Automatic pickling equipment and pickling method

Abstract

The invention discloses automatic pickling equipment and a pickling method. The automatic pickling equipment comprises a plurality of pickling pools, a filtering pool, a mixing pool, a circulating system and a control system, and each pickling pool and each mixing pool are respectively provided with a heating sheet and a salinity sensor, a temperature sensor and the like. The filter tank is used for carrying out two-stage filtration on the pickling liquid. The mixing tank is used for adjusting the components and temperature of the pickling liquid. The control system comprises a heating module, a calculating module, a liquid supplementing module and a circulating module, and the circulating system automatically executes the recycling, filtering, adjusting and heating processes of the pickling liquid and performs liquid supplementing and condition control on each pickling pool. According to the equipment, the cyclic utilization of the pickling liquid is realized, the pickling conditions can be effectively controlled, the consistency of the product quality is ensured, the production cost is saved, the production efficiency is improved, and the waste liquid discharge is reduced. According to the pickling method disclosed by the invention, automatic pickling is realized through the equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of food processing, and particularly relates to an automated pickling device and a pickling method. Background Art

[0002] In traditional food pickling processes, especially in large-scale production, there are generally several problems. For example, in the use of pickling liquid, traditional methods mostly use it once or only reuse it after simple filtration. This not only causes waste of water resources and pickling raw materials (such as salt, spices, etc.), significantly increases production costs, but also the repeated use of inadequately treated pickling liquid is prone to microbial growth and flavor deterioration, making it difficult to ensure the quality and safety of the final product.

[0003] In addition, during traditional pickling processes, the composition (such as salt concentration, acidity, etc.) and state (such as temperature) of the pickling liquid often rely on manual experience for preparation and control, lacking real-time and precise monitoring and adjustment means. This makes the pickling conditions vulnerable to environmental factors and human operation errors, resulting in significant differences in product flavor, texture, and maturity among different batches or even different pickling units within the same batch, and it is difficult to guarantee the uniformity and stability of product quality. At the same time, a large amount of manual intervention also brings problems such as high labor intensity and low production efficiency.

[0004] Traditional pickling devices often lack comprehensiveness and systematicness in functions. Traditional devices are still lacking in aspects such as the recycling of pickling liquid, on-line purification, intelligent analysis, and precise adjustment of components. Existing filtration systems may have a simple structure, and their removal effect on complex suspended impurities, oils, and some pigments and other pollutants in the used pickling liquid is limited, restricting the effective reuse of pickling liquid. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to overcome the technical defects of non-recyclable pickling liquid and insufficient intelligent control level in the prior art, the present invention provides an automated pickling device and a pickling method.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present invention is implemented according to the following technical solutions:

[0007] An automated pickling device and a pickling method according to the present invention include:

[0008] A number of pickling pools, each pickling pool is provided with a feed inlet, a liquid supplement inlet, a discharge outlet, and a top gas discharge window, and electric heating sheets, salinity sensors, temperature sensors, and liquid level sensors are embedded in the inner wall of the pool body;

[0009] Filtering tank, inside which a first-stage filtering unit and a second-stage filtering unit are provided from top to bottom, the filtering tank is provided with a first pipeline, and the first pipeline is connected to the discharge port for introducing the pickling solution into the filtering tank;

[0010] Mixing tank, inside which a stirring device is provided, with an electric heating sheet, a salinity sensor and a temperature sensor embedded in the side wall, and a second pipeline is provided at the bottom, the second pipeline is communicated with the liquid supplement inlet of the pickling tank, a third pipeline is provided at the top and a water supply pipe connected to an external water supply system, one end of the third pipeline is connected to the outlet of the filtering tank, and the other end is connected to the top of the mixing tank. The third pipeline is used to connect the filtering tank, and the feeding device can add a preset pickling material into the mixing tank to adjust the composition of the pickling solution;

[0011] Circulation system, the circulation system includes electromagnetic valves and water pumps provided on the first pipeline, the second pipeline and the third pipeline for controlling the flow direction of the pickling solution;

[0012] Control system, the control system includes a heating module, a calculation module, a liquid supplement module and a circulation module. The heating module is connected to the electric heating sheets in the pickling tank and the mixing tank to control the temperature of the pickling solution. The calculation module is connected to and processes the feedback data from the sensors in the pickling tank and the mixing tank, conducts analysis and calculation, and adjusts the composition and state of the pickling solution according to the analysis results. The liquid supplement module controls the circulation system to supplement the adjusted pickling solution from the mixing tank to the target pickling tank according to the state information fed back by the calculation module. The circulation module controls the start, stop, opening and closing of the water pump and the electromagnetic valve in the circulation system to realize the processes of recovery, filtration, adjustment, heating and liquid supplement of the pickling solution.

[0013] In the first aspect of the present invention, an automatic backwashing device is provided in the filtering tank, and the automatic backwashing device includes an ultrasonic cleaner, a backwashing pipeline and a spray head provided on the backwashing pipeline; the first-stage filtering unit is a stainless steel filter mesh layer, and the second-stage filtering unit is a polytetrafluoroethylene adsorption layer.

[0014] In the first aspect of the present invention, the control system triggers the backwashing in the following manner:

[0015] The control system is connected to the pressure sensors installed before and after the first-stage filtering unit and the ultrasonic cleaner provided at the bottom of the second-stage filtering unit;

[0016] When it is detected that the pressure difference before and after the first-stage filtering unit exceeds a preset threshold, the control system controls to open the backwashing pipeline for flushing;

[0017] When the cumulative processing amount of the second-stage filtering unit reaches a preset value, the ultrasonic cleaner is started.

[0018] In the first aspect of the present invention, the control system further includes a user control interface, which is used to display the real-time operating status of the device, each acquisition parameter, set the pickling process parameters and alarm information, and achieve control through the user control interface.

[0019] In the first aspect of the present invention, the control system has a thermal balance mode. When the difference in the readings of the temperature sensors of two adjacent pickling pools is detected to exceed a preset value, the control system automatically adjusts the power of the electric heating sheets in the corresponding pickling pools.

