Washing machines
Properly cleaned olives will ensure the longevity and performance of the other plant equipment in your olive oil mill.
In the olive oil extraction process, it is very important to clean the olives properly in order to guarantee suitable conditions to obtain the best possible product. Introducing clean olives into the process also means the machinery in the extraction line is protected from excessive wear and tear.
Alfa Laval supplies four standard types of washing sections, depending on capacity requirements and the degree of automation:
- Compact washer
- Standard washer
- Special soft washer
- Special automatic washer
Other washing sections can be supplied upon request.
Design features and benefits
Alfa Laval washing sections are made of stainless steel throughout, and are built for strength and reliability. They are designed for efficient cleaning of the olives, while safeguarding the integrity of the fruit.
How it works
Before reaching the washer, the olives are passed through a defoliator, where an air flow generated by an exhaust fan sucks away any leaves, twigs, etc. The washer then uses water to remove any remaining earth, stones and other debris from the olives. The washing water is recycled after decanting, and clean water is constantly mixed in, in pre-set proportions.
Normally, clean water corresponding to 10% by weight of the olives is constantly fed through the rinse shower on the vibrating screen. The washer also ensures the removal of any stones or other heavy foreign objects that, if still present, could cause damage to the decanter centrifuges used later in the extraction process.
A special Alfa Laval destoner unit is also available for use in situations where there are so many stones and other debris that it is difficult to make sure they are all removed.