Capable of delivering a reduction in cooking time by up to 95 percent and proven to cut clean-down time by up to 80 percent, the PDX technology can be used to mix, emulsify, cook, pump and entrain additional materials. All of these capabilities can be demonstrated in the pilot kitchen, which is equipped with a number of PDX units sized for flow rates of 1,000 to 63,000 liters/hour, with a turndown range of 85 percent on each unit. As well as the many process advantages of the system, product quality is enhanced due to reduced thermal shock. Taste and texture remain uncompromised.
John Heathcote, CEO of Pursuit Dynamics, said, "The pilot kitchen enables us to demonstrate to customers the robustness of our technology and its impressive controllability, in addition to proving the substantial savings that are generated in a whole range of mixing, cooking, pumping and emulsifying duties that the PDX Sonic carries out simultaneously."
Along with the highly controllable and quickly interchangeable PDX units, the pilot kitchen is equipped with a Mastersizer particle size analyzer, 500kg feed hopper, control valves, pressure gauges and computerized data collection. Batch sizes from 50 to 500kg can be handled, and there are also entrainment hoppers for powders, liquids or hard to wet gums such as guar gum. The facility is fully supported by a team of engineers and technicians.
All of the equipment is food-grade so that food and beverage recipes can be processed and tasted, and the PDX technology inherently allows rapid clean down between batches. The facility has already been used to produce a wide range of products including soups and both smooth and particulate sauces as well components of prepared meals such as rice, pasta, vegetables and meats. In addition, trials in various dairy, soft drink, jam and jelly, and other applications are now underway from food and beverage manufacturers not only from the UK, but also from a number of companies in the U.S. and elsewhere in Europe.