The ZGF centric pelletizer from Coperion has been used successfully for many years in extrusion plants for the production of directly expanded food stuffs such as cereals, Texturized Vegetable Proteins (TVP), like soy granules or petfood.

The knife rotor of the ZGF centric pelletizer is arranged centrally to the die plate. The product which emerges from the die plate in endless strands is cut off by the knife directly at the end of the extruder (hot die / head pelletizer). The length of the pellets produced can be influenced easily by the number of knives and by the speed of the knife rotor.

The pelletizer hood and the die holder in the ZGF centric pelletizer are swivellable and enable easy access for cleaning the screws, mounting the die plate and quick change over of the die plate. It is connected to the ZSK twin screw extruder by quick release connections.

The knife rotor is spring loaded on the die plate. This ensures a constantly even contact of the knife with the die plate. The distance between the knife blade and the die plate can be finely adjusted during operation. The start-up product in strand or pellet form is discharged through the start-up flap. A safety device ensures that the pelletizer hood does not open until the motor is at a standstill.

Benefits at a glance:

• High product quality due to constantly even contact of the knife with the die plate
• Length of the pellets produced can be influenced easily by the number of knives and by the speed of the knife rotor
• Quick release connections
• Easy access for cleaning the screws, mounting the die plate and quick change over of the die plate
• Safety device ensures that the pelletizer hood does not open until the motor is at a standstill

Coperion K-Tron offers the widest range of feeding solutions in the industry and a variety of configurations, which can be combined to create an optimal solution for any application. This includes screw feeders, vibratory feeders, bulk solids pumps, weigh belts, liquid feeders and flow meters. Highly accurate gravimetric feeders are particularly helpful when feeding difficult bulk materials, such as plant protein powders used in the production of alternative meats. Thanks to a weight signal, they measure exactly how much bulk material is being fed into the process and as a result they can quickly react to fluctuations in mass flow caused by changes in bulk density or flow disturbances; in addition, their feeding performance is precisely documented.

Liquid feeders use the principle of loss-in-weight measurement. A liquid tank mounted on a weigh scale measures the mass flow of an ingredient into the process. Liquid materials are usually transferred into the extruder using a pump with a variable speed drive. A controller changes the pump speed or stroke to adjust the fluid flow rate to match the setpoint. Highly reliable feeding and refill systems prevent feeding inaccuracies that could cause shutdown of the entire extrusion line which, in turn, adds to process time and calls for cleaning.

Vibratory feeders are ideal where uniform discharge of very free flowing bulk materials is critical, especially at very low rates. A vibratory drive gently moves the bulk material down the feed tray to the discharge. The Coperion K-Tron K3 line of vibratory feeders features improved high accuracy thanks to innovative patent-pending drive technology. The K3 vibratory feeders have a modular design and are available in both standard and hygienic easy clean execution. Vibratory feeders are ideal for gentle handling of a wide range of bulk solid materials, especially fragile ingredients and problem materials such as finished friable food products and ingredients, flakes and fibers.

Benefits at a glance:

• Wide range of feeding tools
• Dependable volumetric feeders
• Highly accurate gravimetric feeders
• State-of-the-art SFT weighing technology
• Advanced controls
• Special food grade finish available for hygienic applications

For more information on Coperion K-Tron and additional process equipment visit the page of our co-exhibitor Coperion K-Tron.