Integrated baking and aroma improving machine and method

Abstract

The invention discloses an integrated baking and aroma improving machine and method, and relates to the technical field of tea processing equipment.The integrated baking and aroma improving machine adopts an upper chain plate type drying and lower temperature control roller stir-drying integrated structure, combines an electric hot air slow drying and metal conduction composite process, and gently reduces moisture of raw tea through low-temperature electric hot air through an upper chain plate type drying machine; fresh substances such as amino acid are reserved to the greatest extent; the lower roller roasting machine adopts a metal conduction mode, tea leaves are roasted for a short time in a low-moisture state, aroma substance release is accurately triggered, the breakage rate is far lower than that of a traditional roller roasting machine, fresh and mellow flavor balance is achieved, and meanwhile it is guaranteed that the tea leaves are complete in appearance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tea processing equipment technology, specifically to an integrated roasting and aroma-enhancing machine and method. Background Technology

[0002] In the tea processing industry, roasting is a crucial step that determines the final quality of tea. Its core function is to precisely remove moisture from the tea leaves, transform and fix flavor substances, and enhance the complexity and stability of the tea's aroma by controlling temperature, humidity, and processing time. Currently, the traditional tea roasting equipment widely used in the industry mainly includes chain plate dryers, drum dryers, microwave / far-infrared dryers, and hot air drying cabinets. The drying principles and process characteristics of these various types of equipment differ significantly, resulting in limited application scenarios and making it difficult to meet the multi-dimensional quality requirements of aroma, taste, appearance, and freshness during the tea roasting process.

[0003] Existing traditional tea roasting equipment generally suffers from limitations in drying methods and functionality: it either prioritizes freshness preservation at the expense of flavor and aroma concentration, or it enhances flavor transformation but leads to damage to the tea's shape or uneven quality. Furthermore, multiple machines are required to complete the entire tea roasting process, increasing production costs and floor space requirements, and extending the production cycle. This makes it difficult to meet the demands of modern tea processing for precise quality control, integrated processes, and versatility across different tea varieties. Therefore, developing an integrated roasting and aroma-enhancing device that combines the advantages of multiple drying methods, achieves synergistic control of drying and aroma enhancement, and addresses the multi-dimensional quality requirements of tea has become a pressing technical challenge in the current tea processing equipment field. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides an integrated baking and aroma-enhancing machine and method that improves processing efficiency, saves energy, and realizes continuous process flow.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the technical solution adopted by this invention is as follows: An integrated roasting and aroma-enhancing machine is provided, comprising a main body with a feeding inlet at the top and a drying zone at the top of the main body. The drying zone has several layers of chain conveyor belts with their transmission directions staggered. The upper chain conveyor belt carries the tea leaves to one end and then drops them onto the next chain conveyor belt, and the next layer carries them in the opposite direction to the chain conveyor belt below it. The feeding inlet is located at the top of the main body and is directly above one end of the top chain conveyor belt. A hot air dryer is also provided at the bottom of the drying zone. The main body also includes a drum dryer, which is located below the drying zone. The drying zone is connected to the drum dryer via a vertical feed pipe. The drum dryer includes a tea-turning drum with a spiral guide plate inside. A heating element is installed below the tea-turning drum. The bottom of the feed pipe extends into one end of the tea-turning drum, and the other end of the tea-turning drum is the discharge end. A vibrating trough is installed at the discharge end, and a conveyor belt is installed below the vibrating trough. A tea heat dissipation element is installed on the conveyor belt to cool the tea leaves after they have been dried by the drum dryer.

[0006] Furthermore, each layer of the chain conveyor belt has a sweeping blade assembly at the material discharge end; the sweeping blade assembly includes a sweeping plate, with connecting rods fixedly connected to both ends of the sweeping plate, and a slider hinged to the end of the connecting rod away from the sweeping plate. The slider is slidably fitted with a groove, and the extension direction of the groove passes through the nearest chain conveyor belt sprocket shaft; it also includes a drive shaft, with drive discs at both ends of the drive shaft, and the drive discs are eccentrically hinged to the connecting rods; the drive shaft drives the sweeping plate to move, and the movement speed of the sweeping plate is greater than the transmission speed of the chain conveyor belt.

