Clean and destone potatoes, carrots....

De-stoning and cleaning the potatoes, onions and carrots before processing.

To avoid damage to the processing equipment the product has to be de-stoned and cleaned.

VOS de-stoner

The VOS de-stoner removes all un-wanted inclusions, like stones, lumps, sand etc., from the freshly harvested product. The de-stoner is very important to avoid damage in a processing line.

The dirty product passes through a water bath and then is elevated with a vertical screw (auger) against a continuous water flow. During this vertical transport the stones, lumps and sand stay behind, while the lighter product travels upwards and leaves the de-stoner at the top.

Specifications of the VOS de-stoner:

• Capacity: 4.000, 6.000 or 8.000 Kg / hour
• Product feed: continuous
• Equipment dimensions: 1450 x 1100 x 2900 mm
• Diameter Auger: 400 mm, 500 mm or 600 mm
• Maximum size product: depends on Auger diameter
• Height product exit: 2.900 mm
• Electrical consumption: 1,5Kw, 220/400V, 50/60Hz
• Water consumption: 0.5 m3/hour. Water is recyclable!
• The technical specifications of the VOS de-stoner, download here.

Drum washer VW 800/1250

Can clean: carrots, potatoes, red beets, sweets, celeriac etc.

This drum washer has a V-belt driven washing drum and is a low-maintenance machine used for industrial purposes.

The level of product filling is adjustable by raising or lowering the out-feed chute. This makes it possible to run a big load inside the drum, so the product will rub itself clean.

In this case (see movie), freshly harvested carrots with lots of earth sticking to them enter the washer drum and will come out completely clean and ready for processing. There is no danger damaging the equipment during processing.

Specifications of the Drum washer VW 800/1250:

• Capacity: 3.000 to 20.000 Kg / hour, depends on the length of the drum
• Product feed: continuous
• Equipment dimensions: depends on it's capacity
• Drum diameter: from 800 mm to 1.500 mm
• Drum length: from 1.250 mm to 5.600 mm
• Electrical consumption: 1,5Kw to 6,0Kw, 220/400V 50/60Hz
• Water consumption: Water is recyclable!
• The technical specifications of the Drum washer VW 800/1250, specifications of the Drum washer VW 800/1250, download here.

TOPPERS made by Eqraft

These are machines that clean and cut the stem of the onion to the required length.

The "TOPPERS" are used to cut the stem of the onion to an exact measurement. In the majority of cases this is after mechanised harvesting. This is because the haulm toppers used in mechanised harvesting cut off the majority of foliage, but in an uneven manner. This leaves a fairly unappetising product.

Manual harvesting does not require a topper as the harvesters in the field cut the stems.

How do the toppers work?

A closed topper.

The grids are easy to change.

When onions with thicker stems are cut, a different grid is used with more distance between the holes than those used for cutting finer onions. Each topper comes equipped with several grids. The grids must be cleaned regularly.

How toppers work:

1. The onions are fed into the topper by an elevator belt.
2. The onions pass over vibrating stainless steel grids, whose movement pushes the onions on through. (See photo below right)
3. Underneath this vibrating grid are well-sharpened propeller shaped blades that rotate at high speed. The stems are sucked through the grid, and the blades cut them off. (See photo below)
4. The distance between the grid and the blades determines the length of stem that will be left on the onions. This distance is easy to adjust.

For greater clarity, see the video at the bottom of this page.