Complete control throughout the production process allows for optimum quality control and product consistency.  In today’s world confectionery manufacturers are continually trying to keep rework and waste to a bare minimum in order to offer the best product while still maintaining the highest possible profits.

Capital improvement of machinery is often the easiest way to accomplish these goals. By having machinery that offers exacting specifications it is possible to have a more perfect product.Groen’s new hemispheric bottom agitators are addressing these concerns by offering different kettles for different applications.

This range of kettles can be ordered for use with hot oil, hot water or hot glycol heating, in addition to traditional steam heating and cold water cooling. These alternate heating methods can broaden the processing temperature range of traditional jacket kettles and offer use on many specialized product applications.

Groen premier line kettles can be outfitted with self-contained hot oil heating systems capable of providing kettle jacket temperatures as high as 550-600 [degrees] F.

The hot oil heating systems are ideal for products that require higher processing temperatures than available from 100-125 PSI steam. Such applications would include melting/holding high temp resins and obtaining high temperature reactions for use in flavor extraction.

Groen kettles can, in addition to the hot oil, be equipped with a hot water heating system. The hot water system allows the ability to limit processing temperature to 200 [degrees] F or less. This package is aimed at heat sensitive products like chocolate or simply for product holding.

Both kettle designs are configured to allow maximum portability allowing them to be rolled to different processes and make reconfiguration of plant layouts quick and easy. They are also self contained systems that further simplify plant layout because they alleviate the need for a steam boiler and the associated piping.

Additional advantages for the hot water system are low temperature heating and, a major consideration, little maintenance is required.

Operating characteristics for this system include low heat transfer compared to steam, it is limited to about 200 [degrees] F, and electrical service required can limit larger applications.

The hot oil kettles major advantage is its temperature versatility. This kettle is able to provide low to high temperatures with jacket temperatures able to achieve 550-600 [degrees] F. Another nice feature is the low pressure jacket design.

Hot oil has low heat transfer compared to steam, periodical maintenance is required due to fluid oxidization, and electrical service required can limit larger applications.

The Groen premier line kettles are available in a wide range of sizes and agitator configurations. The product line is diverse enough to meet the mixing needs of most products.

Publication: Candy Industry