Don Valley Engineering is the leading UK provider of Process Plant and Support to the Malting Industry, and the only UK company which can provide complete in-house solutions for every aspect of Malting Plants right up to full turnkey ‘design to operation’ packages.
Our extensive experience, technical skills, resources, and flexible approach are such that we have the ability to adapt applications to suit customer or project needs.
Our Maltings Division specialises in all the following areas:
- Intake & Storage
- Steeping
- Germination
- Kilning & Barley Drying
- Heat Recovery
- Storage
- Despatch
- Controls
- Effluent Treatment
- Floor Malting Equipment
- Small Batch Plants
- Conveying Systems
- Engineering & Project Management Services
- Consultancy
- Maintenance & Site Services
Our capabilities include:
- Preliminary Feasibility Studies
- Complete System Design & Supply
- Individual Equipment
- Design & Manufacture Equipment & Systems
- Installation & Commissioning
- Full Turnkey Project Responsibility
Don Valley Engineering’s skills and experience can be tailored to suit every contract situation. As joint venture partner, main contractor, subcontractor or supplier, Don Valley has the resources and the proven ability to guarantee customer satisfaction.
The Malting Process
What is Malt?
The preparation of malt was established as a craft at the time of the Pharaohs and since that time the fundamental natural process has remained unchanged.
The dictionary states:-
“Barley or other grain prepared for brewing or distilling beer or whisky”
What is the Malting Process?
The complete process cycle can be divided into three stages:
Steeping where the moisture content of the barley is raised by immersion in water resulting in the start of the natural germination process. The steeped barley, as the barley is now known, is transferred to germination units where germination continues, enzymes are produced to partially break down the starchy material (endosperm) and a rootlet is formed. Once the correct degree of modification has been achieved the green malt, as the barley is now known, is transferred to the kilning unit where the controlled drying and curing process halts germination and imparts the final colour to the malt necessary for its final use. Now in a stable condition, the malt is screened prior to storage where it can be held for long periods before despatch.
Intake, Storage & Despatch
Carefully selected barley consignments are delivered to malting plants mainly in bulk but sometimes in sacks. High standards of handling and storage must be maintained to ensure the quality of the malting barley. After the kilning process the malt is screened to remove dust and culms (rootlets formed during germination) prior to storage in silos similar to those used for the initial barley intake. The culms and dust are a useful byproduct for the cattle feed industry and is often converted into pellet form for ease of handling prior to despatch. The malt for despatch, by bulk or sack to road, rail or sea is usually screened and weighed on extraction from the storage silos.
Don Valley Engineering Intake Systems
Such systems normally incorporate:-
- Laboratory Sampling
- Weighing
- Rough Screening
- Artificial Drying – when necessary to a maximum moisture level of 12%
- Gentle transfer to bulk storage
Don Valley Engineering Bulk Storage
This can take various forms that include:-
- Nests of circular or rectangular bins in steel or concrete
- Flat bottom bins
- Horizontal storage sheds
- Ventilation systems
Don Valley can supply all the various forms of equipment required, these include:
Screens, sieves, storage bunkers and silo conveying systems, road, rail or ship loading equipment. Using their extensive handling experience Don Valley Engineers design the system to suit the site and client needs.
The Steeping Process
Don Valley has experience in the design and manufacture of both cylindro-conical steeps and flat bottomed vessels. Our designs are based around hygiene, reliability and efficient use of energy and water. Stainless steel is used wherever possible for a long lasting, hygienic finish.
Conical Steeps
Don Valley can produce conical steeps up to 65 tonnes and 6.5m in diameter.
All our modern steeps incorporate the following features:
- Fabricated from stainless steel
- Covered or open top designs
- All internal joints fully welded to give a hygienic uniform finish
- Filter baskets produced in wedge wire to give good airflow, drainage and longevity
- Outlet service boxes are designed to be hygienic and can be supplied with in place cleaning services
- Aeration systems to give reliable even rousing
- Overflow/skimming off boxes with removable wedge wire baskets
Don Valley can supply all ancillary equipment including buildings, structure, pipework, valves, fans and control systems to give a full turnkey package. We can upgrade existing systems to give improved airflows, better aeration or additional automation.
