RELCO Star Valve Boosts Cheese Curd Efficiency in Dairy Industry

Imagine a cheese production line where curds no longer move slowly as solid chunks, but flow efficiently through pipes like liquid. This isn't science fiction—it's made possible through optimized pneumatic conveying systems. The RELCO® rotary valve serves as the critical component enabling this transformation, specifically designed for positive pressure conveying and differential pressure airlock applications in cheese curds and similar dairy products.

The RELCO® rotary valve comes in two sizes to accommodate different production scales:

• 10-inch model: With a conveying capacity up to 14,000 pounds per hour, ideal for small to medium dairy production lines.
• 12-inch model: Offering a conveying capacity up to 24,000 pounds per hour, designed for large-scale dairy operations.

This differentiated design allows dairy manufacturers to select the most appropriate valve size based on their specific production needs, optimizing efficiency while reducing operational costs.

Engineered with dairy industry requirements in mind, the RELCO® rotary valve boasts several notable features:

• Compliance with dairy equipment standards for safety and hygiene
• Quick-release end covers for easy maintenance without special tools
• Multiple configuration options including bottom discharge and purge variants
• O-ring sealed connections to prevent leaks and contamination
• FDA-approved PTFE lip seals for shaft protection
• Direct drive mechanism for reliable power transmission
• Sanitary rotary joints on 4-inch models
• 316 stainless steel construction for corrosion resistance

Within cheese curd pneumatic conveying systems, the rotary valve performs two essential functions:

• Positive pressure conveying: Transporting curds between processing equipment with minimal manual handling
• Differential pressure airlock: Maintaining system stability by preventing gas leakage between differently pressurized components

These capabilities significantly enhance production line automation while ensuring product safety and consistency.

For a medium-sized dairy facility producing 5,000 tons of cheese annually, implementation of these rotary valves could yield:

• 15% improvement in production efficiency through reduced handling
• 10% reduction in labor costs via decreased manual operations
• 5% decrease in product loss from minimized curd damage

Collectively, these improvements could generate annual savings in the tens of thousands of dollars while simultaneously improving product quality.

The RELCO® rotary valve represents an effective solution for dairy processors seeking to modernize their cheese production operations. Its combination of technical performance, hygienic design, and operational flexibility enables manufacturers to achieve greater efficiency while maintaining strict quality standards.