This graph represents a theoretical case and values should not be interpreted in a relative way.
Options in quality, automation and others could hugely influence the investment.
Instant Coffee Process - Standard Operation
The quality of instant coffee is primarily defined by the quality and blend of the green coffee beans, and the roasting process.
For instant coffee, however, every subsequent manufacturing step is likely to impact on the quality in a negative sense. For this reason, it is extremely important that an instant coffee line is well designed in terms of quality and flexibility.
The quality of the downstream equipment defines in the end, the quality of your cup of coffee. For this purpose, TEC Square can suggest quality solutions for each and every process step.
TEC Square is a specialist in instant coffee manufacturing. We employ engineers and operational managers with extensive operational experience. Our team of dedicated engineers has worked with the top manufacturers in the world. They have also worked at the limits of design possibilities in terms of quality, capacity, and flexibility. Our team has supplied solutions for effective optimization plants as well.
Instant Coffee Process - Plant design
TEC Square designs instant coffee plants with the operation and maintenance of our customers in mind. All of our key engineers have spent multiple years in manufacturing facilities. As such, we understand the importance of ergonomic design and optimized work-flows.
Also, we design our installations with flexibility in mind. This means that, with our solution, it is possible to invest in a simple solution at first, and to keep the option open to upgrade to a better solution at a later stage. Altogether, in our design we allow for the possibility to
- Add more capacity
- Increase extraction yield
- Increase the level of product quality
- Add additional options in automation
The quality of the extraction process will determine the initial Instant Coffee quality. However, in order to achieve the same quality in the end-product, the downstream process should be capable of maintaining such quality as well. Therefore, we design our aroma recovery, evaporation, and drying systems in such a way that we preserve the right taste and aroma-profile for your marketing campaign. Below, we detail our standard line, but also give several options to improve on quality and/or operation.
Instant Coffee Process - TEC Square Competitive Offering
TEC Square designs its instant coffee plants from our client’s perspective. For instance a plant designed for high quality Arabica production has a different look and feel as a plant designed for mainly Robusta. However we allow for upgrading over time. For instance you can install a more simple solution in the beginning, leaving space for a more elaborate design at a later stage.
Flexible Design of Instant Coffee Plants
Our technology has built-in flexibility from extraction all the way up to drying.
We design a plant for the future and allow to add capacity and/or quality enhancements at a later stage
Related Solutions
Flexible Extraction
Sludge Treatment
Flexible Aroma Recovery
Low Impact Thermal Concentration
High-TS Concentration
High-TS Spray Drying
In-line Agglomeration
Aroma Treatment
Flexible Extraction
Flexible Extraction
TEC Square designs its own high-end instant coffee extraction plants. We combine flexibility, quality, and operational effectiveness into one package. Our high-end technology is based on a combination of the following principles:
- Easy raw material handling
- Short cycle times
- Low energy usage
- Flexible capacity
Our design normally allows for top quality instant coffee products. However, we design our installations sometimes as a cost -effective solution, keeping future expansion in quality and capacity as an option. High yield extraction designs are equally possible.
A lower investment line is based on the following principles:
- The size and number of cells determines the yearly output. A smaller cell size will reduce the overall output in kg/h
- The number of cells determine initial investment. A smaller number of cells will mean less investment
- Also, the number of cells determine the quality. We define the initial and final objectives right from the start. A simple technology is often sufficient to start a simple business model.
Please visit the dedicated Flexible Extraction page for more information.
Sludge Treatment
Sludge Handling
TEC Square sees clarification and sludge handling as an integral part of the extraction operation. Our sludge system is linked into extraction as well. As a result, we have several advantages:
- Sludge Handling – There is no manual sludge handling anymore. All sludge will be evacuated together with the coffee grounds.
- Operation – Fully automated operation
- Solids Recuperation – With sludge some soluble coffee is ejected out of the main stream. TEC Square recuperates all coffee solubles, which we feed back into the product stream.
- CIP – We supply a fully integrated CIP, normally fully automatic.
