CHOONG, Hwa, Doong (8 Lorong Serai Wangi Dua, Taman Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, 56100, MY)
| Claims I claim: 1. A method (13) for hydro-conveying cum washing and separating of unwanted matters from the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\foodstuffs prior to the sterilization process, the method comprising:- - the use of a specifically designed truck or trucks unloading ramp (3) or; the use of an already existing but specifically redesigned storage bay (2) for directly unloading a batch of unwashed and\or un- cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs into the said prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel (1) containing the said warmed water; - the use of the said prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel (1) as equipped in sequence and\or in tandem or in various combination with the preferred embodiments of the invention and> - starting in sequence or at a predetermined stage the use of the preferred embodiments of the invention (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11 and 12) to wash and separate the unwanted matters from the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs and thereafter to convey the washed and cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\foodstuffs to the cleaned fruit holding bay (7); and also at a predetermined stage starting the automated elevator (8) to evacuate the washed and cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifλfoodstuffs from the cleaned fruit holding bay (7) of the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel for further processing. 2. A method (13) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method includes the use of low pressure steam from a running mill or from a sufficient size and capacity water boiler (not shown) to warm and thereafter to feed the warmed water into the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel. 3. A method (13) as claimed in claim 1 and 2, wherein the method includes the use of a water supply cum recycling system (not shown) to continually pump out the sand, other heavy dirt and the dirtied warmed water from the sand collection trough, trench or sump (9) of the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel into the water supply cum recycling system for cleaning and thereafter to feed back the recycled but cleaned water for reuse. 4. A method (13) as claimed in claim 1 to 3, wherein the method includes the use of an already existing but specifically redesigned storage bay (2) or a new specifically designed truck unloading ramp (3) for directly unloading the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs into the said prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel. 5. A method (13) as claimed in claim 1 to 4, wherein the method includes the use of a series of water nozzles (4) for washing, cleaning, turning and pushing along the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\foodstuffs in the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel. 6. A method (13) as claimed in claim 1 to 5, wherein the method includes the use of a series of paddle pushers (5) for turning and\or pushing along the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifλfood stuffs during the washing, separating and cleaning process. 7. A method (13) as claimed in claim 1 to 6, wherein the method includes the use of motor driven single or multiple shafted and\or shaft-less conveyors (10) for conveying the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\foodstuffs under the screen and grid (11) but within the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel during the washing, separating and cleaning process and thereafter to send the cleaned fresh fruit bunches to the cleaned fruit holding bay (7). 8. A method (13) as claimed in claim 1 to 7, wherein the method includes the use of a screen and\or grid (11) to separate the unwashed and\or un- cleaned fresh loose fruits from the fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs during the washing, separating and cleaning process and thereafter to send the cleaned flf to the cleaned fruit holding bay (7). 9. A method (13) as claimed in claim 1 to 8, wherein the method includes the use of a series of trash outlets (12) combined with the screen and\or grid (11) for the removal of trash and other debris from the prefabricated or in- situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel during the washing, separating and cleaning process. 10. A method (13) as claimed in claim 1 to 9, wherein the method includes the use of an automated elevator (8) for the evacuation of the washed and cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs from the cleaned fruit holding bay (7) of the prefabricated or in-situ constructed trough or chute or vessel for further processing; and 11. A method (13) as claimed in claim 1 to 10, wherein the method includes the use of the pump of the water supply cum recycling system (not shown) to pump out the sand, other heavy dirt and the dirtied warmed water from the sand collection trough, trench or sump (9) of the prefabricated or in- situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel into the water supply cum recycling system for cleaning and thereafter to store the recycled but cleaned water for reuse when:- there is a need to stop the sterilizing process at any point in time; and there is a need to hold, store and prevent from any further deterioration the already cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs kept-in abeyance to the sterilization process in the prefabricated or in-situ constructed trough or chute or vessel while awaiting further processing. 12. An apparatus (14) for enabling the hydro-conveying cum washing and separating of unwanted matters from the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\foodstuffs prior to the sterilization process to be carried out, the apparatus (14) comprising of either a prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel (1) which size is predetermined by the amount of unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifλfoodstuffs for which it has to process within a certain time frame. 