Foods and beverages: apparatus – Cooking – Automatic control
Patent
1998-08-04
1999-09-28
Simone, Timothy F.
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Cooking
Automatic control
99348, 99453, 99483, 99486, 165232, 165267, A23L 332, A23G 118, A23G 304, A23G 700
Patent
active
059570377
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a heat exchange apparatus which is primarily for use in the manufacture of sugar confectionery and chocolate products. In particular, the invention relates to heat exchanging apparatus which can be adapted to operate either as evaporation apparatus for use in the manufacture of toffee and sugar confectionery or as tempering apparatus for use in the manufacture of chocolate confectionery.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In order to manufacture high quality toffee, it is necessary to evaporate water from the ingredient mix continually during the cooking process in order to obtain a fine flavour and consistency in the finished product. In addition, as the ingredients contain a high proportion of sticky milk proteins, which are highly susceptible to burning, it is necessary to agitate the mix continually during cooking in order to prevent it from sticking to the heat transfer surfaces of the vessel and burning. Such agitation is also necessary to produce a fine mix of the ingredients.
While traditionally toffee was manufactured by boiling the toffee ingredients in batches in open vessels, such a method does not lend itself to mass production. Various apparatus are known for the manufacture of toffee by a continuous process.
For example, in EP-A-0 061 232 is disclosed an evaporation apparatus for use in the cooking of toffee wherein a heated closed vessel is continuously fed with an ingredient mix via the base of the vessel and the cooked mix is permitted to overflow over a weir out of the top of the vessel. Rotating paddles within the vessel swirl the ingredient mix into a vortex in order to prevent it sticking to the interior of the vessel. The extremities of the vortex are also urged towards the weir to exit the vessel.
In contrast, in the use of chocolate in the production of confectionery items, it is necessary to temper the molten chocolate mix in order to prevent fat bloom from occurring in the finished product and to give a good appearance to the finished item. Fat bloom is likely to occur when chocolate has been poorly mixed and solidified during production. Tempering of the chocolate is, therefore, carried out to mix the ingredients thoroughly and to control the crystallization of the various fats within the mix. Such tempering is generally achieved by heating the chocolate to melt all fat crystals therein and thereafter controlling its cooling, whilst at the same time stirring or agitating it, so that stable fat crystals are only slowly formed therein.
It is, however, again convenient if chocolate tempering can be carried out as a continuous process within a confectionery manufacturing process as a whole.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to provide a heat exchange apparatus which can be used either as an evaporation apparatus or cooker for use in the manufacture of sugar confectionery, such as toffee, or as a tempering apparatus for use in the production of chocolate confectionery.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a heat exchange apparatus, for example for use in the production of a confectionery or chocolate product, comprising a vessel with a tubular heat transfer surface and defining an inlet and an outlet, heat exchange means for supplying heat to or removing heat from the heat transfer surface, and characterized in that a shaft is located longitudinally along the length of the vessel and is provided with at least one piston, and means are provided for reciprocating said shaft within the vessel whereby substantially said entire heat transfer surface of the vessel is swept by the piston during at least each reciprocation cycle.
Preferably, the heat transfer surface comprises a substantially cylindrical surface.
Preferably also, a plurality of spaced pistons are provided along the length of the shaft whereby on reciprocation of the shaft substantially the entire heat transfer surface of the vessel is swept by the pistons during each reciprocation cycle.
Preferably also, each piston co
REFERENCES:
patent: 2909985 (1959-10-01), Abrams
patent: 4648315 (1987-03-01), Blum
patent: 4892033 (1990-01-01), Sollich
patent: 5514390 (1996-05-01), Aasted
patent: 5525364 (1996-06-01), Haslund
Simone Timothy F.
Yorkshire Process Plant Limited
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