[0020] In the first aspect of the present invention, the circulation system further includes a flow meter and a conductivity sensor. The flow meter is installed on the second pipeline, and the conductivity sensor is arranged at the liquid replenishment inlet.

[0021] In the first aspect of the present invention, the calculation module of the control system constructs a time-temperature integral function model based on the Arrhenius equation for calculating the pickling end point of the food in each pickling pool in real time. When the preset maturity threshold is reached, the control system automatically terminates the heating and stirring of the corresponding pickling pool. The Arrhenius equation is:

[0022]

[0023] where k is the reaction rate constant in units of concentration, T is the temperature, E a is the activation energy in the pickling reaction, and R is the molar gas constant.

[0024] In the first aspect of the present invention, the control system has the following functions based on the calculation module, and these functions include:

[0025] S100: Real-time obtain the liquid replenishment flow rate, the real-time conductivity of the pickling liquid and the salinity data through the flow meter, the conductivity sensor and the salinity sensor arranged in the pickling pool;

[0026] S200: Verify the obtained salinity data and real-time conductivity data to determine the current concentration of the pickling liquid;

[0027] S300: Based on the preset target conductivity and the current concentration of the pickling liquid, use the PID control algorithm to calculate the rotational speed adjustment amount of the water pump in the circulation system and the opening adjustment amount of the relevant solenoid valves;

[0028] S400: Output the adjustment amount to control the water pump and the solenoid valves, so as to maintain the conductivity of the pickling liquid in the pickling pool within the target conductivity range.

[0029] In the first aspect of the present invention, the calculation module performs the following operations according to the curing maturity prediction model constructed based on the Arrhenius equation to adjust the target conductivity setpoint of the PID control algorithm:

[0030] i. Calculate the curing stage or cumulative equivalent curing maturity of the current curing tank according to the curing maturity prediction model;

[0031] ii. Based on this curing stage or intensity, select or calculate the target conductivity setpoint for the current PID control loop from the preset multi-stage salt concentration or conductivity target database.

[0032] In the second aspect of the present invention, an automated curing method is provided, which is carried out according to an automated curing device.

[0033] Based on the control system, the method includes the following steps:

[0034] S1: Set the target curing temperature for different curing tanks through the control system, which can be selected from the preset range group including 36.4 - 37.4 °C, 22.5 - 23.5 °C, 15.5 - 16.5 °C and the target salt concentration; after putting the food to be cured into the curing tank, inject the initial curing solution;

[0035] S2: Transport the filtered curing solution to the mixing tank through the third pipeline, and transport the filtered curing solution to the mixing tank through the third pipeline. Automatically adjust its salt concentration and composition in the mixing tank according to the sensor data, and heat it to the preset replenishing liquid temperature;

[0036] S3: During the curing process, for each curing tank, automatically execute: maintain the set curing temperature through its electric heating sheet; start replenishing liquid when the liquid level sensor detects a decrease in liquid level or salinity, and automatically supplement the heated curing solution in step S2 from the mixing tank through the second pipeline to restore to the target state; and the calculation module calculates the curing maturity in real time according to the curing maturity prediction model;

[0037] S4: When any one of the curing tanks reaches the preset curing time, or the curing maturity calculated according to step S3 reaches the preset threshold, automatically stop heating, possible stirring and replenishing liquid for this curing tank, and send a curing completion signal;

[0038] S5: After curing, automatically transport the used curing solution in the curing tank to the filtration tank through the first pipeline for filtration treatment.

[0039] S6: The filtered curing solution is transported to the mixing tank through the third pipeline for the next preparation of the curing solution.

[0040] An automated pickling device and pickling method according to the present invention, compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0041] By setting up a filtration tank to perform two-stage filtration on the used pickling solution, and performing component detection, automatic adjustment and reheating on the filtered pickling solution in the mixing tank, the recycling of the pickling solution is realized. The preparation amount of the new pickling solution is greatly reduced, effectively saving the consumption of pickling raw materials such as water resources, salt, and spices, thereby reducing production costs. Salt sensors, temperature sensors and electric heating sheets are provided in both the mixing tank and each pickling tank of this equipment. The control system can automatically adjust the composition, state and temperature of the pickling solution according to the real-time monitoring data, and can control the pickling conditions of each pickling tank. The adjusted and heated pickling solution is replenished from the mixing tank to the target pickling tank through the liquid replenishment module, ensuring the stability of the pickling solution concentration and temperature in each pickling tank, so as to ensure the product flavor and texture of different batches and different pickling units. Through the control system and its functional modules including heating, calculation, liquid replenishment and circulation, the whole process automation from pickling solution recovery to filtration, component adjustment, heating, liquid replenishment and pickling process monitoring is realized. It reduces manual intervention, reduces the risk of product quality fluctuations caused by human operation errors, reduces the labor intensity of workers, and greatly improves the overall production efficiency. By recycling and reusing the pickling solution, this equipment reduces the discharge of waste pickling solution, reduces the pressure of subsequent wastewater treatment, and meets the requirements of green production and sustainable development. Each pickling tank is equipped with an independent heating device and sensor. The control system can independently set and adjust the process parameters (such as temperature, salt concentration adjusted by liquid replenishment) of each pickling tank, improving the adaptability to different pickling requirements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The following further details the specific implementation manners of the present invention in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

[0043] Figure 1 is the overall schematic diagram of an automated constant-temperature pickling device of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 is the schematic diagram of the pickling tank in an automated constant-temperature pickling device of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 3 is the flow chart of an automated constant-temperature pickling device and pickling method of the present invention;

[0046] The drawings are added: A coordinate graph is used to show the correlation surface of temperature - salt concentration - time, and the optimal pickling area is marked

[0047] In the figure: 1 - pickling tank, 2 - filtration tank, 3 - mixing tank, 4 - circulation system, 5 - control system; 11 - feed inlet, 12 - liquid supplement inlet, 13 - discharge outlet, 14 - top gas discharge window; 21 - first - stage filtration unit, 22 - second - stage filtration unit; 31 - stirring device, 33 - water supply pipe, 34 - feeding device; 41 - first pipeline, 42 - second pipeline, 43 - third pipeline, 44 - solenoid valve, 45 - water pump; 55 - user control interface. Detailed implementation manners

[0048] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are only for the purpose of illustrating and explaining the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0049] Embodiment 1

[0050] An automated pickling device according to the present invention includes:

[0051] As Figures 1 to 3 shown, it includes a plurality of pickling tanks 1, filtration tanks 2, mixing tanks 3, a circulation system 4, and a control system 5.

