Campbell Foods Belgium installs steam generators and improves production
Since 1968 Campbell Foods Belgium n.v. has been producing mayonnaise, sauces, gherkins, onion, pickles and mustard under the Devos Lemmens brand name, as well as baking products, pudding, dessert sauces and kitchen aids under the Imperial Label. To do so, the Campbell Foods facility in Puurs, Belgium, requires steam to cook ingredients in heat exchangers and large, covered kettles and to provide high temperatures for autoclaves that sterilize products contained in jars.
Unfortunately, according to Peter Van Steen, engineering and technical manager at the facility, the fire-tube boilers originally installed for use as steam sources exhibited unacceptably slow start-ups. The boilers' inability to maintain pressure and temperature also made it difficult to assure product consistency and quality. For example, bringing a second autoclave on-line frequently resulted in a pressure drop that lowered the heat supply to the first. On some occasions this meant that the contents of the first autoclave had to be discarded.