Fish processing line
Descripción
Purpose:
The slotted belt conveyor (hereinafter - SC) is intended for processing of any salmon fishes.
It is capable of performing the following process operations:
- fish beheading by U-shaped cut (straight or shear cut as options). Production of fish with head is also possible on the slotted belt conveyor;
- belly opening up;
- separate extraction of roe pouches, milt and other viscera;
- incision and removal of blood kidney using vacuum spoons;
- fish inspection;
- fish washing from inside and outside;
- fish elevation to a height of 1.2 meters for further transfer to packing station.
Description:
SC comprises the following main elements:
Head cutting machine with two blades, electromechanical or pneumatic, with inlet and outlet trays and head disposal tray.
Slotted belt conveyor with adjustable belt speed, two belt motion modes: step-by-step and continuous.
Trays or conveyors for collection and transfer of roe pouches and milt.
Trays with water makeup for offal collection.
Kidney removal vacuum system.
Fish washing system with circulating water and scraper conveyor for fish elevation.
Fish is fed to the inlet tray of head cutting machine. After beheading, fish is transferred to the outlet tray of head cutting machine. For dressing of fish with head, a transit tray is installed by means of which fish is transferred in bypass of head cutting machine. There are two work places provided on both sides of head cutting machine.
Next, fish is fed to slotted belt conveyor. Its belt moves in a step-by-step mode with adjustable speed which allows to vary production rate from 20 to 42 fishes per minutes to each side. Special tray design is suitable for handling fish weighing in the range of 800 grams to 9 kilograms. When processing small fish sizes (under 1.2 kg), dressers may work on both sides of slotted belt conveyor, and when processing larger fish sizes - on one side.
There are 10 work places for dressers available on both sides of slotted belt conveyor. The first work place is intended for worker who places fish in slots belly up and tail away from dresser. Next two work places are intended for workers who open up fish bellies. Next goes a work place for gullet incision. Next go two work places for extraction and placing into trays or on conveyor of roe pouches, milt and other viscera. Kidney incision and removal using vacuum spoons is carried out in remaining work places. The last work place is intended for fish inspection.
Up to 35 fish/minute on one side is processed by 7 persons including heat cutting machine operators, and over 35 fish/minute - 12 persons. Maximum production rate of slotted belt conveyor is 84 fish/minute and supported by 24 workers.
After that, fish still fixed belly up in trays of slotted belt conveyor is transferred to washing system where its abdomen is flushed by a pressurized water jet from slotted nozzles, and then fish is transferred to bath where it is rinsed from outside and elevated by a scraper conveyor via a spray to a height of 1.2 meters.
Technical Data:
I. Dimensions:
- Required floor area including work places, m²: 18.
- Length, width and maximum height, m: 11.5 х 1 х 2.4.
Input power and electric power source parameters:
- Head cutting machine: electromechanical 0.55 kW/blade, 220 V, 50 Hz; air compressor 11 kW, 3 х 380 V.
- Slotted belt conveyor: 0.75 kW, 3 х 380 V.
- Vacuum system for kidney removal and offal discharge: 15 or 30 kW, 3 х 380 V.
- Fish washing system: pump 1.5 kW, 3 х 380 V; scraper conveyor 0.55 kW, 3 х 380 V.
II. Water consumption:
- Water makeup for trays and vacuum spoons, m³/h: 1.2.
- Water replacement in fish washer circulating circuit m³/h: 0.3.
- Spraying, m³/h : 3.
Material: stainless steel, bronze, plastic authorized for foodstuff applications.
Advantages:
SC eliminates need for pre-sorting of fish of any size and post-mortem condition before processing.
When gutting fish, it is not needed to handle or overturn it which significantly raises productivity of dressers.
SC is very flexible:
a). Working process can be organized by various methods.
b). It can produce both beheaded fish with U-shaped, straight or shear cut and fish with head.
c). It can process up to 35 fishes per minute using 7 persons and up to 84 fishes per minute using 24 persons on the same equipment unit without any setting up procedures.
d). It can perform as a normal conveyor with or without fish washing.
Use of SC allows to improve finished product quality:
а). Roes are less contaminated with bacteria because roe pouches, milt and other viscera get separated at the moment of extraction from fish belly and do not get into contact anymore.
b). Fish abdomen is continuously in dresser's field of vision which makes damage to roe pouches, incomplete removal of kidney, etc., less possible.
с). Vacuum kidney removal system completely removes kidney and does not separate costal bones when processing fish with long post-mortem period.
SC is reliable and intended for prolonged uninterrupted operation in a highly aggressive environment.
SC is cost-saving; water consumption is reduced due to a circulating circuit in fish washer and electric power consumption - due to use of an electromechanical head cutting machine.
SC is independent and compatible with any existing equipment.
SC requires no skilled personnel as it is organized on a conveyor principle where every dresser performs only one very simple process operation which can be handled by anyone after initial training.
SC is very easy in maintenance and repair.
SC may be deployed both in onshore facilities and onboard ships.
