Liquid essences from medicinal plants
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SPANGLER – the Plus of Know-how.
An extraction plant for recovery of essential oils, aromas or other natural extracts is based on longterm well-proven processes. Manufacturers of mechanical engineering and control technology have to cope with special challenges in case such a plant has to be designed in accordance with American specifications.
In the currenct case SPANGLER Automation was commissioned by Devex Verfahrenstechnik GmbH in Warendorf to plan a control system for a pilot plant for the extraction of medicinal plants according to the American norms UL508A and UL698A and set up the required control technology within four months.
UL508A regulates the entire manufacturing process for the production of industrial control panels in North America, up to start-up. UL698A is the base for control cabinets which are applied in especially hazardous locations. SPANGLER is one of the few German manufacturers certified to produce control cabinets according to UL norm 698A in order to supply the American market accordingly. As in this case the essences are extracted with highly flammable ethanol, the plant had to meet the prerequisites for the potentially explosive section (Class. I, Div. 2), in compliance with the National Electrical Code.
From Töging to Colorado
The specification comprises the control system, including data storage with remote access, an operation cabinet with touch panel as well as programming and visualisation of the plant, completely manufactured on a Skid frame. SPANGLER has a longtime experience with American norms; thus, although designing a plant under these extraordinary circumstances is quite demanding, it could be solved at a good pace. In order to ensure correct functioning of the plant, it had been completely assembled, wired and tested at SPANGLER before it was delivered to Colorado.
The application of SPANGLER quality at the international pharmaceutical market is a promising field because the extraction of medicinal plants is interesting for numerous industry branches, especially for the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and chemical industry.