A cleaning and steaming apparatus and method for a radix pseudostellariae extract process

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of cleaning and steaming equipment, in particular to a cleaning and steaming equipment and method for a radix pseudostellariae extract process, which comprises a bubble cleaning tank and a raw material conveying belt, a grading bin is installed in the bubble cleaning tank, the grading bin is open at the top and bottom, and a discharge port is arranged on the left side, a first partition and a second partition are arranged in the grading bin, the second partition and the first partition divide the internal space of the grading bin into a large radix pseudostellariae bin, a medium radix pseudostellariae bin and a small radix pseudostellariae bin from left to right, two grading conveying frames are fixedly connected to the top of the grading bin through supports, the top end of each of the two grading conveying frames is slidingly connected to a U-shaped connecting frame, one end of each of the two U-shaped connecting frames is fixedly connected to the second partition, and the other end of each of the two U-shaped connecting frames is fixedly connected to the first partition, and the purpose of the present application is to solve the problem that the radix pseudostellariae of different sizes mixed together is cleaned by using unified cleaning parameters, and the cleaning is uneven.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cleaning and scalding equipment technology, specifically to a cleaning and scalding equipment and method for Codonopsis pilosula extract. Background Technology

[0002] In traditional Codonopsis pilosula cleaning, manual rinsing often relies on hand-rubbing or rinsing, which makes it difficult to precisely control the force applied during operation. Slight carelessness can cause direct damage to the skin. Ordinary drum cleaning, due to the direct friction between the inner wall of the drum and the Codonopsis pilosula, and the relatively fixed force during tumbling, can easily cause scratches and damage to the skin due to collisions and squeezing. Neither method can achieve both cleaning effect and skin integrity. When cleaning with a bubble cleaning machine, a large number of fine bubbles are continuously generated by the internal aeration system of the equipment. These bubbles rise and tumble in the water, creating strong disturbances. At the same time, they work together with the directional water flow to create a scouring force. Under the combined effect of these two methods, the mud, fine roots and various impurities attached to the surface of the Codonopsis pilosula can be gradually removed. Compared with traditional methods, this method has a greater advantage in reducing the direct force on the skin.

[0003] However, due to factors such as variety, growth environment, and maturity, individual Codonopsis pilosula vary significantly in size. The contact area and frequency of contact between Codonopsis pilosula and bubbles and water flow differ for different sizes, and their appropriate cleaning force requirements also differ significantly. If uniform cleaning parameters are used for all Codonopsis pilosula during the cleaning process, it will be impossible to meet the differentiated cleaning needs of Codonopsis pilosula of different sizes. Ultimately, uneven cleaning may occur, with some Codonopsis pilosula having residual impurities that have not been cleaned, and some Codonopsis pilosula still facing the risk of epidermal damage due to improper force. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a cleaning and scalding device and method for the processing of Codonopsis pilosula extract, so as to solve the problem of uneven cleaning that easily occurs when cleaning Codonopsis pilosula of different sizes using uniform cleaning parameters.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A cleaning and scalding device for extracting Codonopsis pilosula extract includes a bubble cleaning tank and a raw material conveyor belt. A grading chamber is installed inside the bubble cleaning tank. The grading chamber is open at both the top and bottom, and has a discharge port on the left side. The grading chamber is equipped with a first partition and a second partition, which divide the internal space of the grading chamber from left to right into a large ginseng chamber, a medium ginseng chamber, and a small ginseng chamber. Two grading conveyor frames are fixedly connected to the top of the grading chamber via a bracket. A U-shaped connecting frame is slidably connected to the top of each of the two grading conveyor frames. One end of each U-shaped connecting frame is fixedly connected to the second partition, and the other end is fixedly connected to the first partition. Vertically arranged lifting screws are fixedly connected to the surfaces of the two U-shaped connecting frames. A drive shaft driven by a motor is connected between the two grading conveyor frames. The drive shaft drives the two lifting screws to move up and down through gear transmission.

[0007] Preferably, a guide plate is fixedly connected between the two graded conveyor frames, the input end of the guide plate is connected to the output end of the raw material conveyor belt, a first conveyor belt for conveying Codonopsis pilosula is installed between the two graded conveyor frames, and a second conveyor belt for conveying Codonopsis pilosula is installed between the two graded conveyor frames.