Please contact us for more information on this solution.
Flexible Aroma Recovery
Flexible Aroma Recovery
When TEC Square designs an aroma recovery process, we will aim to recover exactly those aroma and taste components that are important for your product quality, while omitting those that are unfavorable.
TEC Square aroma recovery plants provide flexibility in Aroma Recovery. Aromas need to be separated for further use, or discarded in order to get the perfect taste profile for your product. A successful design achieves this objective. Moreover, TEC Square also keeps flexibility in mind when designing an aroma recovery plant. Often, several products are run on the same unit, and each might require a different approach.
We developed several ways to preserve aroma, ranging from simple and inexpensive to very sophisticated, depending on your needs, and on the available budget. As taste and aroma are key to success, in each manufacturer’s operation we do not detail the design in this forum. However, we are more than happy to provide you with a tailor-made solution, depending on your needs.
Please visit the dedicated Flexible Aroma Recovery page for more information on the functioning of the finisher.
Low Impact Thermal Concentration
Low-Impact Thermal Concentration
TEC Square developed the “Low-Impact Thermal Concentration” process to provide a cost-effective alternative against freeze concentration. In essence, the Low-Impact Thermal Concentration process has all the advantages a freeze concentration plant might have. However, additional advantages are plentiful.
- Firstly, it is much more flexible.
- Secondly, it delivers much higher concentrations.
- And thirdly, operational and investment costs are reduced.
Please visit the dedicated Low Impact Thermal Concentration page for more information.
High-TS Concentration
High-TS Concentration
TEC Square has installed “High Total Solids concentration” plants in many factories. For this purpose, TEC Square uses the unique potential of a wiped film evaporator as finisher. Even though the investment in this equipment is rather steep, a high-TS project will normally give a good pay-back. The operational benefits are overwhelming:
- Less operational losses on the your evaporator
The addition of a wiped film evaporator allows operations to reduce the set-point in TS on the existing evaporator. This ,in turn, will reduce operational losses (1% savings on raw material are not uncommon). Lower TS on the existing evaporator will also create longer operational run times, which are beneficial to the operational cost. - More aroma addition
As a wiped film evaporator can easily concentrate up to 60% total solids (TS), more aroma can be added. - Higher and more consistent drying operation
The overall plants output is often defined by the dryer operation. A higher and more consistent TS will result in a higher yearly output of the plant. Especially if a plant is at maximum capacity, a high-TS evaporator will become a viable solution.
Please visit the dedicated High-TS Concentration page for more information on the functioning of the wiped film evaporator.
High-TS Spray Drying
High-TS Spray Drying
High Total Solids Spray Drying will be the new trend in Spray Drying. The process has several advantages:
- It provides additional capacity on a single spray drying tower of often up to 20-30%.
- At the same time, it will give a better end-product quality as a High-TS process has a higher aroma retention capability.
- Lastly, less production losses will be created.
Please visit the dedicated High Total Solids Spray Drying page for more information
In-line Agglomeration
In-line Agglomeration
Most instant coffee factories have separate plants for spray drying and agglomeration. TEC Square provides an integrated solution with may operational advantages.
- In a normal operation up to 4 FTE’s (Full Time Employees) per shift can be saved using an integrated approach
- The operation becomes very flexible. On the same installation, Instant Spray Dried Coffee and Agglomerated Instant Coffee can be made.
- An integrated approach allows for much easier dry reworking possibilities.
Please visit the dedicated Combined Spray Drying and Agglomeration page for more information.
Aroma Treatment
Aroma Treatment of Powder
Our high-end Aroma Recovery technology can also provide solutions for aroma-addition to the final product. We are able to separate and stabilize the volatile aromatic components, which are ideal for enhancing the aroma of the final product.
We also supply solutions for aroma add-back to the final product, and depending on the installation, we can even supply coffee oil recovery technology. This makes the entire process independent from third party supplies.
Please visit the dedicated Aroma Recovery page for more information
