Suomen Sokeri in Kantvik, Finland faced challenges in its sugar production process when clogged feed ports and bending filter plates caused repeated downtime and extra costs. Roxia designed and implemented a solution that eliminated these issues and improved process reliability.
About Our Customer Suomen Sokeri
Suomen Sokeri Oy is a leading Finnish food industry company producing high-quality sugar at its Kantvik plant. The company focuses on efficiency and sustainable production.
Customer Challenge
Filtration process challenges were threatening production continuity. The plant experienced major problems with bending filter plates and clogged feed ports. This resulted in
- High annual costs for filter plate repairs and replacements
- Unplanned downtime and maintenance
- Issues with cake thickness and moisture control
Clogged feed port with O-rings
O-rings and rubber parts found inside feed port.
Solution – What Did We Do?
Roxia carried out a thorough filter inspection and identified the root cause of the blockages: large red O-rings and miscellaneous rubber parts had entered the feed ports from the feed pump. The customer did not have a screen at the pump or a sieve in the feed pipe.
Our product management team, engineer, and service team designed an easily removable pipe with an inspection port and sieve for the feed line. The sieve can be checked without removing the pipe, making maintenance quick and effortless. Finding the optimal location and sizing for the sieve to ensure effective filtration without impacting flow.
Additionally, updating the design and drawings for an old electromechanical pressure filter was challenging, as the original documentation was outdated and required custom adjustments.
Results
- No more unwanted O-rings in the feed line – everything stays at the sieve where it should
- No more clogged feed ports-> The feed line now stays clean and unobstructed, eliminating costly downtime and improving overall process efficiency.
- The sieve is easily accessible and cleanable during maintenance.
- Annual costs for filter plate repairs, downtime, and unplanned maintenance were significantly reduced.
Most importantly: No more bent plates and a satisfied customer. Roxia will continue supporting the customer and optimizing their processes with annual inspections and shut down overhauls.
Sieve and pipe design with the inspection port.
Filter with upgraded feed piping with integrated sieve.