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March 10, 1997
For over forty years Vincent Corporation has designed and manufactured screw presses. The evolution of the Vincent horizontal screw press has produced machines that press tighter and tighter. In the past few years, we have noticed situations where our machines pressed …well.. too tight!
The CP and VP presses simply push solids through the screen when pressing materials like manure and waste water treatment plant (WWTP) screenings. The compression within the press was too much for these applications.
Also, material with highly abrasive components (sand) wear out screws without remorse. Tight pressing adds to the abrasion.
The need was recognized. After all, not every application requires the removal of every last drop of water. At the same time, absolute maximum capacity is desired. This is the reason the KP series press was conceived. Squeeze more of it, but not quite as tight.
The KP press was designed with a high speed drive to increase throughput capacity. A light squeezing screw arrangement was specified. Furthermore, the KP series press also introduces a new drive arrangement that eliminates parts unnecessary for a light torque machine.
One of the first field tests of a KP series press was with a model KP-6 at Peace River Citrus, in Arcadia, Florida. The idea was to dewater a slurry of twigs, leaves, broken fruit, sand, and dirt. At first the small press would not take the feed. A Vincent field engineer was assigned to the application. In short order the problem was identified: co- rotation of the twigs. The press was modified with the invention of a stripper, and the twigs and leaves were being gobbled up by the hungry KP-6. The press was able to dewater the slurry from 82% moisture to 71% moisture.
The twigs, stems, and leaves are eliminated by blending them with the flow of orange peel going to the feedmill. Using the KP-6 to dewater the leaf slurry can prevent up to 20 gallons per minute of water from entering the feedmill. Unless the feedmill has excess waste heat evaporator capacity, fuel would have to be burned to evaporate this water.
Issue 57