[0008] Preferably, a small gap adapted to the small particle size of Codonopsis pilosula is reserved between the input end of the first conveyor belt and the output end of the guide plate, and the small ginseng bin of the grading bin is directly below the small gap; a medium gap adapted to the medium particle size of Codonopsis pilosula is reserved between the input end of the second conveyor belt and the input end of the first conveyor belt, and the medium ginseng bin of the grading bin is directly below the medium gap; the output end of the second conveyor belt faces the large ginseng bin of the grading bin.

[0009] Preferably, a material feeding bracket is fixedly connected between the two graded conveyor frames. The material feeding bracket is located above the output end of the guide plate. The bottom end of the material feeding bracket is rotatably connected to a material feeding roller driven by a motor, and the rotation direction of the material feeding roller is opposite to the conveying direction of the first conveyor belt.

[0010] Preferably, a driven gear is coaxially fixedly connected to the surface of the drive shaft, and a drive shaft driven by a motor is connected to the surface of the grading conveyor. A drive gear is coaxially fixedly connected to one end of the drive shaft, and the drive gear and the driven gear are meshed.

[0011] Preferably, both ends of the drive shaft are coaxially fixedly connected to a driving bevel gear, and both of the two grading conveyor frames are rotatably connected to a driven bevel gear. The grading conveyor frame is provided with a rotating groove adapted to the driven bevel gear. The rotating groove restricts the driven bevel gear from moving along its axial direction. Each lifting screw coaxially passes through the corresponding driven bevel gear and forms a threaded connection with the driven bevel gear.

[0012] A method for cleaning and blanching extract of Codonopsis pilosula, using the aforementioned cleaning and blanching equipment, comprises the following specific steps:

[0013] A. Freshly harvested Codonopsis pilosula is graded according to diameter to obtain large, medium, and small Codonopsis pilosula.

[0014] B. After grading, the large, medium and small ginseng are cleaned separately. Bubble impact and water spray are used to remove the soil from the surface, fibrous roots and bud crevices of the ginseng until the ginseng is white and bright yellow.

[0015] C. Transfer the washed Codonopsis pilosula to the blanching equipment, control the water temperature in the blanching equipment to 80℃-100℃, blanch for 0.2-5 minutes, and remove it immediately after the Codonopsis pilosula is completely translucent and uniform.

[0016] D. Immediately transfer the blanched Codonopsis pilosula into the cooling chamber and cool it quickly by spraying atomized water and blowing cold air. Within 10 seconds, reduce the temperature of the Codonopsis pilosula from 85℃ to below 25℃. After cooling, keep the cooling chamber ventilated and drain the Codonopsis pilosula.

[0017] E. Transfer the cooled and drained Codonopsis pilosula to the drying equipment. Control the temperature inside the drying equipment to not exceed 65°C and continue drying. Regularly check the moisture content of the Codonopsis pilosula. When the moisture content drops to no more than 14%, stop drying and complete the cleaning and blanching process.

[0018] Preferably, in step A, the grading criteria are as follows: Codonopsis pilosula with a diameter > 1.2 cm is classified as large Codonopsis pilosula, Codonopsis pilosula with a diameter > 0.6 cm and ≤ 1.2 cm is classified as medium Codonopsis pilosula, and Codonopsis pilosula with a diameter ≤ 0.6 cm is classified as small Codonopsis pilosula.

[0019] Preferably, in step A, during grading, fresh Codonopsis pilosula is first conveyed to the guide plate, and then the stacked Codonopsis pilosula is spread out by the feeding roller, so that small, medium and large Codonopsis pilosula fall from the corresponding gaps into the small, medium and large Codonopsis pilosula bins, thus achieving grading.

[0020] Preferably, the rotation direction of the feeding roller is opposite to the conveying direction of the ginseng, the gap corresponding to the small ginseng includes the small gap between the feeding roller and the first conveyor belt, the gap corresponding to the medium ginseng includes the medium gap between the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt, and the large ginseng is conveyed to the end by the second conveyor belt and falls off.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0022] 1. The grading bins are divided into large, medium and small ginseng bins by adjustable first and second partitions. The cleaning parameters are adjusted for different sizes of ginseng to avoid substandard cleaning caused by uniform water flow intensity. Ultimately, the ginseng of the same grade is kept clean. Since the ginseng root is brittle, the impact and squeezing of large ginseng on small ginseng during mixed washing can easily cause damage or deformation to the skin. Grading and cleaning allows ginseng of the same size to be processed together. The collision force is uniform during the bubble rolling stage, and the asymmetrical force of large pressing small is avoided during the collection stage, reducing the breakage rate from the source.

