Buflovak Rotating and Vacuum Thermal Process Equipment

Buflovak has over a century of process knowledge and experience in the design and manufacture of rotating and vacuum thermal process equipment. With our engineering, manufacturing and laboratory facility in Buffalo, NY, we have been a leader in the application of thermal heat transfer for drying food, chemical and pharmaceutical products.

We specialize in innovative, technology–driven solutions for the waste treatment, chemical, food, and pharmaceutical industries. We offer product research and testing, design and engineering of process equipment and systems, and manufacturing of complex one-of-a-kind and first-of-a-kind equipment and systems all at a single location.

Vacuum thermal process equipment

This operating group specializes in process research, testing, engineering design and manufacture of atmospheric single and double drum dryers; vacuum drum, rotary, pan and shelf dryers; and cooling drum flakers for the food, chemical, pharmaceutical and waste treatment industries.

Distillation and evaporation technology equipment

This operating group specializes in product research, testing, engineering design and manufacture of evaporators for stripping, concentrating and crystallizing for the food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. Our process equipment includes various types of falling film, rising film, and forced circulation evaporation systems.

P-K process equipment for batch-mixing and continuous-mixing

This operating group specializes in process knowledge solutions associated with process equipment in both batch-mixing and continuous-mixing, in conjunction with the full range of processing, agglomerating, and intimate mixing technologies.

The P-K group has over 60 years experience in varied blending, mixing and drying solutions for industry.

Pilot testing with laboratory services

The work performed at our pilot testing facility enables customers to evaluate the specific elements of any proposed drying, blending, vacuum drying, or cooling drum flaker application prior to its implementation. We thoroughly test the equipment’s performance before we commit to full-scale installation.

New and existing products can be tested in absolute confidentiality. More than 21,000 tests have already been performed on our customers’ food, chemical, and pharmaceutical products.

Heat transfer is accomplished under various methods including steam, liquid and oil. A portable syltherm heater is available for high-temperature operations (up to 650°F), which is designed to be used with the 3ft diameter pan dryer, the melt tank for the 24in x 24in flaker, and selected evaporation / stripper tests. With the various combinations of stem jet air ejectors and vacuum pumps, absolute pressures can be obtained down to 2-3mm Hg.

Glassware and analytical laboratories

The glassware and analytical laboratories are equipped with necessary instruments, glassware, and reagents for most of the common moisture, pH, viscosity, screen analysis, and general analytical test work.

Hand refractometers are available as is 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 indicative results suitable for scale up to commercial size equipment. All necessary allied accessory items are available. Auxiliary items such as condensers, stainless steel kettles, pumps, product flakers, etc., are maintained within the laboratory at all times.

Feasibility testing for heat transfer and other engineering data

The feasibility test is the first step in determining the right equipment to be used in the design process. If data does not already exist in our extensive product files, the feasibility of processing a material can be determined with quantities as small as one gallon of liquid or ten pounds of solid material.

Feasibility tests are conducted at no charge to the customer. If a process appears feasible, pilot testing can be conducted to obtain heat transfer and other engineering data needed for the design process. The cost of process equipment is quoted to customers with a process guarantee including scale-up upon successful completion of pilot testing.