large volumes of bulk materials with a wide variety of flow properties at very high accuracy. The feeder is ideal for feeding voluminous flakes and fibers efficiently into the ZSK twin screw extruder.

Best Components and Better Systems

Coperion is regarded worldwide for innovative and technologically advanced components including rotary and diverter valves, in addition to the highest accuracy Coperion K-Tron ingredient feeders. Coperion also offers a wide variety of pneumatic conveying receivers, product pick-up components, and unique quick-release bin vents for silos and large bins. The pneumatic conveying systems cover a wide array of unit operations, such as dense or dilute phase conveying, pressure or vacuum systems, in-line sieving and blender loading.

Stop by and visit with our experts and learn about these and many other processing solutions that make Coperion an industry leader.

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Coperion (www.coperion.com) is a global industry and technology leader consisting of three divisions: Performance Materials | Food, Health & Nutrition | Aftermarket Sales & Service. Coperion develops, produces, and services plants, machinery, and components for...

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