[0007] Furthermore, the sweeping plate is V-shaped, with the tip of the V-shaped sweeping plate facing upwards, and the angle of the V-shape is less than or equal to 160° and greater than or equal to 145°; the chain conveyor belt is a plate chain type, and anti-fall upright plates are also provided at both ends of the plate chain.

[0008] Furthermore, the heating assembly includes two natural gas combustion pipes arranged parallel to the tea-turning drum, with the air inlets of the two natural gas combustion pipes located at opposite ends, and the two natural gas combustion pipes jointly controlling the temperature of the tea-turning drum.

[0009] Furthermore, a circulating fan is installed on the top of the main body, and a funnel-shaped top cover is installed on the top of the main body and connected to the air inlet of the circulating fan. The air outlet of the circulating fan is connected to the air inlet of the hot air dryer. The circulating fan is used to collect the hot air and water vapor blown out by the hot air dryer and to recycle the heat of the hot air.

[0010] Furthermore, the tea leaf cooling component includes a cooling fan located above the conveyor belt and aligned with it. The cooling fan is tilted in the direction of the conveyor belt's movement, with an tilt angle not exceeding 10°.

[0011] Furthermore, it also includes a dust collector, whose suction port is connected to the discharge end of the tea-turning drum and the tea heat dissipation component via a pipe; the tea heat dissipation component also includes two vertical suction columns, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the conveyor belt and located at the cooling fan; the vertical suction column has several suction holes on the side facing the conveyor belt, and the side of the vertical suction column away from the conveyor belt has a connection port that connects to several suction holes simultaneously, and the dust collector's suction port is connected to the connection port via a pipe.

[0012] Furthermore, the suction hole is funnel-shaped, with the larger end facing the conveyor belt.

[0013] Furthermore, several suction holes are radially inclined, with the radial sphere center serving as the connection port.

[0014] The present invention also provides a baking and aroma enhancement method using the above-mentioned integrated baking and aroma enhancement machine, comprising the following specific steps: S1: The tea leaves are fed vertically into the drying zone through the feed inlet by the feeder for initial drying. The speed of the chain conveyor belt is 0.5~3m / min, and the cooling fan is working to keep the temperature of the drying zone at 50~100℃. S2: After the tea leaves are initially dried by several layers of chain conveyor belts, they fall into the tea turning drum through the discharge pipe. The heating component and the tea turning drum work. The heating component keeps the temperature of the tea turning drum at 90~150℃ and the rotation speed of the tea turning drum is 30~40rpm. S3: The tea leaves move towards the discharge end via the spiral guide plate. During the movement, the tea-turning drum stirs the tea leaves at high temperature. After the tea leaves are evenly scattered onto the conveyor belt by the vibrating trough, the cooling fan cools the tea leaves and blows away the residual moisture, resulting in tea leaves with an enhanced aroma and a moisture content of 2-3%.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention utilizes an integrated structure of "upper chain plate drying + lower temperature-controlled drum drying" combined with a composite process of "electric hot air slow drying + metal conduction". The upper chain plate dryer uses low-temperature electric hot air to gently reduce the moisture content of the raw tea, maximizing the retention of fresh substances such as amino acids. The lower drum drying machine mainly uses metal conduction to perform short-term drying while the tea leaves are in a low-moisture state, precisely triggering the release of aroma substances. The breakage rate is much lower than that of traditional drum drying machines, achieving a balance of "freshness and mellowness" flavor while ensuring the integrity of the tea leaves.

[0016] The integrated design significantly shortens the tea's transport distance and dwell time, avoiding secondary moisture absorption and quality fluctuations; continuous processing significantly improves the processing efficiency per batch. At the same time, the warm air discharged from the chain conveyor can be diverted to the drum hot air system for recycling, resulting in a small temperature drop during tea transport and a significant reduction in unit processing energy consumption compared to the traditional separate use of "chain conveyor + drum," meeting the requirements of green processing. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated baking and aroma-enhancing machine of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the integrated baking and aroma-enhancing machine of the present invention; Figure 3 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the sweeping component when it is away from the chain conveyor belt; Figure 4A three-dimensional structural diagram of the leaf sweeping assembly when it approaches the chain conveyor belt; Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a vertical vacuum cleaner column; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the suction hole channel; The components are as follows: 1. Main body; 2. Feed inlet; 3. Drying zone; 4. Chain conveyor belt; 5. Hot air dryer; 6. Rotary drum dryer; 7. Heating component; 8. Vibrating trough; 9. Conveyor belt; 10. Sweeping blade assembly; 11. Sweeping plate; 12. Connecting rod; 13. Slider; 14. Slide chute; 15. Drive shaft; 16. Drive disc; 17. Circulating fan; 18. Top cover; 19. Cooling fan; 20. Dust collector; 21. Vertical dust suction column; 22. Dust suction hole. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The specific embodiments of the present invention are described below to enable those skilled in the art to understand the present invention. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the scope of the specific embodiments. For those skilled in the art, various changes are obvious as long as they are within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined and determined by the appended claims. All inventions utilizing the concept of the present invention are protected.

