Düsseldorf (Germany), May 30, 2016 – At this year's IFAT 2016, to be held between 30 May and 3 June 2016 in Munich, GEA will again be presenting new energy-efficient savings and optimization solutions for water and effluent treatment at its exhibition stand 427/526 in hall A1. For instance, the fully automatic control and regulating process GEA varipond®, which will be available for most of the waterMaster decanters in the GEA ecoforce series starting in 2016. This guarantees reliable, energy- and cost-efficient processing of sewage sludge with constant concentration even in conjunction with fluctuating feed conditions. A GEA innovation which will be appreciated particularly by the operators of municipal effluent treatment installations - not least also as a result of the retrofit version which can be retrofitted easily and cost-effectively.

Fully automatic: constant sludge dewatering even in conjunction with fluctuating feed conditions

Patented control and regulating procedure also for waterMaster decanters in the GEA ecoforce series starting in 2016Reliable, cost-saving pre-dewatering and thickening of primary and secondary sludge with constant concentration even in conjunction with fluctuating feed conditionsGEA innovation: Variable pond depth with automatic feed regulation while machine is runningEnergy- and resource-efficient simplification of infrastructure and operation during start-up and shut-down procedures without liquid overflow to the solids sideUp to 30 percent reduction in energy input - increased service life of the installationRetrofit version: Cost-efficient retrofitting option at any time

GEA varipond® does not leave operators of effluent treatment plants in the cold

Wherever sewage sludges have to be treated with centrifugal separating technology, it is essential to ensure a precise and reliable process even in conjunction with a wide range of conditions. GEA varipond® is a patented control and regulating process which ensures precise compliance with the requirement of constant concentration for downstream processes whenever decanters are used. “For instance, for the pre-dewatering and thickening of primary and secondary sludge in effluent treatment plants - in a scenario with which the operators are only too familiar: A sudden cloudburst, and the pumps and dewatering systems have to operate at full throttle in order to be able to cope with large volumes of water which is contaminated with solids”, says Joost Vliegen, Director Product Management Environmental Technology at GEA. “A system such as varipond® which provides an immediate response to the changed requirements ensures the necessary operational reliability in such situations.”

The GEA innovation: Variable pond depth while machines are still running

In the past, in order to ensure a constant concentration in conjunction with fluctuating feed conditions, decanters had to be shut down and manually converted. With varipond® (the name stands for "variable pond depth" in conjunction with machines which are still operating), the engineers of GEA have developed a process solution which automatically ensures optimum adjustment of the centrifuge to changed feed conditions while the machine is still operating. varipond® regulates the liquid level in the decanter bowl so precisely that the concentration of the thickened solids can be set to a constant level, and it is possible to ensure precise compliance with this requirement. Optical sensors measure the solids content of the thickened sludge, compare this figure with the defined setting, and the regulating facility ensures that the concentration remains constant - everything takes place automatically. This means that unsupervised operation is also possible at night and during the weekend.

Reduction of up to 30 percent in energy input - longer service life

Further advantages: With the variable pond depth, varipond® ensures simplified infrastructure and operation for starting up and shutting down the decanter without liquid overflowing to the solids side - utilizing the maximum g-volume of approx. 90 percent (g-volume = contents x bowl speed).

The installation of a solids scraper with piping which prevents sludge which has not yet been dewatered from entering the solids container, and flushing water for ingress water is no longer required. “By adjusting the g-force to the feed conditions and by attaining the associated speed reduction, it is possible to achieve savings of up to 30 percent in electrical power. In addition, the process of starting up and shutting down the installation becomes much more simple and cost-effective without a solids scraper”, says Joost Vliegen.

varipond® – how it works

Wherever the clarified liquid is discharged from the decanter bowl, there is an axially adjustable throttle valve which determines the gap width of the outlet aperture: Small gap, higher resistance, lower water discharge, higher liquid level. Intelligent sensor technology detects the throughput quantity which is required at a specific time, and regulates the gap width as a function of the desired liquid level in the decanter bowl, by moving the adjustable throttle valve to the optimum position while the machine is still operating. The varipond® process ensures a decanter infrastructure with a reduced number of parts, and also ensures optimum efficiency in conjunction with a considerable reduction in operating and maintenance costs. All downstream processes are thus also optimized.

Retrofit – retrofitting option available at all times

The varipond® control and regulating technology of GEA can easily be integrated in existing waterMaster decanters of the GEA ecoforce series. This means that varipond® offers the possibility of individually controllable efficiency gains for all areas of operations. “It is frequently the case that small investments have a tremendous knock-on effect - particularly in the longer term”, says Joost Vliegen. “The advantages for the operator are obvious: No need to purchase new decanters, no lengthy downtimes, no need for complete conversion. The retrofit option with varipond® enables the operator to achieve process and product optimizations which previously were only possible in conjunction with high levels of financial and labour-intensive investments.”

