Methods, systems, and devices for evaluation of thermal treatment

Abstract

Methods, Systems, and Devices for Evaluation of Thermal Treatment. A magnetically detectable particle and related methods, systems, and devices are provided for generating a temperature measurement for a batch or a continuous stream of material. The particle can include a first and second magnet each comprising a positive and negative pole. The particle can also include an adhesive having a release temperature and operable to attach one or both of the positive and negative poles of the first magnet proximate to the same polarity pole of the second magnet or to attach one of the positive and negative poles of the first magnet between the poles of the second magnet below the release temperature such that a first magnetic field is generated by the first and second magnet. The adhesive can also be operable to release the first and second magnets from one another above the release temperature.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 767,427, filed Jan. 28, 2004, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 443,298, filed Jan. 28, 2003, entitled “Methods, Systems, and Devices for Evaluation of Thermal Treatment”; the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. [0002] Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,523, which issued on Aug. 17, 2004, entitled “Method and System for Conservative Evaluation, Validation and Monitoring of Thermal Processing”, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.GOVERNMENT INTEREST [0003] This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) pursuant to contract number MCB 9631375. The Government has certain rights in the invention.TECHNICAL FIELD [0004] The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to thermal treatment of materials. More particularly, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to methods,...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a magnetically detectable particle that can be used to measure temperature in a continuous stream of material. The particle has two magnets with a release temperature, and an adhesive that attaches the magnets together. The adhesive can release the magnets at a specific temperature. The particle can move with the temperature, and the movement of the magnets affects the magnetic field generated by the particles. The change in magnetic field strength can be detected to measure the temperature of the material. The patent also describes a system that uses multiple particles to generate temperature measurements. The technical effect of the invention is to provide a reliable and accurate method for measuring temperature in a continuous stream of material.

Problems solved by technology

However, this process is labor and machinery-intensive and time-consuming.

Thus, this process lacks efficiency.

Such test runs require a great deal of time and involve the loss of a great deal of the food product, as the food product that is part of the test runs have prevented the wide scale adoption in the industry of continuous thermal processing of particulate-containing food products.

Magnetic resonance imaging thermometry, such as that disclosed by Litchfield et al., “Mapping Food Temperature with Magnetic Resonance Imaging”, National Research Initiative Competitive Grant Program, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, United States Department of Agriculture (March 1998), is a non-obstructing and non-contact method, but is not rapid enough to provide in-line real time measurements.

It is also extremely complex and cumbersome for these types of measurements, requiring complicated technology, highly trained personnel, and specialized power and power conditioning.

Due to all these factors, the number of windows / cross sections that can be observed and monitored within the process equipment is very limited, i.e. the detection of the initial location where the lethal thermal treatment temperature is achieved cannot be determined for all possible cases.

Particularly, due to system complexity, the number of observed cross sections is limited.

Another problem with the Beller system is the potential for misidentifying the thermal profiles occurring within or outside of the particle.

Additionally, standardization and calibration curves must be generated for each and every potential product component, necessitating a very laborious and lengthy measurement and calibration procedure prior to implementation.

However, the negative correlation between the measured magnetic field and the increasing temperature employed by the Ghiron et al. approach can cause a non-conservative temperature estimation, i.e. the resulting calculation can indicate a higher temperature than is actually present in the implant.

This is due to the fact that magnetic field reduction can be caused by a variety of factors other than temperature increase in the implant, such as the particle or the detection system being out of calibration, reduction of sensitivity of the detection system, and obstruction of detection by other materials such as other present food particles.

The complexity of the system disclosed by Ghiron et al. also limits the number of observation points as well as the applicability at high-temperature, short time processing levels.

However, one of the accessible, limited reports indicates that the sensor size is about 5 mm in diameter.

Additionally, no disclosure is made with respect to capability for the monitoring through stainless steel equipment and current applicability to continuous processes.

One common shortcoming of all available systems is the inability to provide a detectable particle that closely mimics the behavior of an actual food particle.

This is a serious disadvantage due to the fact that the detectable particle will not provide an accurate temperature measurement of a food particle's “cold spot” temperature.

This can result in a non-conservative measurement and therefore non-conservative process evaluation.

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