[0019] like Figures 1-6 As shown, an integrated roasting and aroma-enhancing machine includes a main body 1, a feed inlet 2 at the top of the main body 1, a drying zone 3 at the top inside the main body 1, and a six-layer chain conveyor belt 4 in the drying zone 3. The six-layer chain conveyor belt 4 are arranged in staggered directions. The upper chain conveyor belt 4 carries the tea leaves to one end and then drops them to the next layer chain conveyor belt 4. The next layer carries the tea leaves in the opposite direction to the next layer chain conveyor belt 4. The feed inlet 2 is located at the top of the main body 1 and is directly above one end of the top chain conveyor belt 4. A hot air dryer 5 is also provided at the bottom of the drying zone 3. The hot air dryer 5 is located on the outside of the main body 1. The main body 1 is also equipped with a drum dryer 6, which is located below the drying zone 3. The drying zone 3 is connected to the drum dryer 6 through a vertical discharge pipe. The drum dryer 6 includes a tea turning drum, and a spiral guide plate is installed inside the tea turning drum. A heating component 7 is installed below the tea turning drum. The bottom of the discharge pipe extends into one end of the tea turning drum, and the other end of the tea turning drum is the discharge end. A vibration groove 8 is installed at the discharge end, and a conveyor belt 9 is installed below the vibration groove 8. A tea heat dissipation component is installed on the conveyor belt 9 for cooling the tea leaves after drying in the drum dryer 6.

[0020] For ease of maintenance, a maintenance ladder is also provided on the outside of the main body 1 for maintenance personnel to climb to the top.

[0021] In practice, the discharge pipe is also equipped with a discharge port, which can directly discharge the tea leaves that have been dried in drying zone 3 according to actual needs.

[0022] Each layer of the chain conveyor belt 4 is equipped with a sweeping blade assembly 10 at the material discharge end. The sweeping blade assembly 10 includes a sweeping plate 11, with connecting rods 12 fixedly connected to both ends of the sweeping plate 11. A slider 13 is hinged to the end of the connecting rod 12 away from the sweeping plate 11. The slider 13 is slidably fitted with a groove 14, and the extension direction of the groove 14 passes through the nearest chain conveyor belt 4 sprocket shaft. It also includes a drive shaft 15, with drive discs 16 at both ends of the drive shaft 15. The drive discs 16 are eccentrically hinged to the connecting rods 12. The drive shaft 15 drives the sweeping plate 11 to move, and the movement speed of the sweeping plate 11 is greater than the transmission speed of the chain conveyor belt 4.

[0023] In practical implementation, the drive shaft 15 uses a dual-shaft extension motor. The motor's operation causes the electric shaft to rotate, driving the drive disc 16 to rotate. Because the connecting rod 12 is eccentrically hinged to the drive disc 16, and constrained by the sliding groove 14, the sweeping plate 11 moves in an elliptical motion in the vertical plane. This elliptical motion allows the sweeping plate 11 to perform a downward sweeping action. Compared to existing roller brushes and scrapers, this sweeping method gently sweeps away tea leaves adhering to the chain conveyor surface, preventing damage, airborne dust, and spillage from the chain conveyor belt 4. In practical implementation, the sweeping plate 11 uses a silicone sheet. The silicone sheet can sweep away tea leaves while being heat-resistant, and unlike a brush, it prevents the tea leaves from being scattered.

[0024] The sweeping plate 11 is V-shaped, with the tip of the V-shaped sweeping plate 11 facing upwards, and the angle of the V-shape is less than or equal to 160° and greater than or equal to 145°; the chain conveyor belt 4 is a plate chain type, and anti-fall upright plates are also provided at both ends of the plate chain.

