Hot air drying processing technology method for pet food

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of food processing, and discloses a pet food hot air drying processing technique which comprises the following steps: heating raw materials by using microwaves, and exciting and evaporating moisture in the raw materials by radiating the raw materials on a conveying belt through the microwaves; moisture on the surface of the food is removed through hot air drying; microwave heating and hot air drying processes are carried out synchronously, and processing data are regulated and controlled in real time through an intelligent control system. The microwave heating is realized through a frequency-adjustable microwave emitter, and the microwave frequency adjustment range of the frequency-adjustable microwave emitter is 2400 MHz to 2500 MHz. The scheme of combining microwave and hot air drying technologies is adopted, microwave is used for heating internal moisture, a hot air system is matched for removing surface moisture, microwave power and hot air temperature are adjusted in real time, the uniform drying effect is achieved, surface hardening is effectively avoided, it is ensured that moisture inside and outside food is uniformly released, and drying quality and efficiency are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of food processing, in particular to a hot air drying processing method for pet food. Background Art

[0002] As people pay more and more attention to the health and nutrition of pets, the market demand for pet food is increasing, especially snack pet food, such as cat snacks, small sharks, etc. These pet foods are usually dried to improve their shelf life and edibility.

[0003] Traditional hot air drying is a widely used drying technology. Its principle is to heat the surface of food with hot air and evaporate the water. However, this method has several obvious disadvantages:

[0004] Long drying time: During hot air drying, heat is mainly transferred to the food surface by convection, and the evaporation rate of surface moisture is much higher than the migration rate of internal moisture. Therefore, it usually takes a long time to remove moisture from the food during the drying process. For larger or thicker foods, the drying time will be further extended, resulting in low production efficiency.

[0005] Surface hardening problem: Due to the fast evaporation rate of surface water, traditional hot air drying often causes the food surface to harden and form a "shell", which affects the taste and appearance of the food. Especially when processing complete foods such as small sharks, the surface hardening is more obvious, resulting in the inability to release water smoothly, which in turn affects the removal of internal water and the drying effect.

[0006] Low energy efficiency: Hot air drying requires a lot of energy to maintain continuous temperature and wind speed. Especially in large-scale production, the energy consumption is huge, resulting in high production costs.

[0007] These problems not only affect the quality of pet food, but also greatly increase the energy consumption and production costs in the drying process. Summary of the invention

[0008] In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention provides a hot air drying processing method for pet food to solve the problem.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solutions: A hot air drying process for pet food, comprising the following steps:

[0010] Use microwaves to heat the raw materials, and irradiate the raw materials on the conveyor belt with microwaves to stimulate and evaporate the moisture inside the raw materials;

[0011] Use hot air drying to remove moisture from the food surface;

[0012] Microwave heating and hot air drying processes are carried out simultaneously, and the processing data is regulated in real time through an intelligent control system.

[0013] Preferably, the microwave heating is achieved by an adjustable frequency microwave transmitter, the adjustable frequency microwave transmitter has a microwave frequency adjustment range of 2400 MHz to 2500 MHz, and a power adjustable between 100 W and 500 W per square meter.

[0014] Preferably, during the hot air drying process, the hot air temperature is 40° C. to 80° C., the wind speed is 0.5 m / s to 3 m / s, and the humidity regulator controls the humidity range to be 30% to 60%.

[0015] Preferably, the intelligent control system includes multiple sensors, and the sensor network monitors the temperature, humidity, wind speed and moisture content inside and outside the food in real time. The intelligent control system adjusts the microwave power, hot air temperature, humidity and wind speed parameters based on the real-time feedback data.

[0016] Preferably, the intelligent control system adopts a reinforcement learning algorithm to adaptively adjust the control strategy of microwave power and hot air parameters.

[0017] Preferably, the drying process includes two stages:

[0018] The temperature in the first stage is controlled within the range of 40°C to 50°C;

[0019] The temperature in the second stage is controlled at 70℃ to 80℃.

