SOLAR SALT HARVESTERS
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MUD FLOOR CRYSTALLIZERS SALT HARVESTING MACHINES |
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GW HARVESTER SERIES This harvester design is based on the type harvester used since the mid 1930's in the San Francisco area salt plants to harvest from 2 ? to 6 inches of solar salt from mud floor crystallizers to feed a refinery producing food grade salt.. The important features of this machine were wide flat tracks for very low ground pressure, a rotary barrel with picks to loosen the salt to keep the disturbance at the mud salt contact point to a bare minimum. The harvest machine stays always on the salt crop avoiding any contact with the bare mud pond floor. The Bobcat series of T-rubber flat track FE loaders provides a power unit to operate a similar salt harvesters small enough to be used in very small salt plants. The pickroll device loosens the salt for easy pickup and provides some forward pulling effect, lessening the power used for pulling the unit forward (or backward in this case) There is sufficient power available to operate the machinery on the harvester. The harvester devices are built to provide the maximum capacity consistent with the power available and the power unit ability to lift the weight of the unit for turnaround and travel betweens ponds. There are currently two models available : GW 55 GW 750 A GW 320 is planned for the last model in this series around the Bobcat T 300 (the largest of this type that Bobcat builds) to produce over 300 tph. There are several inherent advantages to this machine because all the power to operate the harvest devices comes from the engine and hydraulic system of the Bobcat Power system.¨C 1. One man operation, no additional equipment needed. The simplicity of the system should result in long life and minimum maintenance in the salt environment. SOLAR SALT OPERATING PROCEDURES In order for a mechanical harvesting system to work there are certain operating practices that need to be followed. The common practice of retaining bittern ( salt brines in the crystallizers above 32 deg baume) must be changed and not carried over from crop to crop. Salt produced from this type operation is not as firm as normal salt and will not support harvesting or transport equipment. Additionally this practice actually reduces that amount of salt that would be produced by draining away the bittern and refilling with new brine. Click Here To View A Series Of Notes About Solar Salt Production |