[0052] The plurality of pickling tanks 1 are used to hold the food to be pickled and the pickling liquid. In this embodiment, three or more pickling tanks 1 can be provided for pickling different batches or different types of food. Each pickling tank 1 is provided with a feed inlet 11 for loading food, a liquid supplement inlet 12 for supplementing the pickling liquid, a discharge outlet 13 for discharging the used pickling liquid, and a top gas discharge window 14 for discharging the gas generated during the pickling process. In order to accurately control the pickling conditions, the inner wall of the tank body of each pickling tank 1 is embedded with an electric heating sheet for heating the pickling liquid, a salinity sensor for real - time monitoring of the salt concentration of the pickling liquid, a temperature sensor for monitoring the temperature, and a liquid level sensor for monitoring the liquid level.

[0053] The filtration tank 2 is used to purify the used pickling liquid discharged from the pickling tank 1. In this embodiment, a first - stage filtration unit 21 and a second - stage filtration unit 22 are sequentially arranged from top to bottom inside the filtration tank 2. The first - stage filtration unit 21 can adopt a stainless - steel filter mesh layer to intercept larger solid impurities in the pickling liquid. The second - stage filtration unit 22 can adopt a polytetrafluoroethylene adsorption layer or other materials with adsorption ability to further remove fine particles, grease, and some pigments in the pickling liquid. The filtration tank 2 is connected to the discharge outlet 13 of each pickling tank 1 through the first pipeline 41, and the used pickling liquid is introduced into the inlet of the filtration tank 2 through this first pipeline 41. The filtration tank 2 is also provided with an outlet for the pickling liquid after filtration.

[0054] In this embodiment, polytetrafluoroethylene has the following advantages:

[0055] Pickling solutions usually contain a relatively high concentration of salt (sodium chloride), and may also contain acidic or alkaline substances as well as various spice components, all of which may corrode ordinary materials.

[0056] Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) can resist the erosion of almost all chemicals. This means that even when in contact with pickling solutions with complex compositions for a long time, PTFE components (such as filter membranes, adsorption layers, pipe linings, seals, etc.) will not be corroded or damaged, and no harmful substances will dissolve into the pickling solution, thus ensuring the purity of the pickling solution and food safety.

[0057] At the same time, this corrosion resistance also greatly extends the service life of related components, reducing the maintenance frequency and cost of equipment.

[0058] During the use of pickling solutions, especially when recycled, some solid particles, oils or protein denaturates may precipitate.

[0059] PTFE surfaces have an extremely low coefficient of friction and excellent non-stick properties, and these precipitates are not easily attached to the surface of PTFE materials.

[0060] For filtration devices, this means that filter meshes or membranes are not easily blocked, can maintain effective filtration for a long time, and reduce the frequency and difficulty of backwashing.

[0061] For other components in contact with pickling solutions, such as the inner walls of pipes or the linings of tanks (if used), the non-stick property makes cleaning easier, is not prone to form dirt residues, and is conducive to maintaining the sanitary conditions of the equipment.

[0062] PTFE has excellent high and low temperature resistance (usually can be used for a long time at -180°C to +260°C). It will not deform, degrade or release harmful substances due to temperature changes. PTFE is non-toxic and meets the requirements of food-grade materials. In pickling equipment, any material in direct contact with food or pickling solutions must ensure food safety. Using PTFE as a filtration material or contact surface material can ensure that pickled foods will not be contaminated due to problems with the material itself.

[0063] The mixing tank 3 is the core unit for pickling solution adjustment and reprocessing. Inside the mixing tank 3, there is a stirring device 31, optionally an electric stirring paddle, which is used to ensure that the added materials are fully and evenly mixed with the pickling solution. Inside the mixing tank 3, there is also a feeding device 34, which can automatically add preset pickling materials or concentrated solutions to the mixing tank to adjust the composition of the pickling solution. For example, the automatic feeding device 34 optionally includes: being connected to an external solid pickling material storage hopper, and its specific actions are executed according to the instructions of the subsequent control system 5. The side wall of the mixing tank 3 is also embedded with electric heating sheets, salinity sensors and temperature sensors, so as to monitor the initial state of the pickling solution entering the mixing tank and heat it and adjust its composition. The bottom of the mixing tank 3 is provided with a second pipeline 42, which is communicated with the liquid supplement inlet 12 of each pickling tank 1, and is used to supplement the adjusted and heated qualified pickling solution into the pickling tank 1. The top of the mixing tank 3 is connected to the filtered pickling solution outlet of the filtration tank 2 through a third pipeline 43, and is used to receive the filtered pickling solution. At the same time, the top of the mixing tank 3 is also provided with a water supply pipe 33 connected to an external water supply system, which is used to supplement clear water under the instruction of the control system 5 to adjust the salt concentration of the pickling solution.

[0064] The circulation system 4 includes a first pipeline 41, a second pipeline 42, a third pipeline 43, and a number of solenoid valves 44 and at least one water pump 45 arranged on these pipelines. The water pump 45 provides power for the transportation of the pickling solution, and the solenoid valves 44 precisely control the opening and closing of each pipeline according to the instructions of the control system 5, so as to realize the directional flow and circulation of the pickling solution between each tank body. For example, by controlling the relevant valves and water pumps, the waste liquid in the pickling tank 1 can be pumped to the filtration tank 2; the liquid processed by the filtration tank 2 can be pumped to the mixing tank 3; the adjusted and heated qualified pickling solution in the mixing tank 3 can be pumped to the designated pickling tank 1 for liquid supplement.

