CLIMAjet®

When it comes to the manufacture of meat products, the climatic conditions determine the quality. Schröter’s tried-and-tested Climajets® create the ideal temperature and humidity regardless of the outside climate.

Schröter continuously tests its air circulation systems for thermal meat and sausage processing, and tailors them to different processes and product properties. Its process optimization efforts focus on new and more effective system components, product-specific and energy-saving control options, as well as various types and speeds of air flow for uniform product maturing. With extensive visualization options such as permanent parameter documentation, batch and operator verification, and batch traceability, the East Westphalian systems manufacturer also ensures that its customers meet HAACP requirements (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) with ease. Last but not least, Schröter develops its systems with cost-effectiveness in mind and always strives to achieve best-in-class performance with low energy consumption.
In order to fully meet real-world requirements, we collaborate with Germany’s leading raw sausage producers, scientific institutions, and vocational schools. A highly qualified team of designers, mechanical engineers, and meat technologists then transforms the results into sophisticated system designs.

Intelligent Airflow

The multi-channel CLIMAjet® MAS is particularly clever. Thanks to various air inlet and recirculation options, this system supplies all areas of the chamber with conditioned drying air – for a perfect drying result. An alternating flow of air ensures that products dry in an extremely uniform manner right from the first hour of maturing – whether small or large-diameter products and low or high degrees of drying. An additional benefit is that the air flow is gentle on the products.
Furthermore, the split air inlet ducts, which are adapted to the respective chamber size, have proven themselves in everyday
use. Depending on the program, alternating dampers supply the horizontal or vertical inlet ducts with conditioned air. In this process, the correct ratio between air that is directed horizontally and vertically is crucial.

Gentle Maturing and Drying

Raw sausages and hams should mature and dry gently and quickly with the lowest possible energy consumption. With the innovative LIMIT process control based on the principle of “alternating humidity control,” the systems manufacturer is demonstrating a novel approach.

In this process, an interval of minimum and maximum temperature and humidity values is defined, and the parameters of this interval control the system’s continuous alternation between running and paused operation. During a pause interval, the moisture in the product diffuses from the core to the surface, where it is released into the circulating air, thereby increasing the humidity in the chamber. The highest level that the humidity in the chamber is permitted to reach, the external LIMIT value, is adjusted to the respective product properties. When it is reached, the pause period ends and the system begins operation once again. By increasing the circulating air and adding cooling, heating, drying, and fresh air, the chamber humidity is reduced and the climate values fall back within the preset internal LIMIT parameters. The system then automatically switches to pause mode, and the climate once again develops solely as a result of the moisture released by the product. The LIMIT control system also incorporates fresh air into the process via state-of-the-art enthalpy control systems. A “negative” maximum deviation from the target value can be set so that the product does not become too dry. If the chamber humidity level falls below this value, the system moves back toward the regular LIMIT range by means of additional humidification.

This minimizes maturing errors, increases the longevity of motors and machine parts, reduces maintenance requirements – and, last but not least, conserves valuable energy.