Hidrostal Ltd, renowned manufacturers of pumping products to the water industry have provided a leading fresh vegetable grower and supplier, Produce World Group, with an enhanced solution for the cleaning of carrots in the vegetable processing operation.
Produce World is the largest grower and supplier of high quality fresh vegetables in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. It provides a wide range of conventional and organic vegetables to the major supermarket chains. All its produce is picked fresh from the fields and processed without the addition of any chemical additives.
Hidrostal have supplied Produce World with an immersible pump to aid it in the pre-wash process at its Yaxley site which deals exclusively in organic vegetables including carrots. Upon arrival at the plant the carrots are off loaded from a lorry and pre-washed using recycled wash water. Produce World had previously used an enclosed web, open belt conveyor method in this process but the pump that Hidrostal have supplied is part of a new open catchment design with a sloping bench arrangement to the sump area.
The boom wash system aids the movement and flushing of newly arrived field carrots off the lorry at the very start of the process into the sump. The wash water is pumped using Hidrostal’s immersible pump to a rotary screened drum where most of the solids are filtered out before re-entering the boom wash system once more. This process occurs each time a lorry arrives with fresh field carrots.
The carrots from the field, when mixed with the water, leave a very abrasive media consisting of flint, stones, sand, soil, weed and the occasional carrot!
The common approach to pump selection in this type of arduous application has always been to err on the side of caution and to compromise by sacrificing pump efficiency for the sake of a pump which can handle solids and fibrous material; the result being a forgiving impeller design but greater power absorption and energy usage.
In all cases the largest cost is the running cost, the cost of electricity which is affected directly by pump efficiency. Produce World Yaxley took the decision to change from the norm and choose Hidrostal.
The Hidrostal Screw Centrifugal impeller is a unique design, whereby the single spiral vane impeller is axially extended creating a large free passage for solids but at the same time maintaining an optimum hydraulic design leading to high efficiencies, low shear pumping and low velocity at the pump inlet.
The Hidrostal pump retained the desired solids handling capabilities and has provided longevity in its operation. The Hidrostal pump has also ensured a reduction in maintenance costs, down-time and operational spend associated with the cleaning and maintenance of the previous open belt conveyor method.
In addition, in this case the Hidrostal immersible pump with its 5.5kW 4 pole 3 phase motor has resulted in reducing power consumption by 50%, a huge power saving from the previous end suction style pump that required an 11kW motor.
Kevin Lander, the Lead Engineer for Produce World, has enthused: “I have been very pleased with the performance of this pump over the last 18 months. It has gone beyond our expectations outlasting previous designs three times over.”
Hidrostal Ltd are delighted that the pump is functioning so well for Produce World and look forward to further opportunities within this sector.