13. An apparatus (14) as claimed in claim 12, wherein the apparatus includes the said prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel being equipped in sequence and\or in tandem or in various combination: with a series of water jet nozzles throughout at the top and\or bottom and\or sides (4); with a series of paddle pushers throughout at the top and\or sides (5); with one or more motor-driven single or multiple shafted or shaft- less conveyors (10); with a screen and\or grid (11) above the shafted or shaft-less conveyors; - with a series of trash outlets (12) combined with the screen and\or grid (11) above the shafted or shaft-less conveyors; with a cleaned fruit holding bay (7) equipped with a fruit elevator (8); and a sand and other heavy dirt collection trough, trench or sump (9). 14. An apparatus (14) as claimed in claim 12 and 13, wherein the apparatus includes a water supply cum recycling system (not shown) for cleaning, storing and the reuse of the recycled water. 15. An apparatus (14) as claimed in claim 12 to 14, wherein the apparatus includes a low pressure steam unit linked to a running mill (not shown) and\or in the event low pressure steam is not available from the mill, a water boiler unit (not shown) for the provision of warmed water. 16. An apparatus (14) as claimed in claim 12 to 15, wherein the apparatus includes an already existing but specifically redesigned storage bay (2) or a new specifically designed truck unloading ramp (3) for directly unloading the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs into the said prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel (1). 17. An apparatus (14) as claimed in claim 12 to 16, wherein the apparatus includes a series of water nozzles (4) for washing, cleaning, separating, turning and pushing along the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifλfoodstuffs in the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel. 18. An apparatus (14) as claimed in claim 12 to 17, wherein the apparatus includes a series of paddle pushers (5) for pushing along and\or turning the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs during the washing, separating and cleaning process. 19. An apparatus (14) as claimed in claim 12 to 18, wherein the apparatus includes motor driven single or multiple shafted or shaft-less coηveyors (10) for conveying the unwashed ancAor un-cleaned fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit under the screen and\or grid (1 1) but within the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel during the washing, separating and cleaning process and thereafter to send the cleaned fresh fruit bunches to the cleaned fruit holding bay (7). 20. An apparatus (14) as claimed in claim 12 to 19, wherein the apparatus includes a screen and\or grid (11 ) to separate the unwashed and\or un- cleaned fresh loose fruits from the fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\foodstuffs during the washing, separating and cleaning process and thereafter to send the cleaned fresh loose fruits to the cleaned fruit holding bay (7). 21. An apparatus (14) as claimed in claim 12 to 20, wherein the apparatus includes a series of trash outlets (12) combined with the screen and\or grid (11) for the removal of trash from the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel during the washing, separating and cleaning process. 22. An apparatus (14) as claimed in claim 12 to 21 , wherein the apparatus includes an automated elevator (8) for the evacuation of the washed and cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs from the cleaned fruit holding bay (7) of the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel for further processing. 23. An apparatus (14) as claimed in claim 12 to 22, wherein the apparatus includes the use of the pump of the water supply cum recycling system (not shown) to pump out the sand, other heavy dirt and the dirtied warmed water from the sand collection trough, trench or sump (9) of the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel into the water supply cum recycling system for cleaning and thereafter for storing and reuse of the recycled but cleaned used water when:- there is a need to stop the sterilizing process at any point in time; and there is a need to hold, store and prevent from any further deterioration the already cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruitVfoodstuffs in the prefabricated or in-situ constructed trough or chute or vessel while awaiting further processing. |
Field of Invention This invention relates to a method for hydro-conveying cum washing and separating of unwanted matters from unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifλfoodstuffs prior to the sterilization process. An apparatus for hydro-conveying cum washing and separating of unwanted matters from unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs prior to the sterilization process is also disclosed. Background to the Invention
The last known, most advantageous and effective prior art relating to the handling processes prior to the sterilizing process of oil palm fruits, oil palm fruit bunches and other foodstuffs is to be found in Patent MY-134916-A which is titled - "Method And Apparatus For Sterilizing Oil Palm Fruit" by the same inventor and the handling processes prior to the sterilizing process disclosed therein comprises: receiving the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits (flf) and\or fresh fruit bunches (ffb) of oil palm or other kinds of fruit from the field at a collecting point or holding bay; and loading the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit into sterilizers for them to be subjected to pressurized steam to arrest the production of free fatty acids and to loosen fruit from bunches before sending them for subsequent processing.
