Shrimp preservation line

The installation begins with the manual feeding of shrimp. The crates containing shrimp can be emptied manually into the feed hopper of the conveyor belt. If the shrimp stick together, the crates can be tapped on the wire rack in the feed hopper to loosen them. The conveyor belt will transport the shrimp to the weighing belt and stop when the set weight is reached.

The weighing belt is used to create batches of shrimp. The set quantity is a maximum of 200 kg. The batch of shrimp is weighed and, based on the weight, the amount of preservative is determined and collected in the two buffer tanks above the weighing belt. After weighing, the batch is transported to the mixing drum.

In the mixing drum, the shrimp are collected and distributed throughout the drum. Because there are paddles at the end of the mixing drum, a batch drum is created. The paddles ensure that the shrimp cannot escape from the drum. After the shrimp have been distributed, preservative can be added to them through the spray pipes. The mixing time can be set in advance on the control screen. After mixing, the mixing drum tilts and changes direction, emptying the drum.

The mixing drum empties into the funnel of the dosing vibrator. It is possible to buffer a batch of shrimp in the funnel. The vibrating action will transport a stream of shrimp from the bottom of the funnel to the weighing hopper behind the vibrator. Dosing valves are positioned at the end of the vibrating chute, allowing the chute to be closed immediately.

The weighing hopper collects the quantity of shrimp needed to fill a crate (60x40). Underneath the weighing hopper is a roller conveyor with a stopper. The crates can be placed manually under the weighing hopper. Once the set weight has been reached and after checking that a crate is present, the weighing hopper will discharge the batch of shrimp, filling the crate.

A system with various buffer tanks and valves has been created to add the preservatives to the mixing drum. An existing mixing tank is connected to the system to prepare the preservative. In this mixing tank, the preservative can be diluted with water. After dilution, the preservative is pumped to one of the two buffer tanks. From the large buffer tanks, the preservative is pumped to two small buffer tanks above the weighing belt. In these tanks, the amount of preservative is determined and checked by means of weight.