[0020] Preferably, the frequency modulation range of the microwave heating is 2450 MHz ± 50 MHz.

[0021] Preferably, the microwave heating powers in the two stages of the drying process are respectively:

[0022] The first stage is 100W to 200W;

[0023] The second stage is 300W to 500W.

[0024] A pet food hot air drying processing system, according to a pet food hot air drying processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises:

[0025] A microwave heating module is used to transmit microwave energy to food through an adjustable frequency microwave transmitter, and heat the moisture inside the food through the microwave energy;

[0026] Hot air drying module, used to control the air temperature, humidity and wind speed in the drying chamber;

[0027] The intelligent control module includes a sensor network and a data processing system, which is used to adjust microwave power, hot air temperature, humidity and wind speed through real-time data feedback.

[0028] Preferably, the hot air drying module includes a temperature regulator, a humidity regulator and a wind speed controller.

[0029] The present invention provides a hot air drying process for pet food, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0030] 1. The present invention adopts a scheme combining microwave and hot air drying technology, using microwaves to heat internal moisture and cooperating with a hot air system to remove surface moisture. The microwave power and hot air temperature are adjusted in real time by an intelligent control system to achieve a uniform drying effect. Compared with the single hot air drying or microwave heating scheme in the prior art, the present invention effectively avoids the problem of surface hardening, ensures uniform release of moisture inside and outside the food, and improves drying quality and efficiency.

[0031] 2. The present invention adjusts microwave power, hot air temperature, humidity and wind speed through real-time feedback, making the drying process more accurate. Different from the drying method under fixed temperature and humidity conditions in the prior art, the present invention can dynamically adjust according to the moisture content and characteristics of different foods, optimize the temperature and humidity environment during the drying process, and improve the taste of the food and the retention of nutrients.

[0032] 3. The present invention adopts a scheme combining segmented temperature control and microwave frequency modulation technology, so that the drying process can accelerate the water migration speed by gradually heating, thereby shortening the drying time and reducing energy consumption. Compared with the high-temperature continuous heating method used in traditional technology, the present invention reduces energy consumption while improving drying efficiency, significantly reducing production costs, and does not affect the quality of food. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the method flow of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the system architecture of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The technical solution of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] Please see attached Figure 1 -Attached Figure 2The embodiment of the present invention provides a hot air drying process for pet food, comprising the following steps:

[0037] Use microwaves to heat the raw materials, and irradiate the raw materials on the conveyor belt with microwaves to stimulate and evaporate the moisture inside the raw materials;

[0038] Use hot air drying to remove moisture from the food surface;

[0039] Microwave heating and hot air drying processes are carried out simultaneously, and the processing data is regulated in real time through an intelligent control system.

[0040] Specifically, first, the step of using microwaves to heat the raw materials is to use microwave radiation to heat the food. Microwave radiation continuously transmits the raw materials to the microwave heating zone through a conveyor belt. The electromagnetic waves of the microwaves act on the water molecules in the raw materials, causing them to vibrate under the action of the high-frequency electric field, and then convert them into heat. This heating method can not only quickly heat the surface of the food, but more importantly, it can evaporate the water inside the food. The microwave heating method is fast and efficient, which can significantly reduce the time required for traditional hot air heating. At the same time, through a more uniform heating process, it promotes the synchronous evaporation of water inside and outside, avoiding the problem of surface hardening. The power and frequency settings of microwave heating are adjusted according to the type, form and moisture content of the food. Usually, the microwave power range is set to 100W to 500W, and the frequency is 2450MHz±100MHz. The setting of microwave power and heating time is precisely adjusted through an intelligent control system to ensure the full evaporation of water inside the raw materials and avoid overheating.