[0025] The V-shaped design allows the tea leaves to be swept slightly towards the center of the chain conveyor belt 4, reducing the probability of the tea leaves falling off the sides of the conveyor belt 9.

[0026] The heating assembly 7 includes two natural gas combustion pipes arranged parallel to the tea-turning drum. The gas inlets of the two natural gas combustion pipes are located at opposite ends, and the two natural gas combustion pipes jointly control the temperature of the tea-turning drum. The natural gas combustion pipes are connected to natural gas pipelines, and the corresponding ignition and flow control are existing technologies, so they will not be described in detail.

[0027] The top of the main body 1 is also equipped with a circulating fan 17. The top of the main body 1 is equipped with a funnel-shaped top cover 18 connected to the air inlet of the circulating fan 17. The air outlet of the circulating fan 17 is connected to the air inlet of the hot air dryer 5. The circulating fan 17 is used to collect the hot air and water vapor blown out by the hot air dryer 5 and recycle the heat of the hot air.

[0028] The tea leaf cooling component includes a cooling fan 19, which is located above the conveyor belt 9 and aligned with the conveyor belt 9. The cooling fan 19 is tilted in the direction of transmission of the conveyor belt 9, and the tilt angle is no more than 10°.

[0029] It also includes a dust collector 20, whose suction port is connected to the discharge end of the tea turning roller and the tea heat dissipation component through a pipe; the tea heat dissipation component also includes two vertical suction columns 21, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the conveyor belt 9 and located at the cooling fan 19; the vertical suction column has several suction holes 22 on the side facing the conveyor belt 9, and the side of the vertical suction column away from the conveyor belt 9 has a connection port that connects to several suction holes 22. The suction port of the dust collector 20 is connected to the connection port through a pipe.

[0030] The dust collector 20's suction port is connected to the discharge end of the tea-turning drum through a pipe. On the one hand, it can collect the powder that is raised when the tea is turned over, thus avoiding environmental pollution. On the other hand, it can remove the moisture that evaporates during the tea-turning process, thus preventing water accumulation and ensuring that the moisture content of the tea is reduced to the required level.

[0031] The suction holes 22 are funnel-shaped, with the larger end facing the conveyor belt 9. Several suction holes 22 are arranged radially at an angle, with the connecting opening at the center of each radial arrangement. The funnel shape slows down the airflow near the conveyor belt 9, preventing tea leaves from being sucked up, while the side away from the conveyor belt 9 accelerates the airflow, effectively preventing tea dust from electrostatically adsorbing onto the sidewalls of the holes and clogging the suction holes 22. The radial arrangement of the suction holes 22 also expands the range for dust capture.

[0032] The roasting and aroma enhancement method using the aforementioned integrated roasting and aroma enhancement machine includes the following specific steps: S1: The tea leaves are fed vertically from the feed inlet 2 into the drying zone 3 for initial drying. The speed of the chain conveyor belt 4 is 0.5~3m / min, and the cooling fan is working to keep the temperature of the drying zone 3 at 50~100℃. S2: After the tea leaves are initially dried by several layers of chain conveyor belts 4, they fall into the tea turning drum through the discharge pipe. The heating component 7 and the tea turning drum work. The heating component 7 makes the temperature of the tea turning drum 90~150℃ and the rotation speed of the tea turning drum 30~40rpm. S3: The tea leaves move towards the discharge end via the spiral guide plate. During the movement, the tea-turning drum stirs the tea leaves at high temperature. After the tea leaves are evenly scattered from the vibrating trough 8 onto the conveyor belt 9, the cooling fan cools the tea leaves and blows away the residual moisture, resulting in tea leaves with a moisture content of 2-3% and enhanced aroma.

