Special Screw Conveyor with Ethanol Spray System for Conveying Hemp

General Description

The hemp industry has recently exploded with many companies exploring new innovations for processing and conveying hemp. A new hemp research company was experimenting with different methodologies for industrializing hemp production, and they needed a system to continuously convey hemp while starting the ethanol soak bath process. The customer needed a prototype conveyor for their new application and contacted KWS. KWS specializes in unique applications and solving problems.

Design Parameters

1. Product Type: Hemp Soaked in Ethanol
2. Material Density: 30 Lbs. per Cubic Foot
3. Capacity: 20 Cubic Feet per Hour

KWS Advantages

With an extensive successful history in designing and manufacturing prototype equipment, KWS engineers were able to provide several different solutions to the many challenges of conveying ethanol soaked hemp. Ethanol causes hemp to become very sticky and resistant to flow, and thus KWS acquired samples for extensive testing. Through testing, KWS offered special features to help reduce the stickiness and ensure that the hemp achieved adequate soaking time.

Special Features

To get the ethanol to evenly cover the entire length of the conveyor, KWS designed a spray system with special materials of construction to resist ethanol corrosion that installed in the covers above the screw. Valves were placed at each spray nozzle to provide variability in the soaking process. The screw was made with ribbon flighting to reduce the amount of product sticking and eliminate the chance of plugging. The end of the screw tapered down in diameter to compress the hemp and to wring out some ethanol before going to the next part of the process. The remaining ethanol was screened and recycled into the process.

The screw conveyor was equipped with a variable frequency drive to “fine-tune” the speed of the screw to allow for variable soaking times. The screw conveyor was constructed from stainless steel with a food-grade finish since the hemp is for human consumption. The polished finish also reduces the potential for the sticky hemp to adhere to the surfaces of the screw and housing.