Air Compressor for the Beverage Industry

Processing in the Beverage Industry

The food and beverage industry typically requires compressed air systems for the following processes. Pipeline transportation of liquids: milk, soy sauce, purified water, carbonated beverages, beer, and rice wine, etc.

During fermentation: Liquid agitation: Introducing air to increase oxygen content. Examples: beer, rice wine, soy sauce, and vinegar, etc.

Mixing/agitation in ingredient preparation: Introducing airflow into liquids to agitate them. Compressed air is generally used, though inert gases like carbon dioxide or nitrogen may occasionally be employed. Examples: blending soy sauce, vinegar, and spirits.

Carbonation in carbonated beverages: Introducing carbon dioxide from cylinders or gas holders. When pressure from gas holders is low, carbon dioxide must be pressurized via a CO₂ compressor before entering the mixer.

Air stretching: PET bottle production.

Conveying and transmission systems: e.g., in slaughterhouses.

Aseptic packaging: Pressurized with sterile air.

Blowing materials and removing impurities: Dehairing and conveying minced meat in slaughterhouses; blowing away powder and cleaning equipment in biscuit production; guiding materials in baking processes; expelling spent grain using air pressure in beer filtration.

Extruding materials: Beer industry: After wort cooling, sterile compressed air pushes wort out of plate coolers. Sugar industry: Filtration, sponge extrusion, sugar syrup extrusion. Cylinder actuation for filling machines, generating linear motion.

Gas-flushed packaging: Suitable for items requiring lower vacuum levels and higher gas volumes.

All these processes utilize industrial compressed air—whether vacuum, high-pressure, or low-pressure.

Compressed air is widely used in equipment within the beer, lactic acid, food fermentation, and other food industries. It serves as the primary power source and fulfills critical roles in process control and protective filling. In the beverage industry, compressed air is required to control the valves and braking devices in the automatic production line of filling, packaging and bottling. Completely pure compressed air is also required for the transportation, blowing, ventilation, fermentation, cooling and spraying of powdery substances.

Applications of Compressed Air Systems in Food Production

In the aforementioned processes, some compressed air does not come into contact with food or beverages. This type of compressed air is primarily used in mechanical applications such as power actuators and control cylinders. Since it does not directly contact food or beverages, the quality requirements for this compressed air are not particularly stringent. The pressure is generally maintained around 0.6 MPa, and the consumption volume can be determined based on the scale of production.

Another portion involves compressed air that comes into indirect contact with food or beverages. Examples include applications such as can sealing, beverage bottle filling, and food packaging. Although this compressed air does not directly touch the food or beverage, the quality requirements for it remain equally stringent. The discharge pressure for this compressed air is generally around 0.5 to 0.6 MPa.

Other processes involve compressed air coming into direct contact with food or beverages. This type of compressed air is primarily used in a series of production processes such as mixing raw materials, fermentation, bagging, blowing, drying, hot air soldering, and pneumatic venting. Compressed air must undergo oil removal, sterilization, and deodorization. Oil-free screw compressors are typically selected as the air source, followed by rigorous post-treatment. Beyond sterilizing filters, post-treatment equipment must include air-water separators and high-efficiency precision filters to remove dust, moisture, and oil from the compressed air, preventing contamination and accidents.

The reasonable and correct selection of air compressor and post-treatment device is of great significance to ensure the hygiene and quality of food and beverage.

For the impurities contained in compressed air, the purification of compressed air is mainly to remove impurities such as dust, moisture and oil. Dust and moisture mainly come from the air, and most of the oil comes from the air compressor itself. In addition to using oil-free lubricated air compressor, oil-lubricated air compressor is generally used. Therefore, choose to install a set of high-quality air compressor post-treatment equipment, which can filter the dust and impurities in the compressed air, remove the moisture and oil, and make the compressed air meet the standard.

Air Compressor Selection for Beverage Production

As mentioned earlier, compressors in the food industry are often used in processes that involve direct or indirect contact with food, such as liquid material transfer, ingredient mixing, or filling and blowing. Therefore, oil-free compressors are typically recommended in the food and beverage sector to reduce the risk of contamination when compressed air comes into contact with food and beverages.

Elang provides oil-free air compressors and comprehensive aftertreatment equipment, including high-efficiency precision filters and dryers, designed to deliver pure compressed air for beverage industry equipment. Additionally, the entire Elang air compressor product line features pre-filters that effectively cleanse air before it enters the compressor. Our goal extends beyond meeting beverage industry requirements—we strive to provide every enterprise with a premium compressed air experience that is high-quality, energy-efficient, and reliable. We are committed to excellence and dedicated to establishing Elang as the leading brand in the air compressor industry.

Conclusion

Since food and beverages share a common characteristic—they are intended for human consumption— Therefore, when selecting air compressors, edibility concerns must be prioritized. This means compressed air quality must be exceptional, particularly ensuring the reliability of post-treatment equipment and piping systems. If compressed air used in food manufacturing and packaging is contaminated with bacteria, oil, or other impurities, consumption can lead to acute poisoning or chronic health hazards such as diarrhea, dizziness, acute shock, and carcinogenic effects. Products failing inspection will be scrapped, damaging corporate brand reputation and causing significant financial losses. During initial investment and practical application, it is imperative to understand production processes and air quality requirements to make targeted, rational choices for air compressors and post-treatment systems. This approach not only optimizes the company’s investment efficiency but also ensures food hygiene and safety through reliable compressed air supply.