Insulation for food and beverage processing
Food and beverage plants require reliable, safe, and effective insulation. Advanced vacuum insulation offers an alternative solution to conventional insulation materials for food and beverage processing.
Insulon vacuum insulation has a wide operating temperature range, and can be engineered for low-temperature and high-temperature environments ranging from -270 to 815+ degrees Celsius. Some benefits of advanced vacuum insulation for food grade applications include:
- Food grade stainless steel
- Non-fibrous materials
- Easy to clean and sterilize
- Consumes minimal space
- Resists condensation and can help prevent mold
- Reduces risk of corrosion under insulation (CUI)
- Provides reliable, high-performance thermal insulation
- Engineered for cold and hot applications up to 1000°C
Material selection for food grade applications
Proper insulation can be of vital importance for food and beverage plants. Materials must be carefully selected in order to ensure a sanitary environment. A variety of issues can arise due to improper insulation, including unwanted condensation, mold, contamination, and more.
“Insulation plays a critical role in food processing facilities.”
– Insulation Outlook, 2017
Non-fibrous insulation
Insulation is one of “the so-called Dirty Dozen, the 12 most common foreign material contaminants in food.” Many conventional insulation materials are made with fabrics or textiles. Fibrous insulation may pose a risk of contamination, because fibers may break free from the insulation material. Vacuum insulation offers a non-fibrous insulation solution for food processing.
“According to Food Safety Magazine, insulation is one of “the so-called Dirty Dozen, the 12 most common foreign material contaminants in food.”
– Food Safety Magazine, 2018
Insulation for mold prevention
The FDA cautions that “wet insulation in walls or around pipes and cooling units” may be a “potential source of microbial contamination.” Moisture can help promote mold growth, which can be an inconvenient and expensive problem to address. “Insulation is one of the most powerful tools for mold prevention,” according to Mold Solutions. Vacuum insulated pipes help to mitigate these risks by resisting condensation and corrosion.
Tubes, pipes, and hoses
Vacuum insulated tubes, pipes, and hoses combine piping and insulation into one efficient package. Rather than layering an insulation material with an outer jacket, the insulation is the jacket. The double-walled pipe has a vacuum barrier installed between the walls, so you don’t need any additional insulation materials. No more foams, sprays, or messy installations. Plus, inspecting stainless steel pipes is a breeze when you don’t have to remove and reinstall insulation materials.
Vacuum jacketed hoses for cryogenic processing and preservation
Insulon vacuum jacketed hoses aid in cryogenic processing and preservation of perishable food and beverage goods. Rapid freezing, chilling, and cryogenic grinding processes all depend on fluids such as liquid nitrogen (LN2) or liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2).
Custom geometries
In addition to piping, vacuum insulation can be used in cans, containers, flasks, as well as custom geometries such as steam wands for espresso machines. Food processing, shipping, and storage can benefit from vacuum insulation. Improvements to thermal insulation efficiency can help systems become more energy-efficient overall.
Cool touch steam wands for espresso machines
Insulon® Cool-to-Touch Steam Wands provide insulation for high-end espresso machines. The steam wands are engineered with high-temperature vacuum insulation to protect baristas from accidental burns. Baristas are able to touch steam wands directly without the need for towels, cloth, or rubber protective sleeves. In addition to providing safety, Insulon® Steam Wands have a luxury chrome appearance, adding aesthetic appeal to espresso machines.