[0023] 2. The design of the grading conveyor frame, guide plate and double conveyor belt achieves automatic grading through gap control. The small gap allows small ginseng to fall accurately into the small ginseng bin, the medium gap allows medium ginseng to fall into the medium ginseng bin, and the remaining large ginseng is transported to the large ginseng bin by the second conveyor belt. No manual intervention is required. After cleaning, the ginseng is arranged in the order of large, medium and small on the chain plate conveyor rail. During the conveying process, small ginseng is prevented from being squeezed by the subsequent medium and large ginseng, reducing root and stem breakage and skin damage.

[0024] 3. The cooling machine rapidly cools down the scalded Codonopsis pilosula, preventing component degradation or color changes caused by residual heat. The moisture distribution of the cooled Codonopsis pilosula is more stable, and it is less likely to cause local overheating or uneven drying during drying, thus shortening the drying time and reducing energy consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the bubble cleaning tank of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the graded bin of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the graded bin of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the U-shaped connecting frame of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the drive shaft structure of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 For the present invention Figure 6 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the vertical section of the graded conveyor frame of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second transmission box of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 10This is a rear view of the vertical section of the second transmission box of the present invention.

[0035] In the diagram: 1. Bubble cleaning tank; 2. Hot stamping machine; 3. Cooling machine; 4. Grading bin; 5. First partition; 6. Second partition; 7. Grading conveyor frame; 8. Raw material conveyor belt; 9. First drive roller; 10. First transmission box; 11. Motor box; 12. Second transmission box; 13. Second drive roller; 14. Third drive roller; 15. First conveyor belt; 16. Second conveyor belt; 17. Guide plate; 18. Material feeding bracket; 19. Material feeding roller; 20. Drive shaft; 21. Drive bevel gear; 22. Driven bevel gear; 23. Lifting screw; 24. U-shaped connecting frame; 25. Drive shaft; 26. Guide groove; 27. Driven gear; 28. Drive gear. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] Please see Figures 1 to 10 The present invention provides a technical solution.

[0038] A cleaning and scalding device for Codonopsis pilosula extract includes a bubble cleaning tank 1 and a raw material conveyor belt 8. A grading chamber 4 is installed inside the bubble cleaning tank 1. The grading chamber 4 is open at both the top and bottom, and has a discharge port on the left side. A chain conveyor rail is installed inside the bubble cleaning tank 1, close to the bottom of the grading chamber 4. After cleaning, the bubble generating device and spraying device are stopped first. At this time, the Codonopsis pilosula in the grading chamber 4 will naturally fall onto the chain conveyor rail. Then, the first partition 5 and the second partition 6 are moved upwards to a position that does not obstruct the conveying of the Codonopsis pilosula, and then the process is restarted. The moving chain conveyor rail transports the Codonopsis pilosula in the grading bin 4 to the left discharge port. Finally, the output rail connected to the left discharge port transports the Codonopsis pilosula to the next process. The grading bin 4 is equipped with a first partition 5 and a second partition 6 that can move up and down. The second partition 6 and the first partition 5 divide the internal space of the grading bin 4 into large Codonopsis pilosula bin, medium Codonopsis pilosula bin, and small Codonopsis pilosula bin from left to right. When in use, large, medium and small Codonopsis pilosula are placed into the corresponding bins, which can effectively prevent different sizes of Codonopsis pilosula from squeezing each other during the cleaning process and affecting the cleaning effect.

[0039] Small-sized *Codonopsis pilosula* granules are small and lightweight, easily lifted to the surface by air bubbles, resulting in insufficient contact with the high-concentration air bubble zone at the bottom (the area with the strongest cleaning power). This often leads to surface graying and residual fine sand, failing to meet cleaning standards. Large-sized *Codonopsis pilosula* granules, on the other hand, are large and heavy, easily sinking to the bottom. While they do come into contact with the high-concentration air bubbles, their more wrinkled and concave surfaces prevent impurities from being flushed out by a uniform water flow, creating cleaning dead zones. To address this, adjustable first and second partitions 5 and 6 are designed within the grading chamber 4, dividing the space from left to right... Divided into large, medium, and small ginseng compartments, each ginseng of different sizes is placed into its corresponding compartment. The cleaning parameters can then be adjusted for each compartment. In the small compartment, the water flow intensity is reduced (to prevent scattering) and the bubble density is increased (to increase surface contact), ensuring that fine mud and sand are thoroughly removed. In the large compartment, the water flow is strengthened (to target recessed corners), ensuring that deep impurities are removed. The cleaning parameters of the medium compartment are between those of the small and large compartments, suitable for the cleaning needs of medium-sized ginseng, ultimately achieving consistent cleanliness for ginseng of the same grade.

