Free-flow packaging

The Dow Chemical Company first entered the loose-fill packaging market in 1962 with a material that resembled spaghetti strands. Eventually the shape evolved to the S shape that characterized the product from the early 1970s to the present. Other competitors in the polystyrene foam loose-fill market include Flo-Pak, manufactured by Free-Flow Packaging, Inter-Pac, manufactured by Inter-Pac, WingPac and C-Pac, manufactured by Rapac, and Alta-Pak, manufactured by Storopack. In 1993, Dow sold the trademark rights to the S shape and Pelaspan-Pac to Storopack. The information about foamed polystyrene loose-fill that follows is an overview specific to materials that are formed in hard resin strands, cut to length, boxed and shipped to and later expanded for customer use at a convertor (expander) location. 

H.G. Franke and D.R. Bittner, inventors Free-Flow Packaging, assignee US5512090,1996. 

Because of its hygroscopicity, fmctose must be properly dried, packaged, and stored to prevent lumping and preserve free-flowing handling. Recommended storage and bulk handling conditions call for conditioned air at a relative humidity of less than 50% and a maximum temperature of 24°C... 

FIG. 21-34 Loss-of-weight-type scale used with a hag-packaging machine for non-free-flowing products. (Coutiesy of H. K Henderson IndusMes, Inc., Caldwell,... 

Crystallisation is used for the production, purification and recovery of solids. Crystalline products have an attractive appearance, are free flowing, and easily handled and packaged. The process is used in a wide range of industries from the small-scale production of specialised chemicals, such as pharmaceutical products, to the tonnage production of products such as sugar, common salt and fertilisers. 

Here the melt solidifies into an amorphous structure which is broken into small rod shaped pieces by mechanical agitation. The flavor pieces are recovered by centrifugation, dried under a vacuum, mixed with a free flowing agent and packaged for sale. The product of this process contains 8-20% flavor load and is exceptionally stable to deterioration by oxidation. 

The extrusion into a cold isopropanol bath, recovery by centrifugation, drying in a vacuum oven, addition of a free flowing agent and packaging are essentially unchanged from the recommendations of Swisher ( 3). 

Amolit. Trade name of a free-flowing bulk packaged ANFO expl distributed in Switzerland by Vereinigung Schweizerischer Spreng-stoff-Fabriken bulk d, 0.8g/cc... 

Storage problems, very common in industry, result if the product from a dryer is free-flowing when packaged, but has caked and formed solid lumps when received by the customer. Sometimes, the entire internal contents of a bag or drum have welded together into a huge lump, making it impossible to discharge. 

Upon completion of drying, the free flowing powder is passed through screens to remove oversized particles that are retained for reprocessing. The final product is packaged in various type containers as required. 

Tab. 6.4-5 List of some dry and dried food materials as well as mixed food formulations that are converted by growth agglomeration into free flowing, granulated, often instant, and dust free products for easy packaging, metering, and reconstitution Tab. 6.4-6 Listing of some materials that are processed wifli roller extrusion presses and associated equipment in the food industry (in alphabetical order)...

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