Claims

1. An integrated roasting and aroma-enhancing machine, characterized in that, The device includes a main body with a feed inlet at its top. A drying zone is located inside the main body at its top, and the drying zone has several layers of chain conveyor belts arranged in an alternating direction. The upper chain conveyor belt carries the tea leaves to one end and then they fall onto the next layer, which in turn carries them in the opposite direction to the layer below it. The feed inlet is located at the top of the main body, directly above one end of the top chain conveyor belt. A hot air dryer is also located at the bottom of the drying zone. The main body also includes a drum dryer, which is located below the drying zone. The drying zone is connected to the drum dryer via a vertical discharge pipe. The drum dryer includes a tea-turning drum with a spiral guide plate inside. A heating assembly is located below the tea-turning drum. The bottom of the discharge pipe extends into one end of the tea-turning drum, and the other end of the tea-turning drum is the discharge end. A vibration groove is located at the discharge end, and a conveyor belt is located below the vibration groove. A tea heat dissipation assembly is installed on the conveyor belt to cool the tea leaves after they have been dried by the drum dryer.

2. The integrated roasting and aroma-enhancing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each layer of the chain conveyor belt has a sweeping blade assembly at the material discharge end. The sweeping blade assembly includes a sweeping plate, with connecting rods fixedly connected to both ends of the sweeping plate. A slider is hinged to the end of the connecting rod away from the sweeping plate, and the slider is slidably fitted with a groove. The extension direction of the groove passes through the nearest chain conveyor belt sprocket shaft. The assembly also includes a drive shaft, with drive discs at both ends. The drive discs are eccentrically hinged to the connecting rods. The drive shaft drives the sweeping plate to move, and the movement speed of the sweeping plate is greater than the transmission speed of the chain conveyor belt.

3. The integrated roasting and aroma-enhancing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sweeping plate is V-shaped, with the tip of the V-shaped sweeping plate facing upwards, and the angle of the V-shape is less than or equal to 160° and greater than or equal to 145°; the chain conveyor belt is a plate chain type, and anti-fall upright plates are also provided at both ends of the plate chain.

4. The integrated roasting and aroma-enhancing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating assembly includes two natural gas combustion pipes arranged parallel to the tea-turning drum. The air inlets of the two natural gas combustion pipes are located at opposite ends, and the two natural gas combustion pipes jointly control the temperature of the tea-turning drum.

5. The integrated roasting and aroma-enhancing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the main body is also equipped with a circulating fan, and the top of the main body is equipped with a funnel-shaped top cover that is connected to the air inlet of the circulating fan. The air outlet of the circulating fan is connected to the air inlet of the hot air dryer. The circulating fan is used to collect the hot air and water vapor blown out by the hot air dryer and to recycle the heat of the hot air.

6. The integrated roasting and aroma-enhancing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tea cooling component includes a cooling fan located above the conveyor belt and aligned with it. The cooling fan is tilted in the direction of the conveyor belt's movement, with an tilt angle not exceeding 10°.

7. The integrated roasting and aroma-enhancing machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a dust collector, whose suction port is connected to the discharge end of the tea-turning roller and the tea heat dissipation component via a pipe; the tea heat dissipation component also includes two vertical suction columns, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the conveyor belt and located at the cooling fan; the vertical suction column has several suction holes on the side facing the conveyor belt, and the side of the vertical suction column away from the conveyor belt has a connection port that connects to several suction holes simultaneously, and the suction port of the dust collector is connected to the connection port via a pipe.

8. The integrated roasting and aroma-enhancing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, The suction hole is funnel-shaped, with the larger end facing the conveyor belt.

9. The integrated roasting and aroma-enhancing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that, Several suction holes are arranged radially at an angle, with the connecting port at the center of the radial sphere.

10. A method for roasting and enhancing aroma using any one of the integrated roasting and aroma-enhancing machines described in 1 to 9, characterized in that, The specific steps include the following: S1: The tea leaves are fed vertically into the drying zone through the feed inlet by the feeder for initial drying. The speed of the chain conveyor belt is 0.5~3m / min, and the cooling fan is working to keep the temperature of the drying zone at 50~100℃. S2: After the tea leaves are initially dried by several layers of chain conveyor belts, they fall into the tea turning drum through the discharge pipe. The heating component and the tea turning drum work. The heating component keeps the temperature of the tea turning drum at 90~150℃ and the rotation speed of the tea turning drum is 30~40rpm. S3: The tea leaves move towards the discharge end via the spiral guide plate. During the movement, the tea-turning drum stirs the tea leaves at high temperature. After the tea leaves are evenly scattered onto the conveyor belt by the vibrating trough, the cooling fan cools the tea leaves and blows away the residual moisture, resulting in tea leaves with an enhanced aroma and a moisture content of 2-3%.

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