Atlas Copco Class 0 oil-free air helps safeguard end-product quality at Nestle
Part of the Nestlé Group, the Shanghai Nestlé Drinking Water Co., Ltd., produces more than 300 million PET bottles per year. At the Shanghai plant, eight Atlas Copco Class 0 oil-free compressors provide compressed air for the plant and eliminate the risk of oil contaminating the end-products.
The largest food and beverage company in the world, the Nestlé Group places strong focus on product quality and safety, and it is essential to eliminate any oil pollution risk in the production processes. Manufacturing of PET bottles requires compressed air at 40 bar to blow the molding. If oil was used in the process and it entered the bottle, it would impact the taste and smell of the product, and could even cause damage to people’s health.
Mr. Li Mingcai, Manager of the Engineering Division, explains that his company chose Atlas Copco because “it is a technology leader in the field of oil-free air compressors. But also based on our experience of the stability, safety and flexibility of Atlas Copco’s products.”
Certified 100% oil-free air
Thus, it is critical to use pure air in production and this is why Nestlé chose Atlas Copco’s oil-free compressors. In 2008, Atlas Copco was the first manufacturer to be awarded the certificate ISO 8573-1 CLASS 0 (2010) oil-free air technology, covering products with pressures ranging from 300 mbar to 40 bar and a discharge capacity maximally at 26,000 m3/h.
The Atlas Copco ZR315VSD and DX110VSD (variable speed drive) compressors at the plant were developed specifically for applications demanding the highest levels of purity. They eliminate the risk of oil contamination and provide 100% pure, clean air.
VSD gives direct energy savings
The ZR315VSD and DX110VSD also offer energy savings of up to 35%. Unload losses are reduced to a minimum, there is no blow-off of compressed air to the atmosphere and load/no load transition losses are eliminated. Precise pressure control allows a tighter pressure band and a lower average working pressure, resulting in reduced energy consumption.
Mr. Li Mingcai: “Nestlé focuses on environmental protection and saving energy at every process stage. For us as beverage producers, compressors consume the most energy, accounting for 30% of all the electricity we use. The Atlas Copco VSD compressors effectively reduce electricity consumption at the plant.”
Where pure clean air is critical...
In addition to the food and beverage industry, Atlas Copco’s Class 0 oil-free air compressors are widely used in other industries where pure, clean air is critical, such as pharmaceuticals, electronics and automobile manufacturing.
Written by Michael Gaar