[0065] The control system 5 is the core of the entire automated pickling equipment. In this embodiment, the control system 5 is a programmable logic control cabinet-based system. The control system 5 includes a preset heating module, a calculation module, a liquid supplement module, and a circulation module. The heating module is electrically connected to the electric heating elements in all pickling tanks 1 and the electric heating elements in the mixing tank 3. According to the feedback data from the temperature sensors and the preset process parameters, it controls the heating power of each electric heating element, thereby maintaining the pickling liquid at the target temperature. The calculation module is connected to and processes the feedback data from the salinity sensors, temperature sensors, liquid level sensors in each pickling tank 1 and mixing tank 3, as well as other sensors (such as flow meters, conductivity sensors) configured in the circulation system 4. This module performs real-time analysis and calculation on these data, determines whether the salt concentration of the current pickling liquid meets the standard, whether water or concentrated pickling material needs to be supplemented, calculates the liquid supplement volume, predicts the pickling end point, etc., and generates corresponding control instructions based on the results of the analysis and calculation. The liquid supplement module controls the circulation system 4 to supplement the adjusted and heated pickling liquid from the mixing tank 3 to the target pickling tank 1 according to the status information (such as low salt concentration or insufficient liquid level in a certain pickling tank) and instructions fed back by the calculation module. The circulation module is specifically responsible for controlling the start / stop and opening / closing states of the water pump 45 and each solenoid valve 44 in the circulation system 4 to execute various processes of the control system instructions, such as the recovery, filtration of the pickling liquid, transportation from the filtration tank to the mixing tank, adjustment and heating in the mixing tank (by instructing the heating module and possible water replenishment / supplementary material actions), and the automated operation of the complete process of supplementing the pickling liquid from the mixing tank to the pickling tank.

[0066] In this embodiment, considering that this automated pickling equipment is mainly used for pickling salted duck eggs, the pickling liquid used mainly consists of water and edible salt. Its state is as follows:

[0067] According to the pickling process requirements, it is formulated into a brine solution with a specific target salt concentration. During the pickling process, its salt concentration is monitored in real time by the control system 5 through the salinity sensor, and can be adjusted through the mixing tank 3 and the liquid supplement module (such as diluting by supplementing clean water through the water supply pipe 33 or increasing the concentration by supplementing concentrated brine / solid salt through the feeding device 34).

[0068] The temperature of the pickling liquid is monitored by the control system 5 through the temperature sensor and precisely controlled by the electric heating elements in the pickling tank 1 and the mixing tank 3 to maintain the target temperature set by this process. Heating is required in specific stages to accelerate pickling or maintain a lower temperature in other stages.

[0069] The used pickling liquid can be pumped to the filtration tank 2 through the circulation system 4 for filtration and purification to remove impurities, and then enter the mixing tank 3 for composition adjustment and reheating, and then be replenished back into the pickling tank 1 for recycling, thereby maintaining the cleanliness of the pickling liquid and the stability of the effective components.

[0070] The working process of the automatic pickling equipment of the present invention is as follows: First, the food to be pickled is put into the pickling pool through the feed inlet 11 of the pickling pool 1, and the initial pickling liquid is injected. During the pickling process, the control system 5 monitors the temperature, salt concentration and liquid level in each pickling pool 1 in real time. When the pickling cycle ends or the pickling liquid needs to be processed, the control system 5 pumps the used pickling liquid in the pickling pool 1 to the filtration pool 2 through the first pipeline 41 through the circulation module and the circulation system 4 for two-stage filtration. The filtered pickling liquid enters the mixing pool 3 through the third pipeline 43. In the mixing pool 3, the calculation module of the control system 5 judges whether it is necessary to adjust the concentration and temperature according to the data of the salinity sensor and the temperature sensor, controls the water supply pipe 33 to supply water and supplements through the feeding device, and at the same time the heating module controls the electric heating sheet of the mixing pool 3 to heat the pickling liquid to the preset liquid supplement temperature. When a certain pickling pool 1 needs to be supplemented with liquid (for example, the salt concentration decreases or the liquid level drops), the liquid supplement module instructs the circulation module to supplement the adjusted and heated qualified pickling liquid in the mixing pool 3 to the pickling pool 1 through the second pipeline 42. The whole process is automatically completed by the control system 5 without manual intervention.

[0071] In order to ensure that the filtration pool 2 can effectively purify the recycled pickling liquid stably for a long time and reduce the frequency of manual maintenance, in the first aspect of the present invention, an automatic backwashing device is provided in the filtration pool 2. The automatic backwashing device includes an ultrasonic cleaner for cleaning the second-stage filtration unit 22, a backwashing pipeline for flushing the first-stage filtration unit 21, and a plurality of spray heads arranged at the end of the backwashing pipeline or distributed along it. The backwashing pipeline is connected to an external clean water source through an electromagnetic valve.

[0072] In this embodiment, the first-stage filtration unit 21 inside the filtration pool 2 is specifically a stainless steel filter screen layer with a pore diameter of 2 mm, which is sufficient to effectively intercept larger particulate solid impurities in the used pickling liquid, such as food residues, some precipitates, etc. The stainless steel filter screen layer has good mechanical strength and corrosion resistance and is suitable for preliminary filtration.

[0073] The second-stage filtration unit 22 is arranged below the first-stage filtration unit 21 (that is, the pickling liquid passes through the first-stage filtration and then through the second-stage), and is specifically a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) adsorption layer. It can further filter finer suspended particles to adsorb oils, some macromolecular organic substances and pigments in the pickling liquid, so as to realize the deep purification of the pickling liquid.

[0074] The control system 5 is closely coordinated with the automatic backwashing device to achieve intelligent cleaning and maintenance. Specifically: The control system 5 is connected to pressure sensors installed at the liquid inlet end and the liquid outlet end of the first-stage filtration unit 21 (or in the pipelines before and after it). The control system 5 monitors the pressure difference between these two pressure sensors in real time. When it detects that this pressure difference exceeds a preset threshold (such as 10 kPa, indicating that the filter screen is clogged to a certain extent), the control system 5 automatically executes the backwashing program for the first-stage filtration unit: The washing time and frequency can be set by the user on the human-machine interface of the control system 5.

