Foods and beverages: apparatus – Subjecting food to an enclosed modified atmosphere
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-09
2003-11-04
Abbott, Yvonne (Department: 3644)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Subjecting food to an enclosed modified atmosphere
Reexamination Certificate
active
06640696
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a continuous high-pressure processing method and apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel improvement in a method and apparatus for continuously processing, under high pressure, a liquid feedstock having a relatively high viscosity, such as foods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics made up of oil-and-fat compositions, etc.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such a high-pressure processing method has so far been practiced by batch processing, continuous processing using a throttle, continuous processing using a long or thin pipe to generate flow resistance. The continuous processing method using a throttle will be described below with reference to FIG.
13
.
FIG. 13
is a block diagram showing one example of conventional continuous high-pressure processing apparatus. In
FIG. 13
, the continuous high-pressure processing apparatus comprises a supply tank
9
, a pressurizing pump
1
, a processing container
6
provided with a built-in agitator, and a throttle
30
, which are arranged successively in this order from the upstream end and are interconnected by pipes (piping)
5
. A pressure gauge
2
and a safety valve
12
are disposed in the pipe
5
between the pressurizing pump
1
and the processing container
6
. Further, a ripening apparatus
14
is disposed at the downstream end of the continuous high-pressure processing apparatus, i.e., downstream of the throttle
30
.
In the continuous high-pressure processing apparatus having the above-described construction, a feedstock (comprising plural kinds of raw materials)
25
is introduced to the supply tank
9
where the raw materials are mixed under agitation for homogenization. The feedstock
25
in the supply tank
9
is sucked by the pressurizing pump
1
and delivered to the processing container
6
under pressure. In the processing container
6
, the feedstock
25
is agitated while being maintained in the state pressurized to a predetermined level of high pressure, whereby the feedstock is subjected to processing such as sterilization and pressure crystallization. The feedstock
25
resides in the processing container
6
for a predetermined period of time so that it is uniformly processed under high pressure, and is then continuously discharged into the ripening apparatus
14
through the throttle
30
. The pressure in the processing container
6
is maintained by both the pressurizing pump
1
and the throttle
30
for throttling a flow in the pipe
5
downstream of the processing container
6
, and its measured value is indicated by the pressure gauge
2
. The pressure in the processing container
6
and the residing time of the feedstock
25
are maintained at respective predetermined values by adjustably controlling the opening degree of the throttle
30
, the rotational speed of the pressurizing pump
1
, or both of them at the same time. If the pressure in the piping between the pressurizing pump
1
and the throttle
20
is increased to an abnormal level, the safety valve
12
is operated to release an abnormally excessive pressure.
The conventional processing methods mentioned above have problems as follows.
The batch processing has low productivity, has poor efficiency, and is difficult to implement as processing in an enclosed system.
Also, the batch processing entails works to be carried out in a manner open to the environment, and therefore has a difficulty in hygienic management in manufacture of foods and pharmaceuticals.
In the continuous processing method employing a throttle to hold the high-pressure state, a large amount of shearing energy is produced in a portion where a flow is throttled, thus causing dispersion of a flowing material under processing, which leads to destruction and change of components of the flowing material. As a result, liquid products obtained by the high-pressure processing are often no longer usable.
Further, in the continuous processing method using a thin or long pipe to produce flow resistance, when physical properties (compositions) of a flowing material (semi-liquid material) are changeable, it is difficult to make control so as to achieve a target pressure because viscosity is greatly changed depending on temperature changes. This method is also impractical in that a flow passage is clogged upon a slight change in components of the liquid material or operating conditions.
Another problem is that since driving power of a high-pressure pump, i.e., high-pressure flow energy, is changed into velocity energy at the throttle or thermal energy due to line resistance, greater driving power is required and hence the operating cost is increased.
With the view of overcoming the above-described problems in the state of the art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a continuous high-pressure processing method and apparatus, which are able to continuously perform high-pressure processing of a liquid feedstock with stability.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, a continuous high-pressure processing method comprises the steps of supplying a feedstock continuously from a supply tank to a processing container through a pressurizing pump; discharging the processed feedstock from the processing container through a depressurizing pump disposed in piping; and setting a first delivery rate of the pressurizing pump to be larger than a second delivery rate of the depressurizing pump, whereby the interiors of the processing container and the piping are maintained in a high-pressure state.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of coupling drive shafts of the pressurizing pump and the depressurizing pump to each other in a mechanically or electrically controllable manner.
Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of connecting the pressurizing pump and the depressurizing pump to a main drive motor and a driving distributor, providing a speed regulator in one downstream branch from the driving distributor, and setting a first driving speed of the pressurizing pump to be higher than a second driving speed of the depressurizing pump.
Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of connecting the pressurizing pump and the depressurizing pump to a main drive motor and a driving distributor, providing an auxiliary pressurizing pump, which has a smaller delivery rate than the pressurizing pump, in parallel to the pressurizing pump, and connecting a delivery portion of the auxiliary pressurizing pump to the outlet side of the pressurizing pump.
Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of connecting the pressurizing pump and the depressurizing pump to one main drive motor in series, providing an auxiliary pressurizing pump, which has a smaller delivery rate than the pressurizing pump, in association with the pressurizing pump, and connecting a delivery portion of the auxiliary pressurizing pump to the outlet side of the pressurizing pump.
Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of attaching a pressure sensor to the piping, and controlling the high-pressure state in accordance with a pressure signal from the pressure sensor.
Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of connecting the pressurizing pump and the depressurizing pump to one main drive motor through a driving distributor, and constituting any of the pressurizing pump and the depressurizing pump to be of the variable displacement type.
Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of connecting the pressurizing pump to one main drive motor through a driving distributor, connecting any of the depressurizing pump and the pressurizing pump to the driving distributor through a gear box, and setting a gear ratio of the gear box such that delivery rates of both the pumps are in match with each other.
Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of driving the pressurizing pump by a main drive motor, driving the depressurizing pump by a second motor independent of the main drive motor, and supplying power from the second motor, as
Haramoto Nobuhiro
Hashimoto Shin'ichi
Kato Masakazu
Miyahara Hiroshi
Nagai Mitsuo
Abbott Yvonne
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
The Japan Steel Works Ltd.
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