Par Boiled Rice
Food Processor Chooses Sinclair for Special Parboil Conveyors
A major food processor recently awarded B. W. Sinclair Inc. the contract for a pair of special processing screw conveyors to convey, mix, and “parboil” wild rice.
The tubular units feature 36” dia BWSI LongSpan™ rotors with reduced pitch and mixing paddles to retard transfer and promote mixing. The rotors are designed to provide several minutes of retention time to expose the material to low-pressure saturated steam.
The steam is introduced via a series of multiple steam nozzles, each fitted with flexible tubing to allow thermal expansion. The fittings are eccentrically positioned to concentrate the steam per the client’s requirements. A series of condensate collection ports are mounted on the lower centerline to collect liquids and drain them off to a central takeoff. Each port is individually controllable to provide maximum process flexibility.
Custom features that add to the material handling and processing benefits include:
- Cinchseal™ silicone elastomer purged gland seals with thermal expansion capability
- Dodge SAF-XT™ spherical roller bearing pillow blocks for rotor support
- BWSI Expansion-Pedestal Bearing Mount to allow unequal thermal expansion
- Rectangular inspection ports fitted with polycarbonate view windows
- Multiple instrument connection ports for customer’s designation
- Integral support stanchions
- Sealed cleanout and access door on discharge spout featuring tubular “poke port” to clear downstream blockage
- High efficiency Dodge Quantis™ gearmotor with roller chain primary drive for slow speed operation
- Inverter-rated Reliance Electric® motor for adjustment of retention time
- All Type 304-L-SS construction
- Fine-mesh screens mounted at all steam inlets and condensate drains
