From testing to proof: turning trials into large-scale pump investment

In the test, the Alfa Laval DuraCirc pump delivered the strongest performance, combining high pressure capability with gentle product treatment – ideal for the company’s processes. Following the trials, the company decided to upgrade the entire pump fleet with more than 40 DuraCirc pumps.

Rethinking pump technology for sauce production

In a drive to upgrade its pump fleet without compromising performance, a leading European sauce producer set out to evaluate alternative pumping technologies before deciding on its next-generation solution. The challenge was clear: replace existing pumps, while maintaining performance, improving cleanability and hygiene and at the same time ensuring gentle handling of demanding sauce formulations characterized by high viscosity and delicate textures. To ensure the right choice, the customer, in close collaboration with its system builder, decided to conduct a series of validation trials at Alfa Laval’s Application & Innovation Center.

Putting pump performance to the test

The trials were conducted over two days, where real recipes – prepared from the customer’s own ingredients – were processed under conditions closely mirroring the company’s real-life production setup. Two pumping applications were tested. The first involved transfer of premix from mixing tank to buffer tank, while the second focused on controlled dosing from buffer tank to filling line. The main evaluation criteria included the ability of the pumps to handle products with widely varying viscosity, ranging from water-like liquids to thick mixes, as well as gentle transfer of premixes containing particles such as small onion pieces. Stable and consistent flow to the filling line was also a critical requirement.

It was a demanding test, spanning both high-volume sauce base production and smaller batches for final preparation and filling. The results gave the customer and their system builder full confidence that DuraCirc pump can handle the task, combining robust performance, gentle product treatment with outstanding cleanability between batches” - Frederic Liot, Industry Manager at Alfa Laval.

From successful trials to 40+ pump replacements

By comparing two positive displacement pump technologies, the trials clearly demonstrated that DuraCirc pumps deliver robust pressure performance, while preserving product integrity and enabling easy, efficient cleaning across both high-volume pumping applications and smaller batch production. With these results, the customer initiated a phased upgrade programme, including replacement of more than 40 pumps across its sauce production lines. Installation of the new pumps proved straightforward, with each unit fitted in less than two hours.

It is always rewarding to see customers overcome complex challenges and when trials turn into full-scale implementation. Strong collaboration, open dialogue, deep application expertise and technology leadership were key to building a sound business case for an upgrade that will future-proof the customers production” - Jens-Aage Larsen, Application Center Manager.

The trials showed that pumping with the DuraCirc pump at high pressure preserved product consistency and flow behaviour, critical for maintaining uniform texture and stable processing.