Abstract

A method for controlling the flow of fruit and fruit juice through a juice extraction facility are disclosed. The juice extraction facility includes a bulk storage location for the fruit, a sizer for separating the fruit into size categories, a feeder for feeding the fruit from the storage location to the sizer, a plurality of juice extractors arranged into groups corresponding to the fruit size categories, means for recycling excess fruit from each group of extractors to the fruit storage location, and a juice storage tank. The measured variables include the level in the juice storage tank and the amount of fruit being recycled from each group of extractors to the fruit storage location. The control objectives include equalizing the fruit flow to each group of extractors, minimizing the amount of recycled fruit from each group of extractors, and maintaining the proper level in juice storage tank.