[0040] Meanwhile, this graded cleaning design not only improves the uniformity of cleaning but also effectively reduces the damage rate of medicinal materials caused by size differences, reducing losses such as breakage and deformation. The root and stem of Codonopsis pilosula are relatively brittle (especially fresh or semi-dried products before drying). If large and small pieces are washed together, on the one hand, during the bubble tumbling cleaning stage, the larger Codonopsis pilosula, due to its larger size and weight, will exert a continuous impact force on the surrounding smaller Codonopsis pilosula, causing damage or deformation to the surface of the smaller Codonopsis pilosula. On the other hand, during the material collection stage at the outlet of the cleaning tank, the large particles of Codonopsis pilosula are prone to squeezing the small particles accumulated below when falling, further increasing the risk of crushing the small particles, ultimately leading to an increased breakage rate. However, through graded cleaning, Codonopsis pilosula of the same size are concentrated in the corresponding bins. Whether in the bubble tumbling stage or the material collection stage, the collision force between the Codonopsis pilosula is more uniform, and there will be no asymmetrical force situation of large pressing on small or large colliding with small, thus avoiding the problem of crushing and breaking due to size differences from the source.

[0041] After the Codonopsis pilosula in the bubble cleaning tank 1 is cleaned, the bubble generator and water supply are stopped. Then, the first partition 5 and the second partition 6 are moved to a position that does not obstruct the conveying. Then, the chain conveyor is started. At this time, the chain conveyor drives the Codonopsis pilosula in the grading bin 4 to be conveyed to the left discharge port. Since the space in the grading bin 4 is divided into large Codonopsis pilosula bin, medium Codonopsis pilosula bin, and small Codonopsis pilosula bin from left to right, the Codonopsis pilosula will naturally be arranged in an orderly manner of large, medium, and small Codonopsis pilosula along the conveying direction toward the left discharge port. This arrangement can effectively avoid the small Codonopsis pilosula being squeezed by the medium and large Codonopsis pilosula conveyed later during the conveying process, thereby reducing deformation problems such as root breakage and skin damage.

[0042] In addition to solving the problems of uneven cleaning and damage to medicinal materials, this graded cleaning design can also achieve precise matching of the core parameters of the bubble cleaning tank 1. The core parameters of the bubble cleaning tank 1 (such as bubble generator power, water pump pressure, cleaning tank water level, and conveying speed) need to match the overall size characteristics of the materials being cleaned. If large and small materials are mixed and then set to high bubble power and strong water flow according to the needs of large ginseng, small ginseng will be over-washed, and strong water flow will increase water pump energy consumption. If low power and weak water flow are set according to the needs of small ginseng, the cleaning time of large ginseng will be extended, resulting in a decrease in equipment capacity, thus leading to low efficiency and high energy consumption. By sending ginseng of different sizes into the corresponding bins, the above operating parameters can be quickly adjusted according to the size of the ginseng. This can ensure the cleaning effect of each batch, avoid excessive energy consumption and waste of capacity, and keep the equipment in the optimal operating state. For large-scale processing enterprises, the efficiency improvement and energy consumption reduction brought about by graded cleaning can significantly reduce production costs in the long run.

[0043] Two grading conveyor frames 7 are fixedly connected to the top of the grading chamber 4 via a bracket. A guide plate 17 is fixedly connected between the two grading conveyor frames 7. The input end of the guide plate 17 is connected to the output end of the raw material conveyor belt 8. A first conveyor belt 15 for conveying *Codonopsis pilosula* is installed between the two grading conveyor frames 7. A small gap (e.g., 0.6cm wide) is reserved between the input end of the first conveyor belt 15 and the output end of the guide plate 17 to accommodate small *Codonopsis pilosula* particles. When *Codonopsis pilosula* slides from the guide plate 17 to the first conveyor belt 15, small *Codonopsis pilosula* particles with a diameter <0.6cm will fall through this gap, and the small ginseng bin in the grading chamber 4 is directly below the small ginseng bin, ensuring that the small ginseng falls accurately. The guide plate 17 is tilted towards the first conveyor belt 15 to guide... The raw material conveyor belt 8 transports the Codonopsis pilosula smoothly along the inclined plane to the first conveyor belt 15. A second conveyor belt 16 for transporting Codonopsis pilosula is installed between the two grading conveyor frames 7. A medium gap (e.g., 1.2cm) is reserved between the input end of the second conveyor belt 16 