The above-said and still practiced prior art still involves very high operation and maintenance costs and subsequent not required processes can be evaluated in terms of:- heavy wear, tear and damages and consequently high repair and\or replacement costs in the use of sterilizers; - high wastage of water and energy because of the high presence of unwanted matters such as sand and\or other heavy dirt, trash and debris present and causing various problems during the sterilization processes; substantial loss of oil from the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifλfoodstuffs that is spilt in the duration prior to or during the sterilization processes; and very unnecessary operational and maintenance costs as more steps are required in the processing processes.
The above-said also results in very lower quality of extracted oil and\or very lower quality of recoverable oil during the sterilization process because:- the enzyme responsible for the formation of free fatty acid present in the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs are not deactivated for a considerable period of time starting from harvesting, collecting, holding and\or storing prior to and during the sterilizing time; and the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\foodstuffs are not protected from further bruising or harm starting from harvesting, collecting, holding or storing prior to and during the sterilizing time and as such any fruit that are damaged during this period of time will cause oil to be released and this oil in turn will come into contact with the enzyme responsible for the formation of free fatty acid thus causing a more rapid reaction which accordingly causes a higher increase in free fatty acid.
Summary of Invention Therefore the invention has as its objects a method and apparatus for overcoming the above said disadvantages and accordingly there is provided a method for hydro-conveying cum washing and separating of unwanted matters from the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifλfoodstuffs prior to the sterilization process, the method comprising: filling a prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel with warmed water; - directly unloading from an already existing but specifically redesigned storage bay or from a truck or trucks driven directly onto a specifically designed truck unloading ramp a batch of unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\food stuffs; starting in sequence or at a predetermined stage the water jet nozzles, the paddle pushers and motor driven single or multiple shafted or shaft-less conveyors to wash and separate the unwanted matters and thereafter to convey the washed and cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\foodstuffs to the cleaned fruit holding bay; and at a predetermined stage starting the automated elevator to evacuate the washed and cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifλfoodstuffs from the cleaned fruit holding bay for further processing.
In the above said manner of workings there is tremendous savings in terms of obtaining a higher quality extracted oil and\or a higher quality recoverable oil prior to and during sterilization, shorter sterilizing processing time, lower maintenance and operational costs, lower utilities' costs, less man power required, and consequently lower man power costs, an increase in operational safety and a great reduction in environmental pollution. Description of Drawings
In order that the invention may be better understood and readily be put into practical effect, there shall now be described by way of non-limitative example a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the description being in reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a specifically designed truck or trucks unloading ramp for direct unloading; - Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of an already existing but specifically redesigned storage bay for direct unloading; Figure 3 - the schematic diagram of the side elevation; and
Figure 4 - the schematic diagram of the plan view of the preferred embodiments showing the said prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel as equipped in sequence and\or in tandem or in various combinations with the preferred embodiments of the invention.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
According to the preferred embodiment and as shown in Figure 1 - the schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a specifically designed truck or trucks unloading ramp for directly unloading a batch of unwashedVun-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifλfoodstuffs into the said prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel containing the said warmed water.
