Pre-mixed ingredients for frozen french fries

Processed powders: Pre-mixed ingredients for the constitution of batter (flours, starches, spices, colorings, etc.)

Deconditioning and feeding of preparation tanks

Objectives of the facility:

• Big bag unloading
• Lump breaking the powder
• Security screening
• Dosing by weight loss in batter preparation tanks
• Powder process without dust emission
• Multi-revenue management

The role of this process line is to feed powder to the batter preparation tanks. The dough is intended to be applied to french fries for sale as a frozen food product.

The line, which is installed in the dry area of the production plant, consists of the following sub-assemblies:  

1. A big bag unloading station made entirely of stainless steel. The big bag is placed on the station via an electric hoist. A clamping head allows the connection of the Bulk Bag discharge spout to the station to provide dust containment during unloading.
   A pneumatic massage system ensures the flow of product out of the big bag.
   A lump breaker is integrated in the discharge hopper to break up any lumps and provide a consistent flow into the transfer screw installed upstream.
    
2. The first transfer screw conveys the product to a control screener. The tubular screw is equipped with a flexible polymer spiral allowing longer construction without an intermediate bearing. It is also equipped with access doors on top, allowing easy access for inspection or cleaning of the interior.
    
3. A vibrating sifter to filter and evacuate the foreign bodies and agglomerates present in the product flow. The vibrating sieve is equipped with quick opening access on the cover by means of a torque clamp, allowing easy access to the sieve mesh.
   The reject outlet directs foreign bodies to a collection bin on the floor.
    
4. A second transfer screw built according to the first screw, allows the conveyance of the powder to a buffer hopper.
    
   
5. A weighed buffer hopper, which contains the required volume for preparation of the batch. The buffer hopper is equipped with vibrating flow aid systems, as well as a mechanical breaker which breaks the formation of vaults at the bottom of the hopper.
    
6. At the outlet, a tubular screw suspended from the hopper provides dosing of the product towards the powder incorporator, according to the target weight provided by the hopper's load cells. A magnetic separator is installed at the screw outlet. The powder incorporator is installed in the wet area of the preparation workshop. It serves the mixing tanks for the final batch preparation.
   The auger is equipped with a low point outlet which, by reverse control, allows the contents of the hopper to be emptied into a big bag during a recipe change.
7. All the equipment is connected to a remote ATEX dust collector, equipped with a flame suppressor and an indoor explosion vent. The dust collector also provides the air balancing volumes during the powder emptying, transfer and filling operations.
    
8. A stainless steel manufacturing platform supports the equipment and provides access to the cleaning hatches and various maintenance points.