IPCO enhances the Rotoform HP to deliver high-speed solidification for low and high-viscosity melts
Process solutions manufacturer IPCO has announced a series of enhancements to its Rotoform HP (High Performance) model, opening the door to applications across a far wider range of chemical products than previously possible. Initially introduced to enable high capacity pastillation of high viscosity products, the upgraded HP is now able to process low viscosity products with equal efficiency.
Higher quantity and better quality of pastilles
Additional benefits of the improved system include up to 15% greater throughput on the same cooling belt length, and improved pastille size consistency across the entire belt width.
Building on the proven Rotofom principle
First developed nearly 50 years ago, IPCO’s Rotoform technology has become firmly established as the default rotary drop depositor for hundreds of different food, cosmetic and chemical products. Enabling molten liquids to be converted into uniform, free-flowing hemispherical pastilles in a single step, it has transformed how chemicals are handled, stored, and transported.
The early success of the Rotoform in the 1980s led to the development of a range of specialised models, each designed to handle the characteristics of a particular product type as efficiently and productively as possible, but all sharing the same basic principle:
The Rotoform consists of a heated cylindrical stator and a perforated rotating shell that turns concentrically around the stator. A system of baffles and internal nozzles ensures uniform pressure across the entire width of the perforated rotary shell.
The rotational speed of the Rotoform is synchronized with that of a continuously running stainless steel belt, allowing liquid droplets to be deposited cleanly onto the belt. This, together with the pressure system, ensures that pastilles are consistent in size from one edge of the belt to the other.
The heat of the melt is transferred via the steel belt to cooling water sprayed underneath, resulting in fast, controlled cooling and solidification. This water is returned to the water re-cooling system; at no stage does it come into contact with the product.
The solidified pastilles are discharged from the end of the cooling line.
Key benefits include uniform shape and stability: the hemispherical shape of the pastilles makes them free-flowing, ideal for downstream storage, handling, blending and dosing. Rapid cooling minimizes oxygen contact with the hot product, while direct-from-the-melt solidification eliminates the energy and equipment costs associated with subsequent size reduction by crushing.
The original Rotoform HP – introduced in 2019 – was built on the strengths of the core Rotoform 4G model but featured a number of innovations suited to the processing of high viscosity products at high volumes.
The key mechanical difference was a significantly larger inlet channel, coupled with an increased outer shell diameter. This enabled greater efficiency in terms of even and consistent distribution of the melt across the full width of the steel belt cooler, ensuring maximum pastille uniformity.
Other improvements included a reduction in the number of parts for reduced maintenance requirements and enhanced reliability, while shell cleaning operations were also simplified, increasing operational time and overall productivity.
Today, this latest set of technical enhancements has taken the benefits of the Rotoform HP to another level.
Wider viscosity range: from ultra-thick to free-flowing
The ability to handle viscosities up to 40,000 mPas made the original Rotoform HP the system of choice for processors of high viscosity materials such as resins, hot melts and – in particular – chocolate. But now, following this upgrade, the HP is capable of handling lower-viscosity materials such as waxes equally efficiently.
This multi-viscosity capability makes the Rotoform HP an invaluable tool for contract manufacturers and multi-product chemical plants requiring rapid product changes without sacrificing pastille quality.
Higher operating speed: up to 15% greater throughput
The upgraded Rotoform HP is capable of operating (i.e. rotating) at higher speeds than the original system.
A higher rotational velocity means a greater volume of product can be deposited per minute without affecting drop formation. And because the system operates faster with optimized heat-transfer dynamics, the melt reaches its solidification temperature faster, delivering a firmer pastille at the discharge end for a given cooling length.
The result is a potential improvement in productivity of up to 15%.
Outstanding pastille uniformity from edge-to-edge
The third major advance is improved size distribution, especially for high viscosity products and wider belts (up to 2000 mm). Maintaining drop size consistency across a wide steel belt can be particularly challenging in high capacity systems. Any reduction in pressure near the edges can lead to undersized pastilles and/or uneven cooling profiles.
The Rotoform HP utilizes an advanced internal stator-and-baffle arrangement combined with optimized pressure balancing across the dosing bar to deliver outstanding drop uniformity from edge to edge. Every pastille exhibits the same hemispherical shape, mechanical stability, and bulk density, ensuring predictable dosing for downstream customers.
To learn more about IPCO’s Rotoform solutions or to speak with an expert, visit our website.