Also according to the preferred embodiment and as shown in Figure 2 - the schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of an already existing but specifically redesigned storage bay for directly unloading a batch of unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs into the said prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel containing the said warmed water. Also according to the preferred embodiment and as shown in Figure 3 - the schematic diagram of the side elevation and Figure 4 - the schematic diagram of the plan view of the preferred embodiments showing the said prefabricated or in- situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel as equipped in sequence and\or in tandem or in various combinations with the preferred embodiments of the invention. Accordingly and as shown in Figure 1 , Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figure 4, there is provided a method (13) for hydro-conveying cum washing and separating of unwanted matters from the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\foodstuffs prior to the sterilization process, the method comprising: filling a prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel (1) with warmed water; - directly unloading from an already existing but specifically redesigned storage bay (2) or from a truck or trucks driven directly onto a specifically designed truck unloading ramp (3) a batch of unwashed and\or un- cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\foodstuffs into the said prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel containing the said warmed water; starting in sequence or at a predetermined stage the water jet nozzles (4), the paddle pushers (5) and motor driven single or multiple shafted or shaft-less conveyors (6) to wash and separate the unwanted matters from the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifλfoodstuffs and thereafter to convey the washed and cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs to the cleaned fruit holding bay (7); and at a predetermined stage starting the automated elevator (8) to evacuate the washed and cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs from the cleaned fruit holding bay of the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel for further processing. Conveniently, the method (13) includes the use of low pressure steam from a running mill or from a sufficient size and capacity water boiler (not shown) to warm and thereafter to feed the warmed water into the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel;
Conveniently, the method (13) includes the use of a water supply cum recycling
« system (not shown) to continually pump out the sand, other heavy dirt and the dirtied warmed water from the sand collection trough, trench or sump (9) of the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel into the water supply cum recycling system for cleaning and thereafter to feed back the recycled but cleaned water for reuse;
Conveniently, the method (13) includes the use of an already existing but specifically redesigned storage bay (2) or a new specifically designed truck unloading ramp (3) for directly unloading the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\foodstuffs into the said prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel;
Conveniently, the method (13) includes the use of a series of water nozzles (4) for washing, cleaning, turning and pushing along the unwashed and\or un- cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifλfoodstuffs in the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel; Conveniently, the method (13) includes the use of a series of paddle pushers (5) for turning and\or pushing along the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifλfoodstuffs during the washing, separating and cleaning process; Conveniently, the method (13) includes the use of motor driven single or multiple shafted and\or shaft-less conveyors (10) for conveying the unwashed and\or un- cleaned fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\foodstuffs under the screen and grid (11) but within the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel during the washing, separating and cleaning process and thereafter to send the cleaned fresh fruit bunches to the cleaned fruit holding bay (7);
Conveniently, the method (13) includes the use of a screen and\or grid (11) to separate the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits from the fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruitλfoodstuffs during the washing, separating and cleaning process and thereafter to send the cleaned fresh loose fruits to the cleaned fruit holding bay (7);
Conveniently, the method (13) includes the use of a series of trash outlets (12) combined with the screen and\or grid (11) for the removal of trash and other debris from the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel during the washing, separating and cleaning process;
Conveniently, the method (13) includes the use of an automated elevator (8) for the evacuation of the washed and cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\foodstuffs from the cleaned fruit holding bay (7) of the prefabricated or in-situ constructed trough or chute or vessel for further processing; and
Conveniently, the method (13) also includes the use of the pump of the water supply cum recycling system (not shown) to pump out the sand, other heavy dirt and the dirtied warmed water from the sand collection trough, trench or sump (9) of the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel into the water supply cum recycling system for cleaning and thereafter to store the recycled but cleaned water for reuse when:- there is a need to stop the sterilizing process at any point in time; and there is a need to hold, store and prevent from any further deterioration the already cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruit\foodstuffs kept-in abeyance to the sterilization process in the prefabricated or in-situ constructed trough or chute or vessel while awaiting further processing.
