RESOURCES
Recommended Starch Tank Cleaning Method.
Because bacterial damage to starch can significantly decrease performance even within the un-pasted starch granule, the following procedure should be followed at every opportunity.
- Stop agitator and drain the tank.
- Thoroughly clean the inside of the tank to remove any bacterial deposits and caked or dried starch.
- Fill the tank with clean water. Then, using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) add one-half gallon of commercial grade bleach to 30-60 gallons of water.
- Close the lid of the tank and restart the agitator. Circulate the bleach solution through the tank and piping for one hour.
- Drain the bleach solution from the tank. Refill the tank with fresh water and flush the system. Drain the flush water. The tank is now ready to return to service.
- This should be done whenever there is sufficient time, preferably at least once each week, especially in warm weather.
- However, even when only a short time is available, simply hosing out the inside of the tank will help remove protective deposits, beneath which bacteria can proliferate and continuously inoculate the system.
For cooked starch storage tanks there is no substitute for a good continuous biocide protection program.
Bob gathering pulp samples for wet end chemistry analysis.
Bob gathering pulp samples for wet end chemistry analysis.
Bob Howard founded Starch Performance Services in 2010 to fill a need for periodic expert analysis, trial support, grade development, and education on best practices for the optimal use of wet end, size press, and coating starches in the manufacture of paper products.
Bob has over thirty-five years of technical sales experience, having worked for A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company, Penford Products Company, and Western Polymer Corporation.
Bob is recognized as an expert in wet end chemistry analysis, a technical specialist for paper mills producing coated and uncoated printing papers, bleached packaging board, newsprint, liner, and medium. He is an excellent advisor and problem solver in the use of starch and papermaking issues, generally. Bob has worked throughout the United States and western Canada, South America, and Europe.
In August, 2012, Starch Performance Services NL was registered in The Netherlands to facilitate opportunities throughout the European Union.
Starch Performance Services also has an affiliated office in Quito, Ecuador. Please see the Contact Us page for details.
In 2019 Jon Saatvedt began working with Starch Performance Services. Jon brings many years of experience from paper machine and stock prep operations as well as product development. Jon is a welcome and complementary addition to Starch Performance Services’ capabilities.