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Potato Washing Equipment

After harvesting the potato, the first step in the industrial potato processing is the potato wash cycle. The operation and quality of product is directly influenced in the cleanliness of the feed product into any process. Efficient and reliable wash equipment is essential so ensure that soil, contaminants, or debris is removed before they enter the potato processing system. An industrial potato washer can destoning and de-soil the potatoes continuously with a constant quality . The continuous potato washer machine is essential to:

Depending on the operational requirement the potato washer will vary in design. The considerations are:

Washing Drum – VW, potato washer

CAD rendering of potato washing drum
Figure 1: Washing Drum – VW

The industrial drum potato cleaner uses the product friction to rub off soil and clean the vegetable. The washing drum is defined by low maintenance and ease of operation. The level and retention time of the potatoes in the drum are mechanically controlled. The V-belt drive is unit allows the Drum potato washer to process a high amount of potatoes in continuous operation.

The quality of the discharge potatoes is controlled by the water flow and quality in the spray pipe within the unit. The potato washer has a spraying pipe through the entire length of the drum, to ensure that all potatoes are washed properly. All waste solids and the water are discharged at the bottom of the machine.

The machine is best suited for industrial purposes and is therefore an interesting option to consider for food processing companies. The vegetable washing unit can be specifically designed for optimized processing of a targeted root vegetable or size. The customization allows for increased production capacity and reduced water use.

Advantages:

Drumwasher and Destoner Combination – VOW

CAD rendering of potato washer and destoner
Figure 2: Drum Washer and destoner – VOW, potato washing machine

The VOW is an industrial potato washer that both functions as a drum washer, as well as a destoner. The potato destoning is immediately upstream of the wash unit and eliminates larges particles and debris from the product stream. The stone separation is achieved by using a vertical water stream that takes the potatoes into a drum. From there, the stones will be collected in a water tank (under a flume) before they are discharged by use of the outfeed belt.

The destoned potatoes finally come into the washing drum, where they will be washed thoroughly. The potato cleaning process uses the tumbling and rubbing effects of potatoes moving against each other. Additionally, water is sprayed throughout the system to achieve the best result. An excess of washing water will be discharged by an overflow for further processing or recycle.

The capacity of the drum washer and destoner – VOW consists of a maximum of 12 tons/hr.

Roller Desoiler – VR

CAD rendering of potato roller desoiler
Figure 3: Roller De-soiler – VR

The roller potato de-soiler is specifically to clean the potatoes of soil or silt. The machines consist of 7 stainless steel sleek rolls that can be adjusted. Each component can be adjusted to de-sort a specific size or de-soil in a particular way. The process adjustment allows the combination of removing small products (or parts), as well as unwanted contaminants like soil and sand.

The capacity is up to 25 tons/hr.

Auger Destoner – VOS

CAD rendering of potato auger destoner
Figure 4: Auger Destoner – VOS

The Auger Destoner consists of two main pieces, a water tank and a vertical auger. The tank’s bottom is perforated, so the sand can easily fall. Stones and potatoes are in turn transported through the water, to the auger. It is here where the potatoes are separated from the stones. The sand and stones are both removed by cleaning doors in the water tank.

The total capacity of the Auger Destoner is up to 12 tons/hr.