What are the tapioca processing steps?

Tapioca is kind of starch that is produced from cassava tubers. The modern tapioca processing relies on the efficient machines. The tapioca processing steps are mainly divided into 3 sections: cleaning section, processing section and drying section. Detailed steps are as follows.

Cleaning section

Main machines: Feeding hopper, belt conveyor, dry sieve and paddle washing machine.

1.Harvested fresh cassava tubers are loaded into the feeding hopper.

2.Cassava tubers are transported by belt conveyor from hopper to dry sieve machine. The impurities attached on the surface of cassava are removed by dry sieve machine and then it will drop down to the ground. The inner screw propeller in dry sieve machine is weld with small steel rod to increase the friction which will have a stronger ability to remove the impurities and the first skin of cassava.

3. After cassava comes out from dry sieve. Then they will drop down to the paddle washing machine for complete washing. At the same time, surface peels are removed. During the washing process, small sand will go through from mesh inside, which can ensure cassava tubers is separated from impurities.

Cleaning machine for tapicoa

Processing section

Main machines: cutting machine, rasper, centrifuge sieve, fine fiber sieve, de-sander and hydrocyclone station.

1. Cleaned cassava roots are cut into small pieces by cutting machine. The knives of cassava cutting machine are made into diamond shape which can extend service life of the machine.

2. The cutted cassava are distributed and sent to rasper machine for crushing process. Rasper has high rotation speed, which can make starch particle released as much as possible which will greatly increase the starch yield.

3. Cassava mash (crushed cassava) is pumped into centrifuge sieve machine to separate fibers. Normally four or more stages of centrifuge sieve are installed to ensure better separation effect. The centrifuge sieve machine is to separate fibers.

4. In case that finer fibers go through and affect the quality of starch, fine fiber sieve machine will be installed after centrifuge sieve machine.

5. Then cassava slurry goes through de-sander machine to eliminate sand impurities.

6. Next cassava slurry comes out from de-sander and will be pumped to hydrocyclone station for further concentration and purification. The hydrocyclone station is to remove protein and other liquid impurities. Normally 18 or more stages of hydrocyclone station are installed.

Processing machine for tapioca

Drying section

Main machines: peeler centrifuge, flash dryer, starch sifter, packaging machine.

1. After we get purified starch milk from hydrocyclone, it will be pumped into peeler centrifuge sieve for dehydration. We can get wet starch with moisture content around 38% from peeler centrifuge.

2. Wet cassava starch is sent to flash dryer for final drying. Flash dryer can dry starch in very short time and finally we can get starch with moisture content around 10-14%. The final moisture content of tapioca can be set according to client’s requirement.

3. To ensure the uniform fineness of final starch, starch sifter machine is installed after flash dryer.

4. Finally, packaging machine can automatically weigh and pack finished starch.

The above is the brief introduction of tapioca processing steps. The whole tapioca processing steps are automatic and it can ensure the high quality of final starch. If you want to set up a starch factory, but less of experience and have no idea on how to start it, feel free to contact us any time. Our project manager will give you professional service and solution.