Pumps Provide Solution for Mixing of High Viscosity Pharmaceutical Products

Aeropak (Chemical Products) Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Diomed Developments handling various chemicals, is using three MasoSine sanitary pumps from Watson-Marlow Pumps Group to ensure the efficient and effective mixing of mainly aqueous and oil-based OTC and prescription medicine such as moisturising creams, and other dermatological products. The installation of the MasoSine pumps has helped facilitate a phase of extensive increases in throughput over the course of the past five years.

Since moving to a new large, modern site in 2002, Aeropak has installed three new MasoSine pumps from Watson-Marlow: SPS2, SPS2.5 and MR130 models.

“The pumps are used primarily to help re-circulate bulk product in mixing vessels through homogenisers – an essential process to ensure the quality of the products,” said Graham Abraham, Projects Manager at Aeropak.

The MasoSine pumps are also used to transfer product from the mixing vessels into bulk storage containers. Mr Abraham says it was the gentle, low shear product handling capability of the pumps that underpinned their original selection. This feature is achieved thanks to the exclusive sinusoidal rotor integral to both SPS and MR series models, which give a wave-like action.The single rotor design offers very low propulsion, while large

pumping chambers help preserve and maintain product integrity.

“The viscosity of products such as Doublebase is not a problem for the MasoSine pumps,” said Mr Abraham. “They work away without any issues. Because of their simple design (one rotor, one shaft, one seal), economical in-line maintenance and cleaning is also achieved easily. When we need to change product on one of the production lines, stripping the pumps, cleaning

them down, testing and re-assembly is both quick and straightforward. Obviously the need to get the production lines changed over in an efficient manner is critical to our operations here at Great Yarmouth.”