[0041] Next, hot air drying is used to remove moisture from the food surface. The heated food is sent to the hot air drying area through the hot air system. In this area, the air is heated to a certain temperature, usually set between 40℃ and 80℃, and the hot air is made to flow on the surface of the food by adjusting the wind speed and humidity. The hot air temperature, humidity and wind speed are precisely controlled by the intelligent control system to ensure the uniform evaporation of moisture on the food surface. The main task of this stage is to remove excess moisture from the food surface and avoid the "hard shell" phenomenon caused by the rapid evaporation of surface moisture. The time of the hot air drying stage is adjusted according to the specific type and moisture content of the food, and the drying time is usually between 15 and 30 minutes. In this process, the hot air temperature and humidity control system is dynamically adjusted through the intelligent control system based on real-time feedback data to ensure the stability of temperature changes, while avoiding uneven food drying and texture changes caused by excessive hot air temperature.

[0042] The process of microwave heating and hot air drying is carried out synchronously, and the processing data is controlled in real time through the intelligent control system. The intelligent control system includes temperature sensors, humidity sensors, moisture content detectors, etc., which are installed in the microwave heating area and the hot air drying area to monitor the temperature, humidity and moisture content inside and on the surface of the food in real time. The system dynamically adjusts parameters such as microwave power, hot air temperature, humidity and wind speed according to the real-time collected data to ensure the smooth progress of the drying process. The intelligent control system analyzes the drying state of the food through an algorithm, and automatically optimizes the microwave power and hot air adjustment strategy according to the characteristics of different types of food. For example, if the sensor detects that the moisture on the surface of the food evaporates too quickly, it will automatically reduce the microwave power, or adjust the hot air humidity and temperature to avoid overdrying. Through this synchronous control and intelligent adjustment, the present invention effectively solves the problems of surface hardening and uneven drying in the traditional drying process, can improve drying efficiency, save energy consumption, and ensure that the nutritional components and taste of the food are retained to the greatest extent.

[0043] A pet food hot air drying processing system, comprising:

[0044] A microwave heating module is used to transmit microwave energy to food through an adjustable frequency microwave transmitter, and heat the moisture inside the food through the microwave energy;

[0045] Hot air drying module, used to control the air temperature, humidity and wind speed in the drying chamber;

[0046] The intelligent control module includes a sensor network and a data processing system, which is used to adjust microwave power, hot air temperature, humidity and wind speed through real-time data feedback.

[0047] Specifically, the microwave heating module transfers microwave energy to food through a microwave transmitter with adjustable frequency, and uses the electromagnetic waves of microwaves to act on water molecules in the food, causing them to vibrate rapidly and convert into heat, thereby quickly heating the moisture inside the food. This heating method is more efficient than traditional hot air drying, and can accelerate the internal migration of moisture and heat the food evenly, thereby avoiding the phenomenon of surface moisture evaporating too quickly to form a hard crust. The adjustment of microwave power and frequency can be optimized according to the moisture content, thickness and shape of different foods to ensure the uniformity and efficiency of the heating process. Microwave heating not only shortens the drying time, but also avoids the problem of overheating of the outer layer of the food by accurately adjusting the microwave power.

[0048] The hot air drying module is responsible for removing moisture from the surface of the food and ensuring that the moisture on the outside of the food evaporates quickly and evenly. The module uses a hot air generator and a wind speed adjustment system to accelerate the evaporation of moisture on the surface of the food by controlling the temperature, humidity and flow rate of the air. The adjustment of the hot air temperature and humidity is usually set in the range of 40°C to 80°C to ensure the appropriate drying speed and prevent the surface from being hardened due to excessive temperature. The wind speed is adjusted according to the moisture content and thickness of the food to ensure the uniform removal of moisture on the surface of the food. During the hot air drying process, the system adjusts the temperature, humidity and wind speed through real-time feedback to adapt to the drying needs of different foods, avoiding the common problems of uneven drying and surface hardening in traditional hot air drying.

[0049] The intelligent control module is one of the key innovations of the present invention. This module monitors the internal temperature, humidity and moisture content of the food in real time through a group of sensor networks, and automatically adjusts the microwave power, hot air temperature, humidity and wind speed according to these real-time data. Through intelligent algorithms, the system can dynamically optimize various parameters during the drying process to ensure accurate control of each link in the drying process. The intelligent control system can automatically adjust the coordination of microwaves and hot air according to the drying requirements of different foods, thereby improving drying efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and ensuring that the taste and nutritional components of the food are fully preserved.