Flat Bottomed Steeps
Don Valley can produce flat bottomed steeps in excess of 250 tonnes and 20m in diameter.
Our flat bottomed steeps incorporate the following features:
- Modular construction wall panels for quick accurate erection onsite
- Wedge wire or perforated plate floors
- Hygienic plenum chambers designed to minimise water usage.
- Rotary loader/discharger machines for even bed laying
- Single leaf or multi-vane dampers for accurate air conditioning control
- Hygienic underfloor aeration system giving even rousing with pipework outboard of vessel plenum
Don Valley can supply from complete turnkey vessels to retrofitting of
discharger machines, in place cleaning systems or replacing vessel
floors.
The Germination Plant
- Complete Turnkey Plants
- New Stripper/Loader/Turner Machines
- Replacement Turner Machines
- New Fans & Ducting
- Control Systems
- Replacement Grain Floors
- Malt Spray, Humidification and Cleaning in Place Systems
- Conveying Systems for Handling Green Malt & Steeped Barley
Germination can be carried out in circular vessels, rectangular, ‘Saladin’ boxes or on traditional grain floors. Don Valley Engineering can supply equipment to suit all these methods.
Circular Vessels
DVE can supply fully automated state-of-the-art circular germination vessels. The circular design allows for improved airflow, faster simpler vessel construction and the option of rotating floor or rotating machines. Multi vessel towers can be accommodated.
Our vessels are fully stainless steel lined for hygiene and longevity. The modular construction allows for quick and accurate erection at site.
Saladin Boxes
Don Valley Engineering can supply new build Saladin boxes or replacement machines and equipment to upgrade existing boxes.
We can supply:
- Complete Turnkey Plants
- Replacement Turner Machines
- Replacement Stripper Machines or Bulldozer/Turner Dischargers
- New Fans and Ducting
- Control Systems
- Replacement Grain Floors
- Malt Spray, Humidification and in-place Cleaning Systems
- Conveying Systems for Handling Green Malt and Steeped Barley
Germination Floors
We can supply portable floor turner machines, stripping ploughs etc. for traditional floor maltings.
The Kilning Plant
Don Valley Engineering can supply complete kiln plants, heat recovery systems, replacement floors or handling machinery
Circular Vessels
DVE can supply fully automated state of the art circular kilning and combined germinating/kilning vessels. The circular design allows for improved airflow, faster, simpler vessel construction and the option of rotating floor or rotating machine. Our modern machines can load conical section beds for more even airflow.
Our vessels are fully stainless steel lined for hygiene and longevity. The modular construction allows for quick and accurate erection at site. Heating systems utilise modern indirect firing methods with heat recovery for cost effective operation.
We can supply:
- Complete Turnkey Plants
- New Stripper/Loader Machines
- Replacement Loading Stripping Machines, New Fans and Ducting
- Control Systems
- Replacement Grain Floors, Heat Recovery Systems
- Conveying Systems for handling Green Malt, Malt in Culm or
- Solid Kiln Fuels
Rectangular Vessels
DVE has extensive experience in the upgrading of existing rectangular kilns.
We can supply:
- Heat recovery systems
- Fans and ducting
- Replacement grain floors
- Loading and stripping machines including special machines for traditional kilns such as bulldozer stripper/turners and tipping bucket turners
Combined Germinating Kilning Vessels
Some clients prefer the improved hygiene conditions given by combined vessels by eliminating the movement of green malt and allowing vessel to fully dry out during kilning. DVE are able to accommodate these requirements. Our GKVs give good energy usage, clean conditions and good malt quality.
Double Deck Kilns
For clients who want to optimise energy use we can offer double deck kilning systems reusing exhaust air off one vessel to heat the other.