[0075] For the cleaning of the second-stage filtration unit 22, when the cumulative amount of pickling solution processed by the second-stage filtration unit reaches a preset value (for example, 50 m 3 , estimated by the flow accumulator or timer inside the control system 5), and it is determined that its adsorption / filtration efficiency has decreased, the control system 5 activates the ultrasonic cleaner. The ultrasonic cleaner generates high-frequency oscillations, forming a cavitation effect in the pickling solution or special cleaning solution, and peeling off the pollutants adsorbed on the surface and internal micropores of the polytetrafluoroethylene adsorption layer in a non-contact manner to complete cleaning and regeneration. The time and cycle of ultrasonic cleaning can also be preset. At the same time as or after ultrasonic cleaning, an appropriate amount of fluid (such as clean water or pickling solution filtered by the first stage) can be used for rinsing to carry away the peeled-off pollutants.

[0076] Embodiment 2

[0077] As another aspect of the present invention, the control system 5 is equipped with a user control interface 55. This user control interface 55 is designed to provide an operator with a comprehensive and intuitive way to interact with the automated pickling equipment.

[0078] The user control interface 55 can display the operating status of the entire device in real time, including the current working conditions of each pickling tank 1, filtration tank 2, mixing tank 3, and circulation system 4. Key parameters of all connected sensors, such as the temperature sensors and salinity sensors in each pickling tank 1 and mixing tank 3, the measured temperature and salinity data, and the readings of the liquid level sensors, will be clearly presented.

[0079] The user control interface 55 allows the operator to set and adjust various pickling process parameters.

[0080] In the event of any malfunction or parameter deviation from the set value in the device, the user control interface 55 will display an alarm message, usually accompanied by a sound prompt, and provide diagnostic information to assist in troubleshooting.

[0081] In another aspect of the present invention, the control system 5 includes a thermal equilibrium mode to ensure temperature uniformity between different pickling tanks 1 or to effectively manage energy distribution when multiple pickling tanks 1 are operating simultaneously. The calculation module of the control system 5 continuously monitors the temperature readings from the temperature sensors in each pickling tank 1.

[0082] As yet another specific feature of the present invention, specifically, a flow meter is installed on the second pipeline 42 (according to the determined equipment structure, the second pipeline connects the outlet of the mixing tank 3 to the replenishment inlet 12 of the pickling tank 1). Conductivity sensors are provided at or near the replenishment inlet 12 of each pickling tank 1.

[0083] The flow meter provides real-time flow rate data of the adjusted and heated pickling liquid supplied from the mixing tank 3 to the pickling tank 1.

[0084] The on-line conductivity sensor immediately measures the conductivity of the pickling liquid when it is about to enter the pickling tank 1. This enables the control system 5 to confirm whether the liquid supplied from the mixing tank 3 has reached the target conductivity (and thereby infer the salt concentration) before entering the pickling tank 1.

[0085] In the first aspect of the present invention, the calculation module of the control system constructs a time-temperature integral function model based on the Arrhenius equation for real-time calculation of the pickling end point of the food in each pickling tank. When the preset maturity threshold is reached, the control system automatically terminates the heating and stirring of the corresponding pickling tank. The Arrhenius equation is:

[0086]

[0087] k is defined in this model as the reaction rate constant of the key quality index during the pickling process; T is the absolute temperature of the pickling liquid monitored in real-time by the temperature sensor installed in the pickling tank 1 and fed back to the calculation module; Ea is the activation energy of the reaction of the key quality change; R is the molar gas constant.

[0088] During the entire pickling process, the calculation module obtains the real-time pickling liquid temperature T from the temperature sensor at a preset time interval (e.g., every minute). For each time interval, the calculation module calculates the increment of pickling maturity generated during this time interval at the temperature T using the above Arrhenius equation (or its integral form, and possibly further combined, such as the influence of salt concentration on the rate). Subsequently, the calculation module adds this increment to the existing maturity value of the pickling tank, thereby tracking and updating the pickling maturity of the current food in real-time.

[0089] In the first aspect of the present invention, the pickling maturity prediction model constructed by the calculation module according to the Arrhenius equation performs the following operations to adjust the target conductivity set point of the PID control algorithm:

[0090] i. Calculate the pickling stage or pickling maturity of the current pickling tank according to the pickling maturity prediction model;

[0091] ii. Based on this pickling stage, select or calculate the target conductivity setpoint for the current PID control loop from the preset multi-stage salt concentration or conductivity target database.

[0092] To further improve the control of the pickling process, the control system 5 of the present invention, through its calculation module, uses the pickling maturity prediction model constructed based on the Arrhenius equation to dynamically adjust the target conductivity (indirectly reflecting the salt concentration) setpoint of the PID control algorithm for the pickling solution in the pickling tank 1. The specific implementation operations are as follows:

[0093] i. Calculate the current pickling stage according to the pickling maturity prediction model: During the entire pickling process, the calculation module uses the Arrhenius model to continuously calculate the specific pickling stage or the achieved pickling maturity of the current food according to the temperature and pickling time monitored in real time in the pickling tank 1. This stage information can be quantified. For example, the total target maturity can be divided into several intervals, such as the initial stage, the middle stage, and the late stage, or the pickling maturity percentage can be directly used.

[0094] ii. Select or calculate the PID target conductivity setpoint based on the pickling stage: In the internal database or process parameter settings of the control system 5, a multi-stage salt concentration or conductivity target database is pre-stored. This database associates different pickling stages (or cumulative equivalent pickling maturity intervals) with the ideal pickling solution conductivity target value (or salt concentration target value) for that stage. For example, a certain pickling process may require:

[0095] Initial pickling stage (0% - 30% maturity): The target conductivity is set to a relatively high S h , to facilitate rapid penetration.

[0096] Middle pickling stage (31% - 70% maturity): The target conductivity is set to a medium S m , to maintain stable penetration and flavor formation.