[0050] The calculation steps of the intelligent control module include four main links: data collection, data processing, control decision-making and execution. During operation, the working parameters are automatically adjusted according to the characteristics of different foods, avoiding the problems of uneven drying, over-drying or energy waste caused by inaccurate manual adjustment or static settings in traditional methods, thereby improving the overall processing efficiency and ensuring the high-quality drying effect of pet food.

[0051] Embodiment 1:

[0052] Pretreatment: Clean the whole uncut small shark, remove impurities, wipe off the surface moisture, and prepare for drying.

[0053] Microwave heating stage:

[0054] Initial stage (first 3 minutes of heating): The microwave power is set to 200W per square meter and the frequency is 2450MHz±50MHz. This stage is intended to preheat the inside of the food with low-power microwaves to avoid rapid evaporation of surface moisture.

[0055] Mid-term stage (heating for 4-6 minutes): The microwave power is increased to 250W per square meter, and the frequency is maintained at 2450MHz±50MHz. This power setting accelerates moisture migration, while controlling the power to prevent external moisture from evaporating too quickly and forming a hard crust.

[0056] Final stage (heating for 7-8 minutes): The microwave power is increased to 300W per square meter and the frequency is maintained at 2450MHz±50MHz. This stage quickly removes the remaining moisture and ensures that the internal moisture evaporates evenly.

[0057] Hot air drying stage:

[0058] Initial hot air drying (8-13 minutes): The hot air temperature is set to 60°C, the humidity is set to 45%, and the wind speed is 2m / s. This stage mainly removes surface moisture and avoids surface hardening.

[0059] Later hot air drying (14-20 minutes): Increase the hot air temperature to 70°C, maintain the humidity at 40%, maintain the wind speed at 2m / s, continue to remove surface moisture, and ensure that the food is dried evenly.

[0060] Intelligent control adjustment: During microwave heating and hot air drying, the intelligent control system dynamically adjusts microwave power and hot air parameters based on real-time feedback from temperature and humidity sensors. During the drying process, the system automatically reduces microwave power to avoid over-drying of the food surface, and adjusts hot air temperature and humidity based on real-time data to ensure uniform evaporation of moisture.

[0061] Cooling and packaging: After drying, stop the hot air and allow cooling. After the product cools to room temperature, package it.

[0062] Embodiment 2:

[0063] Pretreatment: Wash the uncut pet fish fillets, remove impurities and drain water.

[0064] Microwave heating stage:

[0065] Initial stage (heating 1-2 minutes): The microwave power is set to 250W per square meter and the frequency is 2450MHz±50MHz. This stage heats the inside of the food to ensure rapid migration of moisture without overheating the surface.

[0066] Mid-term stage (heating for 3-5 minutes): The microwave power is increased to 300W per square meter, and the frequency is still 2450MHz±50MHz to further remove moisture from the food.

[0067] Final stage (after 6 minutes of heating): increase the microwave power to 350 W per square meter and the frequency to 2450 MHz ± 50 MHz to ensure rapid removal of the remaining moisture while avoiding excessive evaporation of surface moisture.

[0068] Hot air drying stage:

[0069] Initial hot air drying (6-10 minutes): The hot air temperature is set to 65°C, the humidity is set to 50%, and the wind speed is 2.5m / s. This stage removes surface moisture and keeps the food surface soft.

[0070] Later hot air drying (11-15 minutes): Set the hot air temperature to 75°C, adjust the humidity to 45%, and increase the wind speed to 3m / s to continue to accelerate the removal of surface moisture and avoid uneven evaporation of moisture.

[0071] Intelligent control adjustment: The intelligent control system dynamically adjusts the microwave power, hot air temperature, humidity and wind speed through real-time feedback data to ensure uniform evaporation of moisture and avoid surface hardening.

