After 20 years of experience in extrusion systems, Amandus Kahl has developed a new designed extruder in order to meet the increasing requirements of the fast-growing fish feed and pet food markets. The new extrusion product family comes with four different machine sizes covering the whole range of performance from lab-scale up to 10 t/h industrial large-scale applications. All machines are available as machine-only or as turnkey extrusion lines comprising all required process steps like milling and mixing, steam conditioning, extrusion, drying, coating, cooling and packing.
The new extruder comes with the proven Amandus Kahl stop bolt technology for perfect mixing and venting in the first barrel section. Dedicated process zones for compaction, cooking and pumping assure high flexibility and various adjustment options and exchangeable screw elements ensure perfect adaption to changing formulations and quality parameters.
These features are complemented by very effective fine-control measures like screw speed adjustment, steam/water addition to the extruder barrel and individually controllable heating/cooling jackets - all adjustable during operation for direct product quality response. The combination of individually adjustable screw elements and the described fine-control measures enable to satisfy its customers’ requirements in the vast majority of cases. Complex and expensive additional equipment to influence expansion behavior is not required, allowing customers to save investment as well as operational costs.
During the design process, the main focus was to create an operator-friendly machine. This is achieved by a double-hinge head connection, ensuring fast die changes and fast knife replacement. The frame-mounted touch-screen based operator panel complements the user-friendly design and gives access to all relevant operational data, settings and options during start up and operation.
The company reports extensive prototype testing performed in its test center in Germany that showed good results in terms of product quality, capacity and process stability for the production of sinking as well as floating fish feed. Specific extruder features are: newly designed base frame for easy machine alignment and integrated peripherals; good accessibility and therefore easy cleaning of outlet, die and product distribution system; fast knife and die change; knife-adjustment during operation; flexible adaption of linings, cooking and pumping elements; four separately controllable heating/cooling jackets; throughput depending on pellet diameter and feed formula (sinking fish feed up to 10 t/h; floating fish feed up to 8 t/h).
The first series machines are sold to countries in northern Africa and commissioning is expected to be finished in early 2020.
KAHL fish feed plants are equipped with the latest process technology, the core of which is the extrusion system with the extruder OEE and the process control system E5EP.
More information: www.akahl.de
