Application Example: 3-A Dairy Standard for Sanitary Food and Pharmaceutical Processing

Gain-in-Weight Batching of Soft Drink Concentrate    |  Mixing and Extrusion of Breakfast Cereals    |  Ice Cream Ingredient Feeding    |  Pet Food Processing    |  Metering Ingredients for Snack Mixes    |  Batch Weigh Receivers in Food Production    |  Tortilla Production     |  3-A Dairy Standard    |  Pneumatic Conveying & High Accuracy Batch Weighing in Bakery Applications    |  Conveying Popcorn Kernels via Vacuum & Pressure    |  Batching & Transfer of Food Ingredients to Mixers    |  Major Ingredient Transfer and Weighing for Snack Food Processing    

The very high standards of the 3-A Symbol Council were originally designed for the dairy industry, but are broadly used by many manufacturers of ingestible products in the food and pharmaceutical industries. While the standard is optional, the K-Tron Premier P-Series vacuum receivers meet the requirements of the 3-A Sanitary Standard.

K-Tron Premier P-Series Vacuum Receivers

K-Tron Premier P-Series vacuum receivers meet the requirements of the 3-A Sanitary Standard for Pneumatic Conveyors for Dry Milk and Milk Products, Standard Number 39-00. Models include the P10, P30 and P100, all of which meet the rigorous 3-A specification.

Key specifications that these vacuum receivers meet include:

  • Product surfaces of 300 series stainless steel
  • Rubber gaskets that conform with 3-A standards and can withstand cleaning and bacterial treatment,
  • Product contact surfaces at least as smooth as a Number 4 ground finish—150 grit or better— free of any pits or crevices (P-Series are mirror finish 0.05 mm)
  • Permanent joints continuously welded.  

These receivers are designed so that all product contact surfaces can be easily cleaned and inspected. All fans and blowers must be installed in a manner that precludes entrance of air contaminants; the air supply system and ducting must be designed to cause all of the air to pass through air filters properly installed before coming into contact with product contact surfaces. K-Tron Premeir P-Series filters are PTFE coated with stainless steel housings.

P-Series vacuum receivers were designed to convey powders and other difficult to handle materials in food and pharmaceutical applications. The P10 (10 liter capacity) can convey up to 1300 lb/h (600 kg/h); the P30 (30 liter capacity) can convey up to 4000 lb/h (1800 kg/h); the P100 (100 liter capacity) can convey up to 8800 lb/h (4000 kg/h).