[0072] Cooling and packaging: After the drying process is completed, stop the hot air, cool to room temperature, and then package.

[0073] Embodiment 3:

[0074] Pre-treatment: Wash, remove the smell and dry the uncut pet meat strips.

[0075] Microwave heating stage:

[0076] Initial stage (2 minutes before heating): The microwave power is set to 150W per square meter and the frequency is 2450MHz±50MHz. At this time, the surface of the food begins to heat up, but the internal moisture remains high.

[0077] Mid-term stage (heating for 3-5 minutes): The microwave power is increased to 200W per square meter and the frequency is 2450MHz±50MHz, which further accelerates the evaporation of water, especially the release of water inside the food.

[0078] Final stage (heating for 6-8 minutes): The microwave power is adjusted to 250W per square meter and the frequency is maintained at 2450MHz±50MHz to ensure that the moisture inside the food is fully evaporated.

[0079] Hot air drying stage:

[0080] Initial hot air drying (8-12 minutes): The hot air temperature is set to 55°C, the humidity is set to 40%, and the wind speed is 2m / s to start removing surface moisture.

[0081] Later hot air drying (13-18 minutes): Increase the hot air temperature to 70°C, maintain the humidity at 35%, and adjust the wind speed to 2.5m / s to continue removing moisture from the food surface.

[0082] Intelligent control adjustment: During microwave heating and hot air drying, the intelligent control system monitors temperature, humidity and food moisture in real time through sensors, and dynamically adjusts microwave power and hot air parameters to ensure uniform moisture removal during the drying process.

[0083] Cooling and packaging: After drying is completed, stop hot air drying and allow cooling. Packing can be carried out after cooling to room temperature.

[0084] Comparative Example 1: Traditional hot air drying

[0085] Pre-treatment: Wash and dry food in preparation for drying.

[0086] Hot air drying: Set the hot air temperature to 70°C, the humidity to 40%, the wind speed to 2m / s, and the drying time to 30 minutes.

[0087] Cooling and packaging: After drying, the product is allowed to cool naturally to room temperature before packaging.

[0088] the difference:

[0089] The present invention effectively accelerates the evaporation of water by introducing microwave heating, avoiding the problem of surface hardening in traditional hot air drying. Traditional hot air drying has no internal heating method, which causes the surface water to evaporate quickly, thus causing hardening. The combination method of the present invention ensures uniform removal of water and significantly shortens the drying time.

[0090] Comparative Example 2: Single Microwave Heating

[0091] Pre-treatment: Wash and dry food.

[0092] Microwave heating: microwave power is 250W per square meter, frequency is 2450MHz±50MHz, and heating lasts for 8 minutes.

[0093] Cooling and packaging: After microwave heating, cool to room temperature and package.

[0094] the difference:

[0095] Microwave heating alone cannot ensure uniform evaporation of moisture on the surface and inside of food, which easily leads to surface hardening and incomplete drying. The present invention solves this problem by simultaneously using a hot air system and an intelligent control and regulation system, thereby improving the uniformity and efficiency of drying.

[0096] Comparative Example 3: Combination of microwave and traditional hot air

[0097] Pre-treatment: Wash and dry food.

[0098] Microwave heating: The microwave power is 250W per square meter, the frequency is 2450MHz, and the heating lasts for 5 minutes.

[0099] Hot air drying: Set the hot air temperature to 75°C, the humidity to 40%, the wind speed to 2.5m / s, and the drying time to 20 minutes.

[0100] Cooling and Packaging: After drying, it is cooled and packaged.

[0101] the difference:

[0102] Compared with the precise regulation of microwave and hot air, the intelligent control system of the present invention usually has fixed drying parameters when combined with traditional microwave and hot air, and cannot be adjusted according to real-time feedback. The introduction of the intelligent control system enables each drying process to be optimized according to the type and humidity of food, thereby reducing energy consumption and improving food quality.

