Cashew Steaming Machine
Soften shells, protect kernels
A steaming / cooking unit that conditions raw nuts with 20–25 minutes of pressurised steam, softening the shell so it cuts cleanly without scorching the kernel.
The TTQ Cashew Steaming Machine (cooker) pressure-steams raw cashew nuts for about 20–25 minutes before shelling — 40–60 minutes on the smaller 300 kg batch design. Steaming softens and loosens the hard shell so the cutting blades split it cleanly, and it conditions the caustic shell liquid (CNSL) — together protecting the kernel and raising whole-kernel yield. Batches are steamed at controlled pressure and time, then cooled and rested before grading and cutting. Capacities scale from small batch cookers to continuous units for automatic lines.
Technical specifications
| Function | Pressure-steams raw nuts pre-shelling |
|---|---|
| Cycle | 20–25 min per batch (600 / 800 / 1,000 kg); 40–60 min (300 kg) |
| Vessel | Pressure steam cooker |
| Heat source | Boiler steam only (600 / 800 / 1,000 kg); wood, gas, electric or burner (300 kg) |
| Capacity | Batch or continuous (line-sized) |
| Control | Pressure + timer / PLC |
| Build | Insulated steel pressure vessel |
Figures are typical and configurable — we confirm exact specifications against your capacity and grade targets.
Why the quietest stage decides the outcome
Even shell softening
Uniform pressurised steam loosens every shell so cutting is clean and low-breakage.
Higher whole-kernel yield
Properly steamed nuts cut along the seam — protecting W-grade wholes.
Shell-fired steam
The 600, 800 and 1,000 kg vessels take boiler steam only — and that boiler can be fired on the plant’s own shell.
Timed, repeatable cycles
Pressure and time are held to a recipe for consistent batches.
Model & capacity comparison
Every model TTQ builds for this stage, side by side. Pick by throughput and footprint — each links straight to a quote.
Steaming / conditioning — models
Steam softens the shell before cutting so kernels release whole. Batch sizes from 300 kg to 1,000 kg. The 600, 800 and 1,000 kg machines run on boiler steam and nothing else; only the 300 kg can be heated by wood, gas, electricity or a burner.
| Model | Capacity | Power | Footprint (L×W×H) | Cycle | Crew | Ref | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 kg (steel) | 300 kg/batch | Electric resistor 45 kW | 0.9 × 0.9 × 2.0 m | 40–60 min/batch | 1 | TTQ-STM-01 | Quote → |
| 300 kg (stainless) | 300 kg/batch | Electric resistor 45 kW | 0.9 × 0.9 × 2.0 m | 40–60 min/batch | 1 | TTQ-STM-02 | Quote → |
| 600 kg | 600 kg/batch | 2.2 kW (3 HP), 3-phase 380V | 2.0 × 3.5 × 5.0 m | 20–25 min/batch | 1 | TTQ-STM-03 | Quote → |
| 800 kg (static barrel) | 800 kg/batch | 1.0 HP (0.75 kW), 1-phase 220V | 4.5 × 1.5 × 5.5 m | 20–25 min/batch | 1 | TTQ-STM-04 | Quote → |
| 1,000 kg (+2 wagons) | 1,000 kg/batch | 1.5 HP (1.12 kW), 3-phase 380V | 4.0 × 3.0 × 6.0 m | 20–25 min/batch | 1 | TTQ-STM-05 | Quote → |
Specifications are indicative and configurable; TTQ confirms exact figures against your capacity, grade targets and factory layout. Model codes shown are TTQ quotation references.
The vessels run on saturated steam, and the batch cycle follows the size of the machine: 20–25 minutes on the 600, 800 and 1,000 kg vessels, and 40–60 minutes on the 300 kg batch design. That is what softens the shell enough to cut cleanly rather than shatter. Heat source splits the same way — the 600, 800 and 1,000 kg machines take boiler steam and nothing else, while the 300 kg machine can be heated by wood, gas, electricity or a burner, which is what makes it workable on a site with no boiler. The two footprints are 0.9 × 0.9 × 2.0 m for the compact 300 kg unit and 4.0 × 3.0 × 6.0 m for the 1.5 HP (1.12 kW, 3-phase 380V) 1,000 kg unit. Steam quality matters as much as the cycle: fluctuating supply pressure gives uneven conditioning within a single batch, and that unevenness shows up as breakage at the cutter rather than as a steaming fault.
Steaming vessels in build
The process, drawn
One steaming batch, start to cutter
The quietest stage on the line and the one that decides most of the outcome.
Every model runs the same 20–25 minutes at 3–4 bar, on boiler steam. The 300 kg batch design is the exception on both counts: 40–60 minutes, and it can be heated by wood, gas, electricity or a burner instead. The rest period costs floor space, not money.
One boiler range, three fuels
The same TTQ boiler fires cashew shell, wood chips or pellets. Which one you burn is a supply question, not an equipment question.
Shell combustion efficiency runs 90–95%. Multi-fuel flexibility costs roughly 20–30% more than a single-fuel boiler, which is worth it only if your shell supply is genuinely uncertain.
Where it fits in the process
Steaming sits between raw-nut grading and shelling: graded nuts are steamed, cooled and rested, then fed to the cutting machine.
Cashew Steaming Machine — FAQ
Why steam cashew nuts before shelling?
How long is the steaming cycle?
What heats the steamer?
Pairs well with
Automatic Raw Cashew Nut Grading Machine
Size before you shell
Open →
Cashew Nut Shelling Machine
Crack the shell, keep the kernel
Open →
Cashew Shell Burner
Turn shell waste into heat
Open →The Cashew Cooking (Steaming) Process
Commercial plants "cook" raw cashew nuts by steaming them at 3–4 bar for 20–25 minutes before shelling — softening the shell and conditioning the caustic shell liquid so kernels cut cleanly.
Open →Get a quote on the Cashew Steaming Machine
Tell us your target capacity and grades. We'll come back with the right configuration, a layout and a costed proposal.