May 18th, 2024

CSI and Burns & McDonnell: A Design-build Collaboration for a Frozen Food Manufacturer

When design/build firm Burns and McDonnell developed a preliminary design and specifications for a national food brand, they wanted additional processing expertise to complete detailed system design and engineering for sauce and dough production.

To ensure all product is stored and handled safely, Burns and McDonnell engaged CSI in a design-assist engineering effort.

CSI engineered and designed the sauce kitchen process, which integrated six different systems to minimize product loss, increase efficiency, and reduce cleaning time. Burns & McDonnell designed the cream yeast system relying on CSI for implementation—from process cooling and product distribution to the clean-in-place system.

"CSI has the expertise in sanitary design, modular skid manufacturing, and materials procurement, including piping, pumps, and valves, to deliver an end-to-end solution for our project in a way that Burns and McDonnell could trust CSI to hit the client’s performance metrics."

Eric Hungerford, PE, Burns & McDonnell

The Challenges

CSI analysis of the existing sauce-production process revealed several opportunities for improvement:

The existing system had multiple manual steps that increased opportunities for worker error and spillages. For example, personnel added spices manually from large bags, which resulted in spillage and inconsistent batches.
Operators had no way to calculate losses due to spillage.
No means of product recovery increased product loss.
Cleaning was inconsistent and involved manual interactions that decreased operational efficiency.

To meet its objectives, the project progressed through several stages, each tackling specific challenges while drawing on the distinct expertise of both partners.

Solutions: Sauce Production Enhancements

Based on the analysis, CSI designed several improvements:

Tote Unloading Skid — Utilizing a Murzan unloading system, tomato paste is unloaded from containers, blended with water, and then sent to the standardizing skid. A premix skid provides accurate water dosing into the paste to ensure a consistent mixture.
Standardizing Skid — As the tomato paste is loaded into the standardizing skid, it is continuously mixed inside two 1,500-gallon tanks equipped with high-capacity mixing blades. The tomato paste mixes until the installed Vaisala Refractometer meets the proper consistency and BRIX measurement standards. The refractometers allow the sauce kitchen to create a recipe base that can be used to make a variety of sauce flavors in the following step. Once the standard is met, the sauce is moved into the mixing skid.
Spice Transfer System — A spice transfer system moves spices into the mixing skid tanks to ensure a consistent recipe mixture and accurate dosing. Housed in a dry room, the transfer system has a receiving hopper into which operators empty pre-portioned spice bags. The receiving hopper then drops the spice mixture into a gravimetric feeder and a secondary hopper. When the mixing skid is ready, a vacuum-convey system sends the spice mixture to the mixing skid. The system can verify the precise amount transferred — allowing the sauce kitchen to achieve a consistent recipe mixture.
Mixing Skid — This skid accepts the sauce product and adds spices as it mixes it through two 750-gallon tanks. Thanks to the vacuum transfer process when adding spices, the sauce kitchen can control the exact measurements of spices to achieve the proper recipe, and there is no opportunity for operator spillage. Once this sauce is mixed correctly, the finished product is moved to the holding skid.
Holding Skid — This holds the final product mixture and eventually delivers it to the 120-gallon applicator, which places the sauce onto the final product. This system also has a TrueClean® Product Recovery System to maximize the sauce product yield.
Clean-in-Place (CIP) System — Two separate 3-tank, dual-supply, CIP 2.0 skids clean the Cream Yeast and Sauce systems. The CIP system is key to optimizing production by delivering a fast and reliable approach to avoiding risks to product integrity and quality.

Cream Yeast System Line for Dough Production

With the sauce kitchen's improvements underway, the project's scope expanded to include the dough production line. Burns and McDonnell designed the cream yeast system and entrusted CSI with process cooling, product distribution, and CIP. CSI selected process valves, twin screw pumps, and instruments used for product distribution and CIP. CSI's engineering team also designed a cream yeast tank glycol loop for dough production, which the CSI field team installed. Finally, rheology testing from CSI ensured the best selection of pumps for meeting the viscosity and shear requirements of cream yeast.

Before processing, the cream yeast product is unloaded from tankers into one of two 13,000-gallon storage silos, which are kept at a specific temperature to maintain the integrity of the yeast. When the system is ready, valve clusters move the product onto the mixing platform.

The cream yeast continuously moves in the mixing platform to prevent it from settling. When the mixer calls for the yeast, the valve opens and releases the proper amount of yeast into the mixer for the dough.

Through this cooperative effort, the project achieved a significant step forward in dough production efficiency, showcasing the value of expertise and focused execution.

The Role of Automated Clean-in-Place in Production

CSI designed all system valve clusters and a CIP skid for the cleaning phase. After modeling all of the process piping between the cleaning system and the production line, CSI craftsmen completed the installation.

The CIP system meets and maintains critical parameters for the duration of the cleaning cycle. The automation calculates, tracks, and runs CIP independently, allowing the operator to focus elsewhere. It controls pump speeds, chemical concentrations, and temperatures. Each CIP sequence records temperature, flow, concentration, and cycle times. Data recording allows users to validate that the system is clean.

