When it comes to confectionery production, the transfer of highly viscous liquid sugar syrups can be troublesome to many pump types. Able to provide testimony is the Brazil factory of a well-known fruit jelly sweet manufacturer, where production engineers were becoming frustrated with unscheduled maintenance and downtime due to the failure of lobe pumps.

Help was at hand when the company made enquiries about MasoSine pump technology from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG). The subsequent switch to Sine pumps has reduced maintenance and downtime significantly.

The MasoSine pump range offers a triple lip seal system. This system is inexpensive to maintain and does not require any external lubrication sources, making it an ideal solution, not only operationally but also financially. Unlike traditional mechanical seals, the triple lip seal system, which is supplied as standard, is not affected by products with a high sugar content. Conversely, sugar syrups can make the mechanical seal faces of lobe pumps stick together, almost like glue, when the pump is not running for any period.

It was not long before the proposed change from lobe pump to Sine pump technology was declared a huge success in the fruit jelly sweet manufacturing application. As a result of the trial, four MasoSine pumps were ordered to transfer viscous liquid sugar syrups at temperatures of 60 to 70 °C, and flow rates up to 4,600 l/h.

Not only have maintenance and downtime costs been reduced, but MasoSine pumps are outperforming their lobe pump predecessors in this critical process with less component losses. Indeed, the company is now enjoying a wide range of efficiencies thanks to the specialist food sector expertise of Watson-Marlow’s Brazilian team.