[0097] Late pickling stage (71% - 100% maturity): The target conductivity is set to a relatively low S l , to avoid over-salting the product and fine-tune the flavor.

[0098] According to the current pickling stage or pickling maturity calculated in real time in step (i), the calculation module will automatically query and select the corresponding target conductivity set value from the target database of this stage.

[0099] On the other hand of the present invention, the control system 5 realizes precise closed-loop control of the conductivity of the pickling solution in the pickling tank 1 (indirectly reflecting the salt concentration) through its calculation module. This function ensures that the pickling solution is within the target concentration range, and the specific implementation steps are as follows:

[0100] S100: Real-time acquisition of multi-source data. The control system 5 continuously monitors the flowmeter installed on the second pipeline 42 of the circulation system 4 to obtain the instantaneous flow rate of the liquid supplemented to the pickling tank 1; at the same time, it monitors the on-line conductivity sensor installed at the liquid supplement inlet 12 of the pickling tank 1 (or the pipeline nearby) to obtain the real-time conductivity data of the liquid supplemented into the pickling tank 1; and, it reads the salinity data of the salinity sensor inside the target pickling tank 1 in real time.

[0101] S200: Redundancy check of sensor data and determination of effective concentration. The calculation module compares and checks the salinity data obtained from the salinity sensor and the real-time conductivity data obtained from the on-line conductivity sensor to determine the effective concentration value of the pickling solution currently used for control.

[0102] S300: Calculation of control adjustment amount. The calculation module, based on the deviation between the preset target conductivity (this target value may be optimized and set according to the relationship data between the egg yolk oil core rate and salinity in Table 1 to achieve the best product quality) and the effective concentration of the current pickling solution (converted conductivity value) determined in step S200, uses the PID control algorithm to calculate the adjustment amount that needs to be made to the rotation speed of the water pump 45 in the circulation system 4, and the opening adjustment amount that needs to be made to the relevant solenoid valve 44 on the second pipeline 42.

[0103] S400: Output of adjustment instructions and closed-loop control. The calculation module outputs the calculated rotation speed adjustment amount and opening adjustment amount. These modules then control the water pump 45 to adjust its rotation speed, and control the solenoid valve 44 to adjust its opening, so as to precisely control the flow rate and speed of the pickling solution supplemented, adjusted and heated from the mixing tank 3 to the target pickling tank 1, and finally dynamically maintain the overall conductivity of the pickling solution in the pickling tank 1 within the preset target conductivity range. As shown in the equipment verification data in Table 1, when setting the target conductivity range, this system can achieve excellent control stability (for example, the fluctuation value is less than ±5% continuously for 24 hours).

[0104] In yet another aspect of the present invention, the control system 5 includes a thermal balance mode to ensure the temperature uniformity between different pickling tanks 1. The calculation module of the control system 5 continuously monitors the temperature readings from the temperature sensors in each pickling tank 1.

[0105] If the control system 5 detects that the temperature difference between any two adjacent pickling tanks 1 exceeds a preset threshold, the heat balance mode will be automatically activated. After activation, the control system 5 will automatically adjust the power supplied to the electric heating elements in the corresponding pickling tank 1 through its heating module to minimize the temperature difference and ensure that all operating pickling tanks have a more consistent pickling environment. According to the equipment verification data in Table 1, this heat balance mode can effectively control the temperature difference between the tanks within the set accuracy.

[0106] Comparative verification of the effects of the equipment of the present invention (can be used as an independent paragraph after the embodiments):

[0107] To further verify the superior performance of the automated pickling equipment of the present invention, a comparative test with the traditional pickling method was conducted. The relevant comparative data are shown in Table 1 below. Taking pickled salted duck eggs as an example, using the equipment of the present invention, under the conditions of controlling temperature and salt concentration, the oil yield of the egg yolk and the pickling efficiency have been significantly improved, and the pickling cycle has been greatly shortened. At the same time, the uniformity of salt penetration of the product has also been significantly improved, which helps to improve the taste and quality consistency of the final product.

[0108] Table 1: Parameters and verification data of the automated pickling equipment

[0109]

[0110]

[0111] Specific implementation steps of the automated pickling method:

[0112] The second aspect of the present invention provides an automated pickling method, which uses the automated pickling equipment of any one of the foregoing claims and is automatically executed through its control system 5. The pickling cycle may include the following steps:

[0113] S1: Initialization setting and feeding. The operator first sets the target pickling temperature for several pickling tanks 1 to be used respectively through the user control interface 55 of the control system 5. These target pickling temperatures can be selected from a preset plurality of temperature range groups, the first temperature range of 36.4 °C to 37.4 °C for the rapid pickling process, the second temperature range of 22.5 °C to.5 °C for medium-temperature stable flavor formation, or the third temperature range of 15.5 °C to 16.5 °C for low-temperature long-time pickling.

[0114] Set the initial target salt concentration or conductivity value for each pickling tank. After the parameter setting is completed, the food to be pickled is put into the corresponding target pickling tank through the food inlet 11 of each pickling tank 1. Subsequently, the control system 5 controls the circulation system 4 to inject the initially prepared and heated pickling liquid in the mixing tank 3 into the pickled tank 1 with materials through the second pipeline 42 until the liquid level sensor detects that the preset liquid level is reached.

[0115] S2: Recycling and Preliminary Treatment of the Pickling Liquid after Use After the end of a pickling cycle (or during the pickling process according to preset data, such as reaching a certain number of cycles or pollutant indicators), the control system 5 starts the pickling liquid recycling program. The circulation module controls the corresponding solenoid valve 44 and water pump 45 to pump the used pickling liquid in the target pickling tank 1 through its discharge port 13 and the first pipeline 41 to the filtration tank 2. In the filtration tank 2, the pickling liquid flows through the first-stage filtration unit 21 and the second-stage filtration unit 22 in sequence to remove solid impurities, suspended substances, part of the grease and pigments, etc.

