MICROWAVE THERMAL PROCESSING
A leading equipment manufacturer wanted to understand the thermal profile of food products such as vegetable and fruit purees at different points during microwave aseptic sterilization.

The Keyhole Multi-point probes were mounted at various locations in the process to measure the difference in heating across the radial flow profile.

Keyhole sensors were able to measure the location of the critical cold spot previously only available through theoretical calculations. The company was also able to understand the radial temperature distribution of the flow with different product types, enabling them to rapidly fine-tune their process for each food.

A sample temperature distribution chart can be seen below
(note that this is a sample only, and not the actual distribution measured!)
Measuring thermal profiles with Keyhole Sanitary RTDs and thermocouples
PARTICULATE FOOD PROCESSING
A major commercial food processor wanted to Process 3/4" solid pieces of food to create a new high quality "chunky" product. However these food particles were being destroyed by conventional RTDs extending across the flow as well as causing line blockages and high operating pressures.

By deploying Keyhole "Low Profile" sensors, the company was able to process all the food particles intact.

See the Keyhole™ Low-Profile Sensors here
Measuring process temperatures without damaging large food pieces with Keyhole Sanitary RTDs
COMBINED PRESSURE/TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
A System Integrator had deisgned a new compact Direct Steam Injection (DSI) skid for a major soup manufacturer. This required measurement of both pressure and temperature in the same location with no space for sequential instrument tees.

Windridge Sensors added a Keyhole™ sensor port on to the same instrument tee as the pressure sensor, allowing the temperature to be measured with no additional space. Since the Keyhole™ sensor can operate in any orientation with no loss of sanitary performance, the port was set at an angle to avoid other skid components. Having independent pressure and temperature sensors also allowed for lower replacement costs for each individual sensor compared to a single combination unit.

See the Keyhole™ Hybrid tee Fitting here
Measuring process temperature and pressure in the same location with Keyhole Sanitary RTDs
REDUCING PROCESS BIOBURDEN
A global producer of sanitary non-woven fabrics wanted to eliminate the dead-legs created by conventional RTDs in its process. By simply replacing the old RTDs and pipework tees with Keyhole sensors, the company was able to cost-effectively remove those dead-legs and improve the overall sanitary performance of the process.
Reducing bioburden with Keyhole Sanitary RTDs
SMALL BORE LABORATORY & PILOT PLANT PROCESSING
A major commercial food processor wanted to test a new recipe in a small-scale pilot plant prior to finalizing the design of a full-scale plant. However the recipe called for solid particles of food the same size as the radius of the pilot plant pipe. These food particles were being destroyed by conventional RTDs extending in to the flow as well as causing line blockages and high operating pressures.

Windridge Sensors designed a new small-bore "mini" Keyhole™ sensor with a low-profile tip, allowing the company to not only process all the food particles intact, but was also able to reduce the overall pumping pressure due to the lower obstruction created by the Keyhole sensors.

See the Keyhole™ Mini Sensors here
Measuring pilot- and lab-scale process temperatures with mini Keyhole Sanitary RTDs
FOOD TRAY HEAT PENETRATION
A major commercial food processor needed to ensure adequate heat penetration through a product contained in a sealed plastic food tray with a single probe that could be inserted in to a tray in a repeatable location for reliable comparison across multiple samples.

Windridge Sensors used its multi-point in-line temperature measurement experience to design a custom probe that could instead be inserted in to a food tray in a repeatable position and measure the temperature at three locations simultaneously with minimal loss of accuracy due to stem conduction between adjacent measurement points, and to the external fitting.

See the Food Tray Sensors here
Measuring thermal penetration in food trays
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