Background
Substantial quantities of water are used during the potato washing and slicing processes of PC production. Techniques are used to remove free water carryover (FWOC) before entering the fryer. Any excess water remaining, and water associated with the potatoes is released through the stack during frying. Whilst there are current techniques in place to remove the water used in wash and slice operations being carried over into the fryer, it is not 100% efficient and improvements are being investigated.
Challenge
It is estimated that FWCO can contribute up to 10% of the heating load required.
Being able to further reduce the amount of water that is carried over by even a few percent will lead to significant reduction in energy requirement for the frying process and, in turn, reduce GHG emissions. To be able to determine the amount of water that is carried over a robust measurement technique is required.
The requirement is to identify a measurement technique that can robustly and accurately quantify the amount of Free Water carryover (FWCO).
Must-Have requirements:
- It can be online or offline.
- The method needs to account for the water on the conveyor and potatoes.
Out of Scope:
- Hyperspectral techniques have already been investigated.
TRL Level:
- Depending on the solution, a lower TRL may be acceptable.
PepsiCo is open to a range of collaboration types.
What's in it for you?
Resources available when collaborating with PepsiCo:
Access to PepsiCo:
- Subject Matter Experts (SME)
- Related technical information and data
- Access to R&D facilities
- Ability to run live trials funded by PepsiCo at our R&D production facilities
- Development or execution funding based on the proposal