Advantages at a glance

Automatic feed regulation while machine is still operatingSimplified infrastructure for ingress water during start-up and shut-down proceduresEnergy- and resource-efficient start-up and shut-down procedures without liquid overflow on the solids sideSimple and precise pre-dewatering and thickening with stable discharge concentrationAccuracy of ± 0.3 % DM, infinitely adjustableThickening without polymers is possible Maximum throughput capacity of the decanterUp to 30 percent savings in terms of energyOptimization of all downstream processesReduction of transport and disposal costsLow level of wear, long service lifeMaintenance-freeUnsupervised operation also possible at night and during the weekendEfficient retrofit option available at all times

Düsseldorf, May 25, 2016 – Yesterday evening GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft was awarded the renowned „Deutscher Investor Relations Preis 2016” in the category of stock listed mid cap companies (MDAX). The award was received by CFO Dr. Helmut Schmale at the occasion of the Annual Conference of the German Investor Relations Association (DIRK) in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

During the ceremony Dr. Helmut Schmale stated: “As a company currently in a change process to ensure excellence in all we do, we strive to communicate transparently to capital markets which perspectives ensue from that for investors. We are honored that our investor relations efforts are evidently appreciated by capital market participants.”

The selection of winners by category was based on the Extel survey, which is annually conducted by news agency Thomson Reuters. Globally, some 20,000 investment professionals participated this year, hence this prize is quite representative for the perception of capital market participants at large. The prize is the most prominent distinction a German based company can earn in this field.

Düsseldorf (Germany), May 24, 2016 – GEA and Red Arrow have jointly won a Fleischerei Technik (Meat Technology) Award 2016 for their ‘smokeless’ smoking process in the 3rd Generation GEA CookStar spiral oven. SuperHeatSmoke is an innovative in-line solution for smoking of meat, poultry, seafood and meal components. The highly regarded award has been presented at IFFA 2016.

Recognition for innovation, efficiency and food safety

The Fleischerei Technik award honors innovations in meat and sausage processing in the supply chain from slaughtering to packaged products. The jury place special emphasis on groundbreaking ideas that not only boost efficiency but also increase product quality and enhance food safety. The award is presented in seven categories: processing machines; food safety; food processing; smoke & climate control; automation; hygiene; transport and logistics. GEA and Red Arrow won the Golden award in the smoke & climate control category.

The market for smoked products is growing. For example, smoked vegetarian products are becoming popular in Germany, while in Scandinavia, traditional fish products remain strong. The BBQ sector is another important European market for smoked products like ham shanks, pulled pork, pulled beef and pulled chicken. However, there are health concerns regarding conventional smoking processes.

Concern for well-being and authentic taste

Paul Verbruggen, Senior Product Manager Further Processing at GEA, says, “In today’s dynamic food market, consumers are aware of products that combine a concern for their well-being with ease of preparation and an authentic taste. At the same time, food processors get more and more direction from local and central government to provide sustainable products and adopt a responsible eating policy. The SuperHeatSmoke in-line smoking process co-developed with Red Arrow produces fully cooked smoked products that meet these criteria”. Uwe Vogel, Managing Director at Red Arrow Handels-GmbH, says: “Using conventional smoke is a labor intensive batch process and has limited performance in high temperature (> 100 °C) in-line smoking processes. The application of our purified primary smoke products and atomization technology in the GEA CookStar is an efficient, safe and effective alternative for hot smoking processes.”

Smoke without fire

SuperHeatSmoke is a process for smoking at temperatures above 100 °C. The 3rd Generation GEA CookStar is the only in-line spiral oven available with the option for using freshly generated smoke from Red Arrow’s purified smoke condensate. This means cooking, baking, roasting and smoking can all take place at the same time in one spiral oven. The oven ensures a controlled environment for a more constant and mild smoke flavor.

The technology further enables taste and color variation by using smoke condensate with different colors and flavor intensities and by the flexibility of applying smoke in one or both oven sections. A semi-automatic smoke generator is integrated into the 3rd Generation GEA CookStar for 'smoke on demand'. The smoke condensate tanks are equipped with an automatic filling system and the recipe is controlled via the CookStar Menu.

Clean label

SuperHeatSmoke can be labeled 'smoked' on the packaging, and since there are no unhealthy residues on products such as tar, ash and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), products may be designated 'Clean Label'. The resulting products are healthier compared to conventional smoking methods. There are significant process benefits too, because the in-line process cuts smoking times from hours to minutes. It also produces more consistent product quality than batch smoking systems.

Visit the Technology Center in Bakel to test this in-line process together with the GEA Application Specialists.

{loadposition articleinto2}

GEA Refrigeration Technologies has reorganized its operations in Poland and Romania.

Dubai. World Trade Centre, uae – 27 - 29 october 2015

In October it is time again: From October 18 - 23, the biggest and most renowned specialized exhibition for the coach and bus sector in the world - the Busworld - takes place in Kortrijk, Belgium.

Since October, a new face has become familiar at the Public Relations and Marketing Department of GEA Refrigeration Technologies. Anna Moczko (30) will take over responsibility for External Communications from Maren Fiorelli while Ms. Fiorelli is on maternity leave.

Experts for freezing solutions from GEA Refrigeration North America will be on hand at PROCESS EXPO 2013 to discuss the advantages of carton, spiral, tunnel, and impingement freezer solutions for applications in the food and beverage industry.

GEA presents product innovations at The Big5 in Dubai