solution for rice industry
Rice is one of the most important food crops in the world and remarkable that almost every culture has its own way of harvesting, processing and utilizing. In India, it is grown across the country. The cultivated paddy is treated by a hydrothermal process called paraboiling followed by drying and milling to improve its quality, nutritive value, cooking quality and storability. The process of paraboiling is done in three stages – Soaking, Steaming and drying.
Paraboiling
It is done by steaming the unhusked rice to raise its temperature and soaked in water at 20-30° C and maintained for 24-36 hrs. After soaking, secondary steaming is done for 20-30 minutes to heat up the grain to make it harder, followed by drying.
Drying
It reduces the moisture content of the grain to an optimum level. Mechanical drying systems are used to remove water and moisture from wet grains by forcing them through heated air in a dryer. Heated air drying is stopped when desired moisture levels are achieved. STEAM IN RICE PROCESSING
Milling
It is done to remove the husk and the bran layers to produce an edible white rice kernel that is sufficiently milled and free of impurities.
STEAM IN RICE PROCESSING
Efficient steam consumption is essential for achieving optimum plant efficiency. This can be achieved by having a good heat recovery system in place. The heat recovery system needs to employ a condensate recovery equipment and return pipeline with drain lines, steam traps and discharge line from traps.
Challenges in Rice Processing
- Mainline Trapping – Wet steam
- Pressure Reducing station
- Dryer Application
- Isolation Valve Technology
- Pressure and Temperature Control
- Hot Water System
- Heat Transfer
MAINLINE TRAPPING TECHNOLOGY
CHALLENGE
In rice processing applications, steam pressure varies from 3.5 to 7.5 bar(g), and achieving the perfect amount of steam with minimum pressure drop is essential for the total steam system. The absence of mainline traps at appropriate locations (30 Meters) and improper drip leg sizing may result in improper condensate removal from the main steam line. This process will result in water hammering and a supply of wet steam. To overcome this challenge, select the right trap to ensure quick draining of the condensate.
ARMSTRONG SOLUTION
Armstrong INVERTED BUCKET STEAM TRAP – IB 2011C with TVS4000 connector provides unprecedented performance and ease of operation with minimum maintenance. This inverted bucket technology ensures 100% condensate recovery from the steam mainlines without having any additional equipment with a 5-year guarantee.
ISOLATION VALVE TECHNOLOGY
CHALLENGE
While proceeding with the primary and secondary steaming of the Kachi-Pakki process, steam is supplied to the system by manual operation of the valves at regular intervals. Due to this repeated activity combined with low seal quality and valve configuration, the valves tend to leak resulting in a direct steam loss. There is also a higher probability of valve failures.
ARMSTRONG SOLUTION
Armstrong’s BELLOW SEAL VALVES are gland-free valves that help in steam throttling without leakages. It offers maintenance-free operation and a higher life period.
PRESSURE REDUCING STATION
CHALLENGE
Steam supplied at varying and high pressures to the process and heat exchangers result in energy loss and reduced efficiency for the steam system.
SOLUTION
Armstrong’s PRESSURE REDUCING STATION (PRS) are optimized to ensure accurate, consistent downstream reduced pressure irrespective of fluctuations at the inlet and provides more latent heat to the process resulting in lower fuel consumption
PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL
CHALLENGE
Under manual operating conditions, the steam supply valves throttled by the operators result in improper temperature profiles in the dryers, which may lead to grain cracking.
ARMSTRONG SOLUTION
Control valves are essential to pressure and temperature control applications. When accurate control was desired from the steam, air, or water application, ARMSTRONG PYTHON® 1500 SERIES CONTROL VALVE will squeeze every bit of performance out of the system and deliver precise control.
Python® 1500 Series control valve is constructed and equipped with state-of-art materials in compliance with ASME, DIN, IBR, CRN, and GB standards.
Available in carbon steel and stainless steel material sizes ranging from 1/2” to 4” with end connections available in flange #150 and #300.
OPERATING RANGE
605 psig @ 500°F (41.4 bar g @ 260° C)
740 psig @ 100°F (51.1 bar g @ 38° C)
DRYER APPLICATION
CHALLENGES
- Uneven drying temperature
- Recurring dryer failure
- Condensate draining trenching due to stalling conditions
- Heavy percentage of broken rice
ARMSTRONG SOLUTION
Above referred challenges can be addressed with proper incorporation of DD6/SDD6 with the dryers, which can take care of stalling conditions, timely evacuation of condensate, and keep dryer coils free from condensate accumulation giving longer life to the exchanger and reducing the percentage of broken rice.
Closed Loop Condensate Recovery system Recovering the condensate at the right temperature and pressure and making it reach to destination w/o any waste of Kcals. Total Heat Mass Balancing also helps on take care of feed water with customized solutions. Armstrong can provide complete engineered condensate pumping system solutions, allowing you to take advantage of these fundamental energy management practices. Single pump capacities range from 350 lb/hr to 73000 lb/hr (158 kg/hr to 33112 kg/hr), depending on application conditions. You may also depend on Armstrong for complete custom pre-piped packages, ASME packages, mechanical and electric pumps, and accessories.
HOT WATER SYSTEM
CHALLENGE
Soaking requirement of rice while processing golden color where-in right temperature of the water has to be maintained for an entire soaking time and giving right quality of rice cooking.
Solution
Armstrong is a global provider of innovative hot water generation and control solutions for, Industrial process applications. We can provide solutions for hot water generation, operation, and maintenance to optimize performance and user safety.
- Water heaters
- Water temperature controls and
- Hose stations.
HEAT TRANSFER COILS
At Armstrong, we welcome the opportunity to offer advice early in the planning stages of your projects. Our specialists provide expert design services and manufacturing capabilities for extended heat transfer equipment, and we have the manufacturing flexibility necessary to design and build equipment according to your exact needs, for all forms of air and gas treatment. Armstrong offers a line of steam/liquid and cooling coils in a heavy-duty finned tube and lightweight plate fin configurations.
ARMSTRONG ADDED SOLUTIONS
FLOW MEASUREMENT
Measuring the flow of fluids accurately is vitally important in many institutional and industry operations. Armstrong’s VERIS flow measurement solutions provide outstanding flow measurement technology to meet the critical needs of your environment.
STRAINERS
Armstrong’s Y-type, T-type, and Fabricated Basket Pipe Strainers are available in a wide choice of sizes and materials to meet the majority of all pipeline straining requirements.
AIR VENTS
Armstrong’s Float-Operated Air Vent Relief Traps are designed to remove gases from liquids down to 0.40 specific gravity, and thermostatic devices are available to evacuate gases from steam systems.
LIQUID DRAINERS
Armstrong’s Float-Operated Drain Traps are designed for draining heavy liquids from gases or light liquids (dual gravity drainers). These liquid drainers can operate to 1800 psig / 255 barg or specific gravity down to 0.40.
