Tong introduces root-crop soak tank that combines three stages into one
Tong Engineering is introducing a uniquely designed jacuzzi pre-soak tank with integrated destoner.
Built to combine destoning, 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.
“We have been manufacturing jacuzzi pre-soak tanks for exceptionally gentle reception and pre-cleaning of crop at high throughputs, for many years,” said Edward Tong, Managing Director at Tong Engineering. “What makes our new pre-clean system different, is that it features an integrated destoning facility at the infeed end of the tank, as well as a built-in floating debris remover at the outfeed.”
How it works
Suitable for use on a wide range of root crops, including carrots, parsnips, rutabagas (swedes) and potatoes, the new pre-soak tank features Tong’s proven integrated destoner 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 destoner. An impellor at the base of the destoner 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 destoner, 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 destoner, 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 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,” Tong said. “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, but 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.
