Potato Cleaning

PROBLEM

Clean mud off potatoes being transferred from the field to the sorting station.

SOLUTION

Install PressureJet high pressure washer.

BENEFITS

  • More effective cleaning than by previous hand cleaning method.
  • Significant reduction in water consumption.
  • Drastically reduced labor costs.
  • Dual service available with PressureJet high pressure washer, stationary cleaning chamber, as well as portable pressure washer for other farm areas and equipment.

OPERATION

Potatoes are coated with mud when brought in from the fields. Before they can be routed through the sorter, they must be rinsed. In this particular operation, a special cleaning chamber containing a series of six overlapping nozzles was developed. Each nozzle delivers ambient water at 8 lpm, 50 bar (50 kg/cm2 / 725 psi) for a total of 48 lpm.

The potatoes are delivered to the cleaning chamber in baskets which are dumped onto cleaning chamber rollers. These rollers are covered with felt to protect the potatoes from bruising. As the rollers tumble the potatoes, the PressureJet high pressure rinses and washes off the mud. Once the potatoes are cleaned, they are sorted on a long conveyor for further processing.

45 lpm - 50 bar - 7.5 hp - 6 nozzles