Bottle Filling Machines in Breweries and Soft Drink plants

When beer is bottled, its residual oxygen content must be kept as low as possible. To this end, breweries employ two different methods, either alone or in combination. Bottles are evacuated using vacuum and then flushed with CO_2. and filled with beer via a long-tube filler. In this case, the filler tube is inserted into the bottle and the bottle is flushed with carbon dioxide before actually being filled with beer. This method consumes a relatively large amount of CO₂.  This method greatly reduces carbon dioxide consumption because most of the oxygen is already extracted.

Dairy processing
On yoghurt filling machines the vacuum pump serves to position the lids on pre-filled yoghurt containers simultaneously. Vacuum suction cups on the machine grip the lids, separate them and move them into the correct positions. 

Deaeration of Mineral Water
Mineral water from natural springs contains carbonic acid, minerals and iron. The iron dissolved in the water oxidizes when it comes into contact with air, giving the water an unpleasant taste. First a vacuum pump is required to remove the carbonation then the water is deferrized  at a pressure of about 50 mbar, and the carbonation reintroduced to produce sparkling water

Evacuation
Packaging processes have numerous requirements for vacuum pumps. They can be used for evacuation of air, water vapor and other gases as well as for picking, placing and holding food or packaging and to remove the air from a package to be sealed.  Fat and spice mixtures are evacuated to keep them dry and from becoming sticky.  Due to higher requirements for quality of food with regard to flavour, colour, homogeneity and durability, meat processing uses more and more vacuum, in filling machines, tumblers and cutters.

Evaporators, Cookers & Vacuum Pans
Evaporators, cookers and vacuum pans are used to process unrefined food products into a concentrated form by boiling. In these processes, vacuum is used to lower the boiling temperature in order to improve the appearance and taste of the food, shorten the cooking time, and reduce energy costs.

Food Preservation
Fruits, vegetables and their subsequent products, such as mash and purée, are preserved through cooking. This involves heating a small amount of water to generate steam. To obtain a high product quality and energy efficiency, the preservation process is carried out under vacuum.

Humidification of Tobacco
Tobacco packed in bales is so brittle that without proper humidification it would crumble into dust when processed further. A vacuum pump extracts the air from the bales and replaces it with steam, sometimes supplemented with aromatic substances for flavouring the tobacco.

Milking Systems
Milking cows by machine has become a standard practice. The vacuum required to do the job can vary greatly depending on the number of cows to be milked. The entire milking procedure must be completed within two hours. In addition to transporting the milk, the vacuum used in these milking systems performs other tasks, such as attaching onto the udder and holding the weight of the milking claw assembly to the teat. The use of frequency converters on the vacuum system can greatly improve the animals’ productivity because the gradual increase in vacuum is better tolerated.

 Poultry and Fish Processing
The weighing and portioning of foods produces waste products that must be disposed of quickly and automatically. A weigh station for chicken breast and fish fillets, in which individual portions are transported by belt  weighers and sorted into weight groups, produces liquid waste as well as fat and small fibers. A vacuum pump extracts this waste and passes it on for proper disposal.

Sterilization of Tea and Spices
Tea and spices imported from tropical regions are shipped in bales, which very often contain pests, insects, fungi and bacteria that must be destroyed before further processing can occur. This is done by placing the bales in vacuum containers and extracting the air. The bales are then injected with steam or a sterilized gas.