Almond shelling machine SELECTOR series

automatic

Overview
Compact almond shelling plants designed for continuous industrial processing. SELECTOR series combines a compact selector and a rotary-cylinder shell breaker to separate, crack and convey shelled almonds with adjustable capacities to match production needs.

Available models / Capacity

• SELECTOR 500 — maximum production 500 Kg/h
• SELECTOR 750 — maximum production 800 Kg/h
• SELECTOR 1000 — maximum production 1100 Kg/h
• SELECTOR 1500 — maximum production 1700 Kg/h
• Four-cylinder rotating shell breaker (plant No. 5) — maximum production 2,000 Kg/h of almonds in shell
• Rotary shell breakers also available as single-cylinder machines (250–500 Kg/h) and up to 8 cylinders (up to 4,000 Kg/h)

Plant components (numbered items shown)

• 1 - Big Bag holder support
• 2 - Small hopper and screw conveyor
• 3 - Elevator
• 4 - Hopper loading pipes
• 5 - Shell cracking device
• 6 - Extraction screw conveyor
• 7 - Shelled product elevator
• 8 - Selector feeding pipe
• 9 - Selector
• 10 - Cyclonic separator for further shell removal process
• 11 - Cyclonic separator for recovered fruits
• 12 - Cyclone for the suction of light shells (suction unit)
• 13 - Cyclone for the recovery of fruits from the sieve
• 14 - Fourth stage
• 15 - Fruit selectors sieve
• 16 - Fruit output
• 17 - Electrical panel

Selector / Processing details
The selector is compact and allows opening of all access doors on both sides for maintenance. It separates material by size during processing and provides multiple outlets: two calibrated fruit sizes, partially shelled almonds to be reprocessed, small and broken fruits, and shell granules. Almonds not fully shelled are returned to the shelling device. A duct above the sieve conveys fruits from the fourth stage and an operator valve diverts flow back to the first stage when operation is below full capacity.

Rotary cylinder shell breaker
The rotary-cylinder system is modular: single-cylinder (250–500 Kg/h), four-cylinder (800–2,000 Kg/h depending on selector capacity) and up to eight cylinders (up to 4,000 Kg/h). Shelled almonds collect in a lower hopper; a dosing screw supplies the cylinders, which discharge to a transfer screw. The assembly is supported by four vertical uprights with flanges, levelling screws and locking holes.

Main features of the cylinders

• Outside diameter: 600 mm
• Inner roller diameter: 300 mm
• Length: 1,200 mm
• Five adjustable bars per cylinder; bars can be moved closer to or away from the roller to optimise throughput while preserving kernel integrity

Technical innovations and maintenance
Design improvements include optimized cylinder diameter and roller groove types, specially profiled bars to increase throughput without damaging kernels, and electronic/mechanical controls for easy variation of roller and feeding screw speeds from the electrical panel. Cylinder grids can be opened or disassembled quickly if large foreign bodies are present. Use of geared-motor transmissions in oil bath is recommended to increase reliability and performance.

Main advantages

• No need to humidify almonds before processing
• No drying required after selection
• No operational issues with husk presence
• Processing cycle resilient to small branch fragments

Characteristics / Technical specifications

• Product family: Almond shelling plants (SELECTOR series)
• Available SELECTOR nominal models: 500, 750, 1000, 1500
• Typical production ranges: 500 Kg/h up to 2,000 Kg/h for standard plants; single-cylinder 250–500 Kg/h; up to 4,000 Kg/h with 8 cylinders
• Main machine components: big bag support, hoppers, screw conveyors, elevators, shell cracking device, selectors, cyclonic separators, suction cyclones, selector sieve, electrical panel
• Cylinder dimensions: outside Ø 600 mm, inner roller Ø 300 mm, length 1,200 mm
• Cylinder configuration: 5 adjustable bars per cylinder
• Material handling: dosing screw for feeding cylinders and transfer screw for shelled product
• Control: keypads/displays for speed control of stages (adjustable revolutions for 1st, 3rd and 4th stages)
• Maintenance: easily opened/disassembled cylinder grids; geared motor transmissions in oil bath recommended