The Role of Nitrogen Blanketing in Meeting Quality and Sustainability Demands in Australia’s Food and Beverage Sector

A 2024 Federal Government enquiry into food and beverage manufacturing found that “7.6 million tonnes of food is wasted across the supply and consumption chain each year, costing the economy about $36.6 billion annually and equivalent to 298 kg per person.”1 The report also found that of the wastage that occurs, about 31% is at the manufacturing level, and 25% at the primary production level.

One way in which food wastage can be reduced in manufacturing, storage and long-distance transportation is through the use of tank blanketing, in which the empty space in a storage tank is filled with a high-purity gas, most commonly nitrogen.

Tank blanketing is used in various industries to maintain an inert atmosphere in storage tanks and other containers. The blanketing gas creates a protective layer that displaces oxygen and moisture, which are the primary drivers of oxidation, microbial growth, and spoilage in sensitive food and beverage products such as oils, wines, dairy, and juices. 
By maintaining a controlled, oxygen-free environment above the product surface, nitrogen blanketing offers three critical benefits:

•  Extended storage life: Minimising oxidation helps preserve flavour, colour, aroma, and nutritional value.
• Improved product quality: A consistent inert atmosphere limits chemical reactions and contamination.
• Reduced waste and operational losses: Preventing spoilage and contamination in storage reduces the volume of discarded product, supporting both economic efficiency and environmental sustainability.

The Bürkert solution: reduced components and reduced maintenance

Traditional blanketing systems used in many industries are composed of multiple distributed components, resulting in greater complexity, increased energy consumption, and higher maintenance costs.

Bürkert is offering a compact system comprised of a Type 2380 bellows control valve with an ELEMENT positioner and a pressure sensor in a single unit that mounts on the tank, offering up to 10 times faster response to changes in nitrogen pressure than a traditional remote valve arrangement.

For control, Bürkert’s advanced nitrogen blanketing system comes pre-configured in a separate process control cabinet with an IP65 rating that includes a precise pressure controller and filter for the nitrogen supply, a sensor for monitoring supply pressure, and an electromagnetic proportional valve with a wide control range for the control air supply. A separate control cabinet provides an intuitive graphical user interface and alarm buzzer, and can connect to up to eight process control cabinets.

With its fast response time, Bürkert's efficient pre-configured tank blanketing systems help reduce nitrogen consumption, lowering the environmental footprint and operational costs.

The system also lowers maintenance costs. Conventional systems use valves that contain pistons, which require regular lubrication and may need to be replaced up to 6 times per year. In contrast, Bürkert's tank blanketing systems have been known to work for several years without maintenance, significantly reducing part replacement and downtime costs.
Call us today for more information on how Bürkert can provide efficient, low-maintenance tank blanketing systems for your business.

Hygienic 2-way bellows control valve

Type 2380

• Media separation through PTFE bellows
• Hygienic and compact design
• Ideal for demanding control tasks at smaller flows
• All common port connections up to DN25 / NPS 1

_{1.    Department of Industry, Science and Resources 2024, Food and Beverage Manufacturing in Australia: Submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Resources, p7.}