Spray Nozzle Engineering High-Precision Spraying Solutions for Food Processing Applications

Spray Nozzle Engineering (SNE) manufactures and supplies spraying solutions for coating, cleaning and drying applications in the food, beverage, dry goods and packaging industries.

The company’s technical development and customer support teams supply both patented and customised products that meet complex and high-precision spraying requirements for spray-drying, tank cleaning and washdown activities.

Located in New Zealand and Australia, SNE ensures safe, innovative and cost-effective products.

Comprehensive spraying solutions for the food and beverage industry

For more than three decades, SNE has designed, manufactured and supplied nozzles and spraying solutions for a wide range of applications such as drying, coating, humidifying and mixing, as well as cleaning, sanitising, foaming and lubricating.

The company also supplies washdown systems that incorporate innovative hose-handling solutions, which are designed for optimum safety.

An exclusive partner in fluid transfer and distribution, SNE offers compressed air nozzles for blow down applications. Its products are designed to save water and energy, while increasing safety and productivity.

Tank cleaning spray technology

SNE supplies and manufactures clean-in-place (CIP) technologies that provide high-quality tank cleaning at low operating pressures.

The M-Series CIP system utilises Flow-Step™ technology, which comprises concentrated streams of high-impact liquid that deliver efficient distribution and faster CIP cycles while reducing wastewater and chemical treatment costs.

SNE also has a full range of tank cleaning nozzle technologies for vessels and chambers. From motorised high-pressure nozzles to low-pressure high-flow options, SNE advises how to safely, economically and effectively reduce cleaning cycle times and water/chemical use.

In addition, SNE delivers hose handling and automated CIP hose reel systems for cleaning larger tanks and chambers.

Spray nozzles and advanced air nozzle technology

SNE is a fluid mechanics and engineering group with expertise in industrial spray nozzle technology for the atomising of sprayable fluids and air. Its solutions are used in applications in processes such as coating, cooling, cleaning and lubricating. As an exclusive partner with BETE fog nozzle, the company works closely to supply the latest spray excellence through innovation.

The company also provides automatic air-fluid atomising nozzles for automating continuous or conveyor processes that require coatings, lubricants or air-water mists.

SNE uses in-house computer-aided design (CAD) to supply a comprehensive range of customised spray solutions, including hygienic nozzle piping and spray bar systems, as well as CIP lances and air knife manifolds.

The company partners with SILVENT AB to provide clients with compressed air nozzles, blowing guns and exhaust silencing systems.

Spray-dry nozzles and check valve technologies

For more than 20 years, SNE has been developing a spray-dry nozzle and check valve technology based on its extensive experience in nozzle atomisation in the food industry.

The company’s solutions address safety through pressure and sealing code design compliance, powder quality through optimised axial flow, and wear part alignment of nozzles via concentric clasp technology (CCT). It also delivers low-nozzle cap profiles for fewer bearding and scorched particles, which increases return-on-investment (ROI).

CCT reduces consumable breakage and wear, while offering safe assembly logic systems that minimises operator assembly error on vital pressure-sealing components.

SNE’s Click & Dry range features the Drip-Pro Check Valve system, which is designed for a wide range of dryer types and can be retrofit to existing nozzles. This innovative check valve stops dripping, reduces scorched particles and runs for longer on viscous concentrates such as infant formula without blocking.

The Drip-Pro long-run Check Valve provides decreased post-shut dripping into the chamber, wellmix and fluid bed, which helps reduce scorched particles and other quality issues related to downgraded powder problems. Designed for long runs with high solid infant formula and nutritional products, its self-clearing design and large CIP ports mean that its flow characteristics allow the valve to run longer before requiring the nozzle to be removed and cleaned.

The Click & Dry systems are available with a two-year hardware warranty, based on SNE’s robust thread form and specialised materials that withstand thread binding and premature damage.

Specialised spray nozzle cap designs for wider spray angles

SNE’s Click & Dry systems include a new cap design that allows operators to run wider spray angles. The O-ring groove that is usually on the inside of the nozzle retainer or cap assembly has been moved from the cap to the disc to incorporate the Seal-in-Disc principle.

This technology ensures that the cap meets code compliance of pressure yield ratings, while also maintaining a smooth internal surface to meet European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group (EHEDG) guidelines, making it easy-to-clean.

Removing the O-ring groove from the cap also means that customers can utilise wider spray patterns in a conventional nozzle set-up without causing drooling, build up, or bearding, which left unchecked can become a fire risk.

SNE’s Click & Dry systems feature an easy-to-clean smooth cap design, a long operational life, large anti-galling threads, a seal face protection skirt, CCT, an axial compressive seal system, seal retention, and a Drip-Pro^TM Check Valve.

Dryer operator and powder production management training

SNE provides a dedicated training support system to provide operational team members with detailed standard of practice (SOP) placards on assembly-disassemble, safety and training tips. The course provides experience with dedicated nozzle handling tools, which ensure safer assembly and reduce premature part breakage and operating costs.

SNE produced a booklet titled ‘The 10 Facts of Spray Dry Nozzle Design’, which highlights the safety design considerations and performance issues that can be addressed and improved by the CD system, including the use of the compressive seal versus the radial seal system.

The booklet explains the importance of code compliance of high-pressure nozzle systems in explosive powder environments, and outlines new nozzle technology and related innovations such as the Drip-Pro long-run Check Valve.

Washdown systems and hose handling reel technology

SNE has provided water-saving and efficient ergonomic washdown systems for more than 25 years. Its expertise extends to trigger gun and hose nozzle technology, as well as complete hose handling systems.

As each washdown application is different due to water flow, pressure, temperature and operator needs, SNE can identify a water-saving nozzle to meet a client’s needs, including applications such as commercial kitchens, outdoor transport, brewery floors, dairy processing, meat processing and rendering.

SNE’s low-flow trigger nozzles are awarded the WELS Smart Water Tick of Approval, and are recognised by many water authorities in Water Saving Device Rebate schemes.

As part of its water and energy-saving technology for wash down, SNE’s sister company Reel Tech manufactures and supplies standard and customised stainless-steel hose handling and storage reel technology.

The Safer-R-Reel provides a comprehensive washdown package for a wide range of applications. These spring rewind retracting speed control reels are designed to safely store and handle hoses, as well as remove hose trip hazards.

Foaming-sanitising and chemical application equipment

SNE’s range of spraying solutions for washdown and CIP systems includes mixing and application technology, which deliver cleaning chemicals via foaming and sanitising delivery and distribution systems.

The systems are available as air or non-air, low or high-pressure, and portable or central systems to clean work areas ranging from transport to factory machines, doors and entryways.