[0103] Experimental Design 1:

[0104] Purpose:

[0105] By comparing the drying effects between Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 (conventional hot air drying), the advantages of the process combining microwave and hot air in the present invention in improving drying efficiency, reducing surface hardening, and optimizing moisture migration are verified.

[0106] Experimental Materials:

[0107] Pet food sample: whole, uncut small shark.

[0108] Experimental steps:

[0109] Experiment A (Example 1):

[0110] Pre-treat the whole shark by cleaning and drying it.

[0111] The microwave heating power was set to 250 W, the frequency to 2450 MHz, and the heating was continued for 4 minutes.

[0112] Switch to hot air drying, set the hot air temperature to 60°C, the humidity to 45%, the wind speed to 2m / s, and the drying time to 20 minutes.

[0113] An intelligent control system is used to adjust the ratio of microwave power to hot air temperature and humidity based on real-time feedback.

[0114] After drying, cool to room temperature and package.

[0115] Experiment B (Comparative Example 1): Traditional hot air drying method

[0116] Perform the same pretreatment on the whole small shark.

[0117] Use traditional hot air drying, set the temperature to 70℃, humidity to 40%, wind speed to 2m / s, and drying time to 30 minutes.

[0118] After drying, cool to room temperature and package.

[0119] Experimental data collection:

[0120] Food quality: After drying, record the surface hardening, taste and moisture content.

[0121] Drying Time: Record the drying time for each step.

[0122] Energy consumption: Record the total energy consumption of the microwave and hot air systems.

[0123] Experimental data processing:

[0124] The drying time, food surface hardening, energy consumption and moisture content were compared between Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, and the advantages of the microwave and hot air combination technology were analyzed.

[0125]

[0126]

[0127] Through the above experiments, Example 1 significantly shortened the drying time. Compared with traditional hot air drying, the microwave and hot air drying process of the present invention can remove food moisture more quickly. The drying time in Experiment A was 24 minutes on average, while the hot air drying time in Comparative Example B was 30 minutes, and the surface hardening degree was higher. The moisture content was also lower, reaching 15%, indicating that the moisture evaporation was more uniform and the energy consumption was reduced.

[0128] Microwave heating stimulates the internal moisture of food, quickly heats it and promotes the migration of moisture to the surface, which effectively shortens the drying time. Compared with traditional hot air drying, the high efficiency of microwave heating greatly increases the rate of moisture migration, avoiding excessive temperature concentration on the surface, which causes rapid evaporation of moisture and forms a hard crust. In addition, the intelligent control system adjusts the microwave power and hot air parameters through real-time feedback, optimizes the drying process, and ensures uniform distribution of moisture.

[0129] In contrast, traditional hot air drying relies on a single temperature control, usually takes a long time to remove surface moisture, and it is difficult to avoid over-drying of the surface. The experimental data also showed that the surface hardening degree of the food in comparative example B was higher and the moisture content was higher, indicating that the traditional drying method was insufficient in ensuring uniformity.

[0130] Experimental Design 2:

[0131] Experimental purpose: To compare the drying effects between Example 2 (combination of microwave heating and hot air drying) and Comparative Example 2 (microwave heating alone), and to verify the advantages of the combination of microwave heating and hot air drying in the present invention in improving drying efficiency and maintaining food quality.

[0132] Experimental Materials:

[0133] Pet food samples: whole, uncut fish fillets.

[0134] Experimental steps:

[0135] Experiment A (Example 2):

[0136] Pre-cook whole fish fillets, clean and dry.

[0137] The microwave power was set to 300 W, the frequency to 2450 MHz ± 50 MHz, and the heating was continued for 5 minutes.

[0138] Switch to hot air drying, the hot air temperature is set to 65°C, the humidity is 50%, the wind speed is 2.5m / s, and the drying time is 15 minutes.

[0139] An intelligent control system is used to adjust microwave power, hot air temperature and humidity based on real-time feedback to ensure uniform moisture removal.

[0140] After drying, cool to room temperature and package.

[0141] Experiment B (Comparative Example 2): Microwave Heating Method Alone

[0142] Wash and dry whole fish fillets.

