From its original concept as a sausage stuffing pump, the Marlen Pump provides proven versatility in handling all types of food products. Smear or shear sensitive, abrasive, viscous or those requiring high product pressures are all handled on a Marlen Pump. In addition, deaeration, metering and inline griding features are available.
Marlen food processing pumps fit into several different types of applications:
- Whole muscle or gentle handling applications
- High vacuum applications
- Applications with Abrasive products
- Applications needing constant speed or constant pressure
- Lowest amount of product temperature rise
Over the past 70 years, Marlen pumps have been in use both inside and outside the U.S. Below are a few highlights of various applications and products that have used Marlen.
Aseptic Processing
Consistent drained weights were achieved from aseptically processed fruits. Up to 80% drained weights have been obtained from fruits processed in natural juice or syrup. In general, these fruits have been either one-half inch decided or whole fruits including blueberries, strawberries, cherries, peaches, pears and pineapples.
A Marlen Vacuumizer hopper was employed to accomplish both deaeration and to assist in impregnating sugar solids into fruit. The deaeration aids in the removal of oxygen from sensitive fruits and ¾” diced tomatoes.
The gentle action of the Marlen pumping system enhances the maintenance of particulate identities. In contrast, the typical action of rotary positive displacement pumps produces an inherent liquid phase slippage of pressurized product and intermittent particulate metering resulting from this slippage. The Marlen reciprocating sleeve traps the blended mixture and the piston gently pushes the full mixture into the line ahead of the pump for processing.
Meat Processing
A lean, unsmeared particulate appearance is being obtained from even high fat fresh sausage. A Marlen pump equipped with vacuum pistons for deaeration and an inline grinder for final grind loads the product into casings.
Large sectioned or chunked whole muscle are being continuously deaerated using a Marlen vacuumizing hopper. These large pieces are then gently pushed by reciprocating 6” to 9” diameter pistons through 4” diameter lines to filling devices. Even whole turkey breasts are being handled without tearing or smearing through this system.
Snacks
Most corn chips produced today utilize corn masa blend extruded through a forming-cutting die head. Each opening in the head controls the thickness and width. The speed of flow regulates the cut-length. With a Marlen continuous metering extruder and its 6” butterfly valves shear is practically non-existent in feeding forming dies. In practice these units are being operated on a 24 hour a day schedule over a five to six day week and require minimal maintenance.
Baking and Canning
The baking and canning industries have also benefited from the use of Marlen pumps. In the baking world, cookie dough, English muffin, pie biscuit, croissant, bread dough and icing have been and are pumped gently and efficiently with reciprocating twin-piston pump. Spinach and broccoli are transferred for packaging with almost no damage and at far greater production than hand labor. Diced tomatoes, peaches, pears and whole strawberries are also being pumped and transported with Marlen equipment.
With such a wide array of processes and applications, it’s no wonder Marlen Pumps have grown to be a standard in the industry. And, throughout the years, we’ve continued to listen to our customers and improve upon the original pump from 1953. And that continues to this day.
