We received a request from a producer of chocolate garnish for cakes, biscuits and yoghurt. The garnish is in the form of chips and granules that could possibly contain tiny pieces of metal less than <1 mm in diameter. This is a common problem in the production of chocolate. We were asked if we could filter the pieces containing metal out of the product flow, without loss of product.

High-gradient head pulley separator

To achieve this, we developed a high gradient head pulley separator with a strong magnetic conveyor roller, specifically for the food industry. With this system we achieve exceptionally high separation efficiency, not just for iron particles, but also for weakly magnetic stainless steel particles, such as AISI 304 and AISI 316.  The high-gradient head pulley separator is more effective than a free-fall magnetic separator, because with the latter you have to slow down the metal particle before you can capture it. In addition to chocolate, the magnetic separator is also suitable for other dry, granular products, such as herbs and spices.

How it works

The process itself is simple. A vibrating chute feeds the chocolate flakes and pellets onto the conveyor belt and distributes the products in a single layer over the belt. The conveyor belt turns around the magnetic roller that captures and carries away the metal-containing product. The clean product falls directly into the packaging machine.

Cleaning

Hygiene is of the utmost importance, especially in the food industry. This is something we considered carefully while designing the HG separator. A quick release system makes removal and replacement of the conveyor belt quick and easy. The special open construction and covers that easily swing out of the way make the system easy to clean.

The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of AgriTechTomorrow

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