There is also provided an apparatus (14) for hydro-conveying cum washing and separating of unwanted matters from the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifλfoodstuffs prior to the sterilization process, the apparatus (14) comprising of either a prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel (1) which size is predetermined by the amount of unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs for which it has to process within a certain time frame.
The said prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel being equipped in sequence and\or in tandem or in various combination: - with a series of water jet nozzles throughout at the top and\or bottom and\or sides (4); with a series of paddle pushers throughout at the top and\or sides (5); - with one or more motor-driven single or multiple shafted or shaft-less conveyors (10); with a screen and\or grid (11) above the shafted or shaft-less conveyors; - with a series of trash outlets (12) combined with the screen and\or grid (11) above the shafted or shaft-less conveyors; with a cleaned fruit holding bay (7) equipped with a fruit elevator (8); and a sand and other heavy dirt collection trough, trench or sump (9).
Conveniently, the apparatus (14) includes a water supply cum recycling system (not shown) for cleaning, storing and the reuse of the recycled used water;
Conveniently, the apparatus (14) includes a low pressure steam unit linked to a running mill (not shown) and\or in the event low pressure steam is not available from the mill, a water boiler unit (not shown) for the provision of warmed water;
Conveniently, the apparatus (14) includes an already existing but specifically redesigned storage bay (2) or a new specifically designed truck unloading ramp (3) for directly unloading the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruitλfoodstuffs into the said prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel (1);
Conveniently, the apparatus (14) includes a series of water nozzles (4) for washing, cleaning, separating, turning and pushing along the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruitλfoodstuffs in the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel; Conveniently, the apparatus (14) includes a series of paddle pushers (5) for pushing along and\or turning the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruitλfoodstuffs during the washing, separating and cleaning process; Conveniently, the apparatus (14) includes motor driven single or multiple shafted or shaft-less conveyors (10) for conveying the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruitVfoodstuffs under the screen and\or grid (11) but within the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel during the washing, separating and cleaning process and thereafter to send the cleaned fresh fruit bunches to the cleaned fruit holding bay (7);
Conveniently, the apparatus (14) includes a screen and\or grid (11) to separate the unwashed and\or un-cleaned fresh loose fruits from the fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifΛfoodstuffs during the washing, separating and cleaning process and thereafter to send the cleaned fresh loose fruits to the cleaned fruit holding bay (7);
Conveniently, the apparatus (14) includes a series of trash outlets (12) combined with the screen and\or grid (11) for the removal of trash from the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel during the washing, separating and cleaning process;
Conveniently, the apparatus (14) includes an automated elevator (8) for the evacuation of the washed and cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruitVfoodstuffs from the cleaned fruit holding bay (7) of the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel for further processing.
Conveniently, the apparatus (14) also includes the use of the pump of the water supply cum recycling system (not shown) to pump out the sand, other heavy dirt and the dirtied warmed water from the sand collection trough, trench or sump (9) of the prefabricated or in-situ constructed pond, trough or chute or vessel into the water supply cum recycling system for cleaning and thereafter for storing and reuse of the recycled but cleaned used water when:- - there is a need to stop the sterilizing process at any point in time; and there is a need to hold, store and prevent from any further deterioration the already cleaned fresh loose fruits and\or fresh fruit bunches of oil palm or other kinds of fruifλfoodstuffs in the prefabricated or in-situ constructed trough or chute or vessel while awaiting further processing.
In the above said manner of workings there is tremendous savings in terms of obtaining a higher quality extracted oil and\or a higher quality recoverable oil prior to and during sterilization, shorter sterilizing processing time, lower maintenance and operational costs, lower utilities' costs, less man power required and consequently lower man power costs, an increase in operational safety and a great reduction in environmental pollution.
Whilst there has been described in the foregoing description the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the technology concerned that many variations or modifications may be made to details of design or construction without departing from the present invention.