Apparatus for washing sugarcane billets

• US 5,173,122 A
• Filed: 01/04/1991
• Issued: 12/22/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sydney E. Tilby
• Original Assignee: Sydney E. Tilby
• Inventors: Jansson, David G., Tilby, Sydney E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Theodore
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAILEY, PATRICIA L
• Application Number:
  US07/637,343
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 127/2, 241/14, 241/79, 241/69, 241/235, 241/236, 241/155, 241/157, 460/24, 460/113, 460/150, 134/61, 134/65, 134/132, 134/153
• US Class Current: 127/2
• CPC Class Codes: A23N 12/023 for washing potatoes, apples or similarly shaped vegetables or fruit washing grain B02B1/04
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/042 the loose articles or bulk material travelling gradually through a drum or other container, e.g. by helix or gravity
• CPC Class Codes: C13B 10/025 Treatment of sugar cane before extraction C13B5/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/90 in food processing or handling, e.g. food conservation

Abstract

A sugarcane billet washing apparatus tumbles and thorougly washes billets moving through a container in a continuous stream. Washing is by sprayers extending along the container. Preferred embodiments include the container being tilted to facilitate throughput, and a used water handling apparatus. The apparatus is suitable for use with continuous, integrated sugarcane processing systems.

Claims

1. Apparatus for washing sugarcane billets comprising:

a container for receiving sugarcane billets to be washed and having a discharge end with a quiescent region adjacent thereto;

a used-water handling apparatus for collection of water already used for washing;

a spray bar having a first input end for receiving used water from the used-water tank and a second input end for receiving fresh water thereby to selectively emit fresh and recycled water in a spray in such container;

valve means to adjust the relative quantities of fresh water and used water being sprayed; and

,

means to randomly re-orient such billets moving toward the quiescent region,

whereby substantially the entire surface of each billet is washed to remove dirt adhering thereto and such billets are easily discharged from the apparatus.

2. Apparatus for washing sugarcane billets comprising:

a container for receiving sugarcane billets to be washed;

a spray bar to emit water in a spray in such container;

used water handling apparatus including (a) a settling tank for separation of reusable water from sludge and having a weir feeding a conduit (b) a drawing tank adjacent to the settling tank and having a conduit fed by the weir and extending from the drawing tank to the spray bar;

and endless conveyor in the settling tank for removing sludge therefrom;

means within the container to randomly re-orient such billets and expose all portions thereof to sprayed water,

whereby substantially the entire surface of each billet is washed to remove dirt adhering thereto.

3. Apparatus for washing sugarcane billets comprising:

a container for receiving sugarcane billets to be washed and having a discharge end with a quiescent region adjacent thereto;

means for selectively emitting fresh and recycled water in a spray in such container, the means including a spray bar with a plurality of spray outlets spaced therealong and a water input at each end thereof; and

,

means to randomly re-orient such billets moving toward the quiescent region to expose all portions of the billets to sprayed water,

whereby substantially the entire surface of each billet is washed to remove dirt adhering thereto.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each spray outlet comprises a spray head and the spray bar includes at least one isolation valve for selecting spray of fresh and recycled water.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the spray heads are positionally adjustable.