[0116] S3: Adjustment and Heating Regeneration of the Filtered Pickling Liquid The pickling liquid processed by the filtration tank 2 is transported to the mixing tank 3 through the third pipeline 43. At this time, the calculation module analyzes the composition state of the currently recycled pickling liquid according to the readings of the salinity sensor and temperature sensor in the mixing tank 3. Based on the difference between the analysis result and the preset pickling liquid standard formula or target parameters, the calculation module generates an adjustment instruction. The liquid supplement module controls the water supply pipe 33 connected to the external water supply system to supplement an appropriate amount of clean water into the mixing tank 3 to reduce the salt concentration according to these instructions, or instructs the automatic feeding device 34 to add concentrated brine, new pickling seasonings, etc. to increase the salt concentration or adjust the flavor.

[0117] The heating module controls the electric heating sheet in the mixing tank 3 to start, and heats the adjusted pickling liquid to the preset liquid supplement temperature (this temperature is the same as the target pickling temperature, or slightly higher to compensate for the heat loss during transportation). The stirring device 31 in the mixing tank 3 continuously works during this process to ensure uniform mixing of the materials and consistent temperature and concentration distribution.

[0118] S4: Independent and Precise Regulation and Dynamic Liquid Supplementation of the Pickling Tanks During the pickling process of each pickling tank 1, the control system 5 independently and continuously performs the following regulation operations:

[0119] The electric heating sheet in the pickling tank is controlled by the heating module, and according to the feedback of the temperature sensor, the temperature of the pickling liquid is accurately maintained at the target temperature set for this tank in step S1.

[0120] If a stirring device is configured, its operation is controlled according to the preset program or conditions.

[0121] When the liquid level sensor detects a decrease in the liquid level (e.g., due to evaporation or food absorption), or the salinity sensor (or conductivity sensor) detects that the salt concentration deviates from the target set point of the current stage (which may change according to the aforementioned adjustment based on the Arrhenius model), the liquid replenishment module is activated. The control circulation system 4 extracts the regenerated pickling liquid that has been adjusted and heated to be qualified in step S3 from the mixing tank 3 through the second pipeline 42 and supplements it into the corresponding pickling tank 1 until the liquid level and salt concentration return to the target range. This replenishment process is controlled by a PID control algorithm for the flow rate and the amount of liquid replenishment.

[0122] The gas generated during the pickling process is discharged naturally or under control through the top gas discharge window 14.

[0123] S5: Monitoring of pickling maturity and intelligent termination During the entire pickling period, the calculation module collects data such as the temperature of each pickling tank 1 in real time, and continuously calculates the pickling maturity of the food in each tank according to the pickling maturity prediction model based on the Arrhenius equation. At the same time, the control system records the pickling duration.

[0124] S6: Completion of pickling and subsequent processing When the pickling duration of any pickling tank 1 reaches the preset value, or more preferably, when the calculated pickling maturity reaches the preset maturity threshold, the control system 5 determines that the pickling of this tank is completed. The system will automatically stop the heating, stirring, and liquid replenishment operations for this pickling tank 1, and can send a signal indicating the completion of pickling through the user control interface 55 to prompt the operator to perform subsequent processes such as discharging and inspection. After the pickling is completed, the pickling liquid used in this tank can enter the recycling process according to step S2 to prepare the regenerated pickling liquid for the next or other pickling tasks.

[0125] In the present invention, by setting different temperature ranges for pickling egg foods, the following advantages are achieved:

[0126] 1. Temperature range of the first pickling tank (36.4 °C - 37.4 °C):

[0127] The temperature is close to the hatching environment, which can accelerate the penetration and reaction of the components in the egg white and the pickling liquid, and shorten the pickling time.

[0128] For pickling egg categories that require good sand formation and oil production in this temperature range, the pickling time needs to be controlled within 10 days to 15 days.

[0129] It is suitable for rapid production requirements and improves production efficiency.

[0130] Within this temperature range, the salt evenly penetrates, preventing the yolk from solidifying prematurely and improving the quality of the finished product.

[0131] 2. Temperature range of the second pickling tank (22.5 °C - 5 °C):

[0132] The temperature is moderate, which is suitable for the stable generation of flavor substances during the pickling process.

[0133] At this temperature, the penetration of salt and the internal chemical reaction rate of the egg body can be balanced, and the pickled eggs have a more delicate taste.

[0134] It effectively avoids the protein denaturation that may be caused by high temperature and maintains the integrity and texture of the pickled eggs.

[0135] During the pickling process within this temperature range, a category of pickled eggs with good sandiness and oiliness can be pickled, and the pickling time is 20 to 30 days.

[0136] 3. Temperature range of the third pickling pool (15.5°C - 16.5°C):

[0137] The temperature is relatively low, which can delay the pickling process and is suitable for high-end pickled egg products with stronger flavor and firmer texture.

[0138] Within this temperature range, the growth of miscellaneous bacteria is inhibited, ensuring the safety and hygiene of the pickling process.

[0139] It helps for long-term storage without affecting the flavor and quality of the pickled eggs.

[0140] During the pickling process, the salt concentration is controlled between 15% and 20%. If the concentration is too low, the sandiness and oiliness effects are not obvious. If the concentration is too high, the texture of the egg yolk is likely to become hard, affecting the sandiness.

[0141] In the present invention, through the pickling control of automated equipment and different pickling temperatures and pickling times in the equipment, it can ensure that the pickled salted eggs achieve an ideal sandiness effect and good oiliness quality, thereby enhancing the flavor and taste of the product.

