Everyone in the food industry understands the necessity for processing with extremely high levels of cleanliness in mind. Yet, some processors may feel that animal feed for livestock and pets does not demand the same high standards used in the production of food for humans. Nothing could be further from the truth. Those who are responsible for animal health need to know that livestock and pets receive nutritious feed that is free of infectious pathogens.

To prevent feed from carrying infectious organisms, it is necessary to cook the feeds at 200°F (93°C) in a cooker/extruder. This results in a hot and flaky product ready for pelleting and screening. It is essential to maintain scrupulous clean conditions in both the pelleting and classifying operations. If these processes introduce infectious organisms, then the high temperature cooking will have been for naught.

At the same time, highly efficient and high capacity classifying helps keep processing costs low, adding to profitability. A smart feed processor will give serious consideration to a special type of circular screen separator that permits high capacity classification and does not allow infectious organisms to enter the process line.

The Kason VIBROSCREEN with an internal Kascade Deck equipped for purging with a clean gas and, perhaps constructed of stainless steel, is designed to meet these process requirements at the high flow rates of pelleted or crumbled product typical of livestock feed production. Clearly, this enclosed design goes a long way toward preventing infectious organisms from entering the process line.

The Kascade feature, be it external or internal, provides 360 degree exit from the circular screen deck so high flows of coarse fraction can be handled without crowding the mesh surface and hampering the passage of undersize through the mesh. The product and undersize fractions are guided to separate spouts provided with airtight flexible sleeves to discharge to the next stage without exposure to the surroundings.

This advantage, combined with the design features that will minimize the chance of infectious organisms entering the feed make this special classifier a new choice for feed processors who are aware of the dangers of selling feed with infectious pathogens. All of the special features of this classifier indicate the manufacturer has designed a unit that meets the multiple special requirements of this application.

Experience with Kason pellet classifiers shows that their high reliability results in the most minimal need for maintenance. Thus, the chance for inadvertently introducing infectious organisms during maintenance is also slashed dramatically. This fact alone gives feed processors good reason to learn more about the Kason Classifier equipped with special Kascade Decks.

Screen Tips - Volume 10, Number 2 Summer 1995