The Buflovak and Patterson-Kelley Customer Service Laboratory is an integral unit having 10,400 square feet of floor space divided into the following areas:

• Offices and Glassware Laboratories, 1,200 square feet
• Pilot Plant and Main Laboratory, 9,200 square feet having:
  • 1,000 square feet of floor space, with 35 foot headroom
  • 8,200 square feet of floor space, with 18 foot headroom

The Laboratory has its own 30HP process boiler, permitting test work to be conducted at any time. Steam pressure is 100 PSIG.

A Syltherm heater is available for high temperature use up to 650 degrees F. It is arranged so that it can be used with the 67-gallon Reactor, the 36"dia. Pan Dryer (as a melt tank for 24" X 24" flaker) and selected evaporators.

By the various combinations of steam jet air ejectors and vacuum pumps, absolute pressures can be obtained down to 2-3mm HG. This varies with the equipment involved and other operating factors.

The Laboratory also has a Motivair 55,000 BTU/h chiller for low temperature cooking media requirements.

The glassware and analytical laboratories are equipped with necessary instruments,glassware and reagents for the determination of moisture, PH, viscosity, screen analysis and general analytical test work. Refractometers are available, as well as a microscope with polarizing attachment for crystallographic examinations.

The Laboratory has its own workshop, located within its confines, so that mechanical modifications can be quickly made without loss of time.

The pilot plant equipment installed in the work areas is of the smallest feasible design to yield data suitable for scale-up to commercial size equipment.

In addition to the pilot plant equipment, all the necessary accessory items are available. Components such as condensers, stainless steel tanks, pumps, heat tracing, etc., are maintained within the Laboratory at all times.

Arrangements can also be made to rent from outisde sources other equipment items that may be required for a particular pilot plant process. Components such as filters, mills, special agitators and high shear dispersers can be obtained on a rental basis.

The Laboratory has two large refrigerators with temperature controlled storage (32 degrees to 40 degrees Farenheit) for storing limited quantities of materials and samples (up to six 5-gallon pails). Arrangements with local cold storage warehouses provide large scale refrigerated storage facilities. This service is provided on a fee basis.

Process Equipment Rentals

Buflovak offers process equipment rentals for varied methods of drying, flaking, evaporation and blending.

Available equipment includes:

• Drum dryers (vacuum and atmospheric)
• Drum flakers
• Vacuum rotary dryers
• Vacuum pan dryers
• Plate and tubular evaporators
• Blendmasters