Shrimp Singulation via Divider Pan and Flume Hydraulics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shrimp processing systems face challenges in efficiently singulating and separating shrimp due to their wet and sticky nature, which causes them to adhere to each other, leading to issues in subsequent processing steps like vision grading.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a divider pan to separate shrimp into multiple lanes, a shaker pan to agitate and declump the shrimp, and flumes that use water flow to further separate and accelerate individual shrimp, ensuring they are properly singulated and separated before processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If shrimp are conveyed in bulk for processing, then processing throughput is maintained, but shrimp adhere to each other causing singulation problems
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the bulk shrimp flow into multiple separate lanes using a divider pan with multiple partitions. This segmentation prevents shrimp from adhering to each other in large clumps while maintaining continuous processing throughput. Each lane acts as an independent channel that breaks up aggregates and promotes individual shrimp separation.
Solution Approach 2:
A vibratory mechanism is applied to the divider pan or conveyance system to create mechanical vibrations that prevent shrimp from adhering together. The vibration disrupts the sticky bonds between shrimp surfaces, ensuring they remain separated as they move through the processing system toward the vision grading station.
2Reliability
If shrimp are separated into individual lanes, then singulation quality improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The divider pan serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a conveying surface, a separation structure with multiple lanes, a vibratory platform for preventing adhesion, and a guiding mechanism for directing shrimp to the vision grading station. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and simplifies the overall system design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines the divider pan, conveyance mechanism, and vibratory separation function into a single integrated unit. By merging these functions into one component rather than using separate devices, the system achieves effective singulation while minimizing the increase in overall system complexity.
3Productivity
If water flow is used to accelerate and separate shrimp, then singulation efficiency improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses hydraulic principles by employing water flow through flumes to accelerate and separate shrimp. The water current provides the force needed to move shrimp individually through the singulation zone, utilizing fluid dynamics to achieve separation and acceleration efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The water flow system is designed to utilize gravity and natural water circulation to a程度, reducing the need for high-energy pumping. The flumes are positioned to allow water to flow naturally, and the system recycles water where possible, minimizing external energy input while maintaining effective singulation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively addresses the adhesion issues of shrimp, enabling efficient singulation and separation, which improves the accuracy and efficiency of subsequent processing steps, such as grading.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of flumes positioned to receive the plurality of lanes of product. The flumes provide a flow of water to accelerate the product to separate and singulate the product
Implementation Method 2
a shaker pan that receives the lanes of product and agitates them to separate clumps of product
Data Source
AI summary
A separation and singulation system for presenting shrimps or other product individually to a processor. The separation and singulation system includes a divider pan that separates a layer of shrimp into several lanes, a shaker pan that receives the lanes of shrimp and agitates them to separate clumps of shrimp and a flume for providing further singulation and acceleration of the shrimp. The singulated, separated shrimps are then sent to a processor.