[0143] The microwave power was set to 300 W, the frequency to 2450 MHz ± 50 MHz, and the heating was continued for 8 minutes.

[0144] After heating, cool to room temperature and package.

[0145] Experimental data collection:

[0146] Food quality: surface hardening, taste and moisture content.

[0147] Drying Time: Record the drying time for each step.

[0148] Energy consumption: Total energy consumption of microwave and hot air system.

[0149]

[0150]

[0151] Experiment 2 Summary

[0152] The experimental data show that Example 2 is significantly better than Comparative Example 2 in terms of drying time and energy consumption. The average drying time of the drying process combining microwave and hot air is 22 minutes, while the drying time of microwave heating alone is 28 minutes. In addition, the surface hardening degree of Example 2 is lower, and the moisture content is also lower, reaching 17%, which is lower than the 23% moisture content of Comparative Example 2.

[0153] The microwave heating in the present invention effectively accelerates the migration of moisture inside the food, and the hot air drying technology helps to evenly remove the surface moisture. Under the regulation of the intelligent control system, the microwave power and hot air parameters are automatically adjusted according to real-time data, avoiding the problem of hardening caused by rapid evaporation of surface moisture in traditional single microwave heating. In contrast, when microwave heating alone is used, although the moisture inside the food can be heated, the surface moisture is unevenly removed, resulting in uneven moisture distribution, which ultimately affects the product quality.

[0154] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A hot air drying process for pet food, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Use microwaves to heat the raw materials, and irradiate the raw materials on the conveyor belt with microwaves to stimulate and evaporate the moisture inside the raw materials; Use hot air drying to remove moisture from the food surface; Microwave heating and hot air drying processes are carried out simultaneously, and the processing data is regulated in real time through an intelligent control system.

2. The hot air drying process for pet food according to claim 1, characterized in that: The microwave heating is achieved by an adjustable frequency microwave transmitter, the microwave frequency of the adjustable frequency microwave transmitter is adjusted in the range of 2400 MHz to 2500 MHz, and the power is adjusted in the range of 100 W to 500 W per square meter.

3. The hot air drying process for pet food according to claim 1, characterized in that: During the hot air drying process, the hot air temperature is 40° C. to 80° C., the wind speed is 0.5 m / s to 3 m / s, and the humidity regulator controls the humidity range to be 30% to 60%.

4. The hot air drying process for pet food according to claim 1, characterized in that: The intelligent control system includes multiple sensors, and the sensor network monitors the temperature, humidity, wind speed and moisture content inside and outside the food in real time. The intelligent control system adjusts microwave power, hot air temperature, humidity and wind speed parameters based on the real-time feedback data.

5. The hot air drying process for pet food according to claim 4, characterized in that: The intelligent control system adopts a reinforcement learning algorithm and a control strategy for adaptively adjusting microwave power and hot air parameters.

6. The hot air drying process for pet food according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drying process consists of two stages: The temperature in the first stage is controlled within the range of 40°C to 50°C; The temperature in the second stage is controlled at 70℃ to 80℃.

7. The hot air drying process for pet food according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frequency modulation range of the microwave heating is 2450 MHz ± 50 MHz.

8. The hot air drying process for pet food according to claim 7, characterized in that: The microwave heating powers in the two stages of the drying process are: The first stage is 100W to 200W; The second stage is 300W to 500W.

9. A hot air drying processing system for pet food, according to a hot air drying processing method for pet food according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: include: A microwave heating module is used to transmit microwave energy to food through an adjustable frequency microwave transmitter, and heat the moisture inside the food through the microwave energy; Hot air drying module, used to control the air temperature, humidity and wind speed in the drying chamber; The intelligent control module includes a sensor network and a data processing system, which is used to adjust microwave power, hot air temperature, humidity and wind speed through real-time data feedback.

10. A hot air drying processing system for pet food according to claim 9, characterized in that: The hot air drying module includes a temperature regulator, a humidity regulator and a wind speed controller.

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