Conveying Whole Pecans at Navarro Pecan Corsicana, TX

General Description

Navarro Pecan Company processes a large variety of pecans for many brand name food products in the ice cream, confectionery, cereal, snack food and bakery industries. Shelling over 50 million pounds of pecans a year on a 24-hour basis, Navarro Pecan Company stores more than 20 million pounds of pecans in controlled refrigerated warehouses across the United states to ensure peak freshness.

The Navarro Pecan Company state-of-the-art facility in Corsicana, TX needed a new screw conveyor to replace an aging piece of equipment. At this early stage in the process, whole pecans are saturated with water, alcohol and dirt particles. Pecans are discharged from two large sifters and sorted by specific size, then conveyed at a slight incline to help separate liquids from solids. Navarro Pecan Company contacted KWS due to their expertise in food handling and knowledge of the pecan industry.

Design Parameters

1. Product Type: Whole Pecans, Pecan Shells, Water, Alcohol and Dirt Particles
2. Material Density: 50 Lbs. per Cubic Foot
3. Conveyor System Capacity: 68 Cubic Feet per Hour
4. Duty: 24 hours per Day, 7 Days per Week

KWS Advantages

Together, engineers from Navarro Pecan and KWS created a layout for the new screw conveyor and located the inlets and discharges to ensure a flawless solution for replacing their existing unit. KWS engineers traveled to site to take measurements and provided suggestions for improvements to increase the longevity of the equipment.

Special Features

Although the pecans were not yet cleaned for human consumption, KWS provided a screw conveyor with food-grade finishes on all internal surfaces to eliminate bacteria from growing. Stainless steel construction also provided protection from rust and corrosion that would incur from the water and alcohol that was mixed in with the pecans. The new KWS screw conveyor was inclined at a 3-degree angle to promote the separation and discharge of liquids from the whole pecans. A large drain was located at the lower end of the conveyor for removal of the liquids. The first inlet was located away from the drain to prevent pecans from falling into the drain. KWS selected an engineered wood hanger bearing for the application to be compatible with the pecans and withstand moisture.