Tong Engineering announces the introduction of a new and uniquely designed jacuzzi pre-soak tank with an integrated de-stoner, which now brings users three invaluable pre-washing processes in one advanced machine.
Built to combine de-stoning, pre-soak and floating debris removal within the machine’s heavy-duty water-filled tank, the new system has been designed to provide a gentle way to effectively pre-clean heavily soiled crop prior to washing.
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“We have been manufacturing jacuzzi pre-soak tanks for exceptionally gentle reception and pre-cleaning of crop at high throughputs for many years,” says Edward Tong, managing director at Tong Engineering. “What makes our new pre-clean system different is that it features an integrated de-stoning facility at the infeed end of the tank, as well as a built-in floating debris remover at the outfeed. By bringing these processes together in one tank, growers and processors not only achieve a more complete pre-clean system for enhanced washing results, but it also allows for reduced water consumption combined water treatment and improved energy efficiency of the whole process.”
Suitable for use on a wide range of root crops, including potatoes, carrots and parsnips, the new pre-soak tank features Tong’s proven integrated de-stoner system, which is popularly fitted at the infeed of Tong barrel washers. As crop is gently received into the new system’s water-filled tank, it enters the integral de-stoner. An impellor at the base of the de-stoner creates an upward pressure on crop, ensuring the vegetables float across the tank and into the jacuzzi pre-soak system. Meanwhile, any stones present within the crop drop to the bottom of the de-stoner, where a heavy-duty web elevator removes them up and out of the tank.
The high-performance jacuzzi pre-soak system gently receives crop from the de-stoner, where a powerful air-injection system creates a jacuzzi effect within the pre-soak tank to promote gentle crop agitation, which helps to loosen heavy soil and debris from a crop. Floating debris sinks to the bottom of the pre-soak tank, where it is easily removed from the tank via an auger and pneumatic dump valve system. These features help to prolong the life and freshness of the water by frequently removing sediment out of the tank, reducing the frequency of water replacement within the tank.
“Keeping maintenance to a minimum is always a key consideration when designing new equipment,” says Tong. “By integrating the new pre-soak tank at the infeed of a wash line, operators will not only experience a very low maintenance pre-clean process; they will also see significant improvements in the longevity of subsequent washing and polishing equipment down the line, as the system removes stones, debris and sediment at the beginning of the washing process.”
The innovative design of the new machine can be adapted to suit a wide range of throughput requirements, providing a complete pre-clean solution for root crop washing operations of all sizes.
“The new machine is a valuable addition to our complete range of washing solutions, which can be custom-designed to suit small-scale crop washing facilities to larger-scale processing plants,” adds Tong.
Contact Tong Engineering at www.tongengineering.com.
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