[0142] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not impose any form of limitation on the present invention. Therefore, any modification, equivalent change, and modification made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention still fall within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated pickling device, characterized in that, Including: A number of pickling pools, each pickling pool is provided with a feed inlet, a liquid supplement inlet, a discharge outlet and a top gas discharge window, and the inner wall of the pool body is embedded with an electric heating sheet, a salinity sensor, a temperature sensor and a liquid level sensor; A filtration pool, inside which a first-stage filtration unit and a second-stage filtration unit are provided from top to bottom, and the filtration pool is provided with a first pipeline, and the first pipeline is connected to the discharge outlet for introducing the pickling liquid into the filtration pool; A mixing pool, inside which a stirring device and a feeding device are provided, the side wall is embedded with an electric heating sheet, a salinity sensor and a temperature sensor, the bottom is provided with a second pipeline, the second pipeline is communicated with the liquid supplement inlet of the pickling pool, the top is provided with a third pipeline and a water supplement pipe connected to an external water supply system, one end of the third pipeline is connected to the outlet of the filtration pool, and the other end is connected to the top of the mixing pool. The third pipeline is used to connect the filtration pool, and the feeding device can add a preset pickling material into the mixing pool to adjust the composition of the pickling liquid; A circulation system, the circulation system includes solenoid valves and water pumps arranged on the first pipeline, the second pipeline and the third pipeline for controlling the flow direction of the pickling liquid; A control system, the control system includes a heating module, a calculation module, a liquid supplement module and a circulation module. The heating module is connected to the electric heating sheets in the pickling pool and the mixing pool to control the temperature of the pickling liquid. The calculation module is connected to and processes the feedback data from the sensors in the pickling pool and the mixing pool, conducts analysis and calculation, and adjusts the composition and state of the pickling liquid according to the analysis results. The liquid supplement module controls the circulation system to supplement the adjusted pickling liquid from the mixing pool to the target pickling pool according to the state information fed back by the calculation module. The circulation module controls the start-stop and opening and closing of the water pumps and solenoid valves in the circulation system to realize the processes of recovery, filtration, adjustment, heating and liquid supplement of the pickling liquid.

2. An automatic pickling device according to claim 1, wherein An automatic backwashing device is provided in the filtration pool, and the automatic backwashing device includes an ultrasonic cleaner, a backwashing pipeline and a spray head arranged on the backwashing pipeline; the first-stage filtration unit is a stainless steel filter mesh layer, and the second-stage filtration unit is a polytetrafluoroethylene adsorption layer.

3. An automatic pickling device according to claim 1, wherein The control system triggers the backwashing in the following manner: The control system is connected to a pressure sensor installed before and after the first-stage filtration unit and an ultrasonic cleaner arranged at the bottom of the second-stage filtration unit; When it is detected that the pressure difference before and after the first-stage filtration unit exceeds a preset threshold, the control system controls to open the backwashing pipeline for flushing; When the cumulative processing amount of the second-stage filtration unit reaches a preset value, the ultrasonic cleaner is started.

4. An automatic pickling device according to claim 1, wherein The control system further includes a user control interface, and the user control interface is used to display the real-time operation status of the device, each acquisition parameter, set pickling process parameters and alarm information, and realize control through the user control interface.

5. An automated pickling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control system has a thermal balance mode. When the difference in the readings of the temperature sensors of two adjacent pickling tanks exceeds a preset value, the control system automatically adjusts the power of the electric heating elements in the corresponding pickling tank.

6. An automated pickling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the circulation system further includes a flow meter and a conductivity sensor. The flow meter is installed on the second pipeline, and the conductivity sensor is arranged at the liquid replenishment inlet.

7. An automated pickling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the calculation module of the control system constructs a time-temperature integral function model based on the Arrhenius equation for calculating the pickling end point of the food in each pickling tank in real time. When the preset maturity threshold is reached, the control system automatically terminates the heating and stirring of the corresponding pickling tank. The Arrhenius equation is: where k is the reaction rate constant in terms of concentration, T is the temperature, E a is the activation energy in the pickling reaction, and R is the molar gas constant.

8. An automated pickling device according to claim 7, characterized in that the control system has the following functions based on the calculation module, and the functions include: S100: Obtain the replenishment flow rate, the real-time conductivity of the pickling solution, and salinity data in real time through the flow meter, the conductivity sensor, and the salinity sensor arranged in the pickling tank; S200: Verify the obtained salinity data and real-time conductivity data to determine the current concentration of the pickling solution; S300: Based on the preset target conductivity and the current concentration of the pickling solution, use the PID control algorithm to calculate the rotational speed adjustment amount of the water pump in the circulation system and the opening adjustment amount of the relevant solenoid valves; S400: Output the adjustment amount to control the water pump and the solenoid valves, so as to maintain the conductivity of the pickling solution in the pickling tank within the target conductivity range.

9. An automated pickling device according to claim 7, characterized in that the pickling maturity prediction model constructed by the calculation module according to the Arrhenius equation performs the following operations to adjust the target conductivity set point of the PID control algorithm: i. Calculate the pickling stage or pickling maturity of the current pickling tank according to the pickling maturity prediction model; ii. Based on the pickling stage or pickling maturity, select or calculate the target conductivity set point for the current PID control loop from the preset multi-stage salt concentration or conductivity target database.

10. An automated pickling method, an automated pickling device according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that based on the control system, the method includes the following steps: S1: Set the target pickling temperature for different pickling tanks through the control system, which can be selected from a preset range group including 36.4-37.4 °C, 22.5-23.5 °C, 15.5-16.5 °C and the target salt concentration; after putting the food to be pickled into the pickling tank, inject the initial pickling solution; S2: Convey the filtered pickling solution to the mixing tank through the third pipeline, and adjust its salt concentration and composition automatically in the mixing tank according to the sensor data, and heat it to the preset replenishing liquid temperature; S3: During the pickling process, for each pickling tank, automatically execute: maintain the set pickling temperature through its electric heating sheet; start replenishing liquid when the liquid level sensor detects a decrease in liquid level or salinity, and automatically replenish the heated pickling solution in step S2 from the mixing tank through the second pipeline to restore to the target state; and the pickling maturity prediction model calculated by the calculation module calculates the pickling maturity in real time; S4: When any pickling tank reaches the preset pickling time, or the pickling maturity calculated according to step S3 reaches the preset threshold, automatically stop heating, possible stirring and replenishing liquid for this pickling tank, and send out a pickling completion signal; S5: After pickling, automatically convey the used pickling solution in the pickling tank to the filtration tank through the first pipeline for filtration treatment. S6: The pickling solution after filtration treatment is conveyed to the mixing tank through the third pipeline for the next production of pickling solution.

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