“The unique aspect of this project was the client's desire to integrate Ignition HMI software into the system. Collaborating with Malisko, we developed customized versions of our screens within the Ignition HMI software, ensuring a seamless user experience consistent with other screens throughout their facility. This integration enables users to monitor and control CIP systems from any HMI interface within the plant.”

Trent Bullock, CSI, Director of Engineering Services.

The Advantages of Streamlining the Cleaning Processes

By integrating the cleaning process into the line, it enhanced operational efficiency, product safety, and sustainability by:

Allowing for seamless transitions between production cycles and freeing up personnel

Ensuring repeatable cleaning processes that underscore hygiene standards, reduce contamination, and increase product safety.

Eliminating the build-up of residues that could affect the product quality

Minimizing water consumption and cleaning agents via recycling and reuse

The Results

The collaboration between Burns & McDonnell and CSI resulted in significant enhancements, delivering a system that combines aesthetic appeal with functional durability. The system is designed for long-term use, constructed with high-quality stainless steel, and features robust components. The skids showcase exceptional quality, focusing on reliable valves and effective steam and condensate management. Incorporated into the design was 10,000 linear feet of sloped sanitary piping, designed to navigate the constraints of an interstitial space without compromising on quality or performance.

"From a fabrication standpoint, the quality of the materials, the quality of the welds, and the quality of the adherence to the design documents was impeccable."

Eric Hungerford, PE, Burns &McDonnell

Together, the dough and sauce systems led to significant improvements in production capabilities in several ways:

Water Usage Reduction: Implementing an automated Clean-in-Place (CIP) system reduced water usage by 30%, highlighting strides toward environmental sustainability and operational cost savings.
Batching Consistency and Waste Reduction: Enhanced process data collection facilitated consistent batching, significantly decreasing waste and optimizing resource use and production efficiency.
Improved Production Yields: Introducing product recovery systems and monitoring improved production yields and enhanced operational efficiency.
Labor Efficiency: Achieved a 50% reduction in reliance on unskilled labor, streamlining operations and improving overall labor efficiency.

The CSI Project Management Difference

Cross-functional project management from CSI lifts the burden on design/build firms to coordinate specialty system design, sourcing, fabrication, installation, and testing. Without a need for capital expenditures for detailed design or fabrication building expertise, smaller firms can partner with CSI to gain expertise without the expense. Turning to CSI is a cost-effective way to speed the delivery of time-sensitive projects without disrupting progress on other bread-and-butter projects.

CSI design and field teams use industry-leading technology to aid efficiency. They help client stakeholders visualize and understand system components and layouts before implementation. During construction, CSI field expertise helps quickly resolve any unforeseen issues.

"In the design phase, CSI employed multiple components of their technology, which was very visual in their demonstration of their expertise. The representation of the piping and the valves, the skid design, and the components were on the cutting edge of the industry and made it easy for the client to see exactly what they were going to get when it came to fabrication and then obviously, final delivery in the field."

Eric Hungerford, PE, Burns & McDonnell

Custom Fabrication: From Concept to Commissioning

Design/build firms tasked with developing new processing facilities in the food, dairy, beverage, pharma, or biotech industries face countless vital and often costly decisions that can distract them from their core profit centers.

Because the project occurred during COVID and supply chain challenges, problems arose throughout the project's design, fabrication, and construction phases. The CSI team found solutions that didn't impact project costs or scheduling. Time and again, we found ourselves able to overcome difficulties, whether in design fabrication or field construction, in a way that delivered the ultimate solution for the client and did not impact production capability but delivered against cost and schedule.

"Following fabrication in the shop and delivery to the field, the construction team onsite in the Midwest was one of the best contractors we've had from an overall quality and delivery standpoint. The result was a quality that was second-to-none on site in a project where over 72 different contractors were out there all at the same time."

Eric Hungerford, PE, Burns & McDonnell

Design-build firms should consider various factors that may fall outside their expertise, such as product viscosity, sensitivity to air, temperature, moisture, and other contact materials, its corrosive nature, and many other variables. A strategic partnership with CSI is the solution.

About Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell is a full-service engineering, architecture, construction, environmental, and consulting solutions firm based in Kansas City. With a century of experience, they have established themselves as a leader in designing and building infrastructure across various sectors, including energy, water, commercial, and government projects. Their commitment to innovation and client success drives their approach, delivering projects that meet the highest quality and sustainability standards.

For more information on their services and expertise, visit their Kansas City office's website: Burns & McDonnell.

ABOUT CSI

Central States Industrial Equipment (CSI) is a leader in distribution of hygienic pipe, valves, fittings, pumps, heat exchangers, and MRO supplies for hygienic industrial processors, with four distribution facilities across the U.S. CSI also provides detail design and execution for hygienic process systems in the food, dairy, beverage, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and personal care industries. Specializing in process piping, system start-ups, and cleaning systems, CSI leverages technology, intellectual property, and industry expertise to deliver solutions to processing problems. More information can be found at www.csidesigns.com.