Distillery Flow Control Solutions

Flow Control Solutions for a Leading Distillery

Precision Flow Control Solutions for a Leading Distillery.

 

THE CHALLENGE

A highly experienced process contractor based in Speyside, specializing in distillery automation and process control, approached us with a critical challenge at a renowned island distillery off Scotland’s west coast. The project required two stainless steel control valves—one for the water-to-worts cooler and another for the water inlet to the mash mixer.

The initial solution utilized V-ball control valves, but these failed to achieve the necessary precision flow control. The application required fine adjustments in increments of 0.1°C to maintain stable water temperatures—a vital factor in optimizing the mashing process. However, due to mechanical tolerances between the actuator and valve body, the V-ball valves introduced inconsistencies, leading to process inefficiencies and potential temperature fluctuations affecting product quality.

THE SOLUTION

  • To ensure high-precision flow control, we proposed ball-segment control valves featuring a backlash-free torque transmission mechanism. This advanced design eliminates control lag and delivers exceptional throttling performance, enabling precise flow modulation and maintaining a consistent temperature profile throughout the process.

    The ball-segment valve’s superior control accuracy ensured that water temperature remained stable during the mashing process, allowing for optimized heat exchange efficiency and improved batch consistency—key factors in maintaining the distillery’s high-quality standards.

THE RESULT

By implementing our ball-segment control valve solution, the distillery achieved:

✅ Enhanced process stability – Maintaining precise water temperatures ensured a more consistent mashing process.
✅ Increased efficiency – Improved control reduced unnecessary fluctuations, minimizing energy waste and operational inefficiencies.
✅ Industry-wide adoption – Over the past year, this solution has been installed in 15+ new distillery builds, establishing it as a preferred standard in the industry.

This project highlights our expertise in delivering high-performance process control solutions tailored to the demanding requirements of the distilling, food & beverage, and chemical industries.