Food-Processing-Plant-Design-layout

Food Processing Plant Design & layout
Lesson 9. Experimentation in Pilot Plant
The pilot plant is a physical model and should be a “copy” of the corresponding industrial
unit, with equipment scaled down in size to approximately 1/100 – 1/10 of the modelled
unit.
Pilot plant experiments serve to obtain more information and data in the following areas:
1. Market survey: A determined new product amount can be produced in the pilot
plant, to test its acceptance and to decide whether it would be economically
profitable.
2. Design data: The behaviour of a given operation or unit process can be found under
conditions impossible to duplicate in the laboratory.
3. Products and raw materials: A pilot plant is usually needed to characterize food
products and to evaluate the development of certain raw materials into specific
products.
4. Optimization data of a running plant.
9.1 Size and structure of the pilot plant
The most important criterion in determining the size and form of a pilot plant is the
principle of similarity, a principle first formulated by Newton.
If, fluids are handled in the pilot plant, three types of similarities involved in fluid
dynamics must be included:
1. Geometric similarity: Both the pilot plant and food processing plant should have the
same physical form or at least the same geometric dimension relationships.
2. Kinematic similarity: The same velocity relationships should exist in both the pilot
and food processing plants.
3. Dynamic similarity: In both the pilot and food processing plants, the same force
relationships should exist. For example, the turbulence regime should be similar on
both scales when fluids are handled.
If the process simulated in a pilot plant involves chemical the following similarities apply:
1. Thermal similarity.
2. Chemical and biochemical similarity.
9.1.1 Minimum and Maximum Size
Several factors can affect the size of a pilot plant. In general, the minimum size is set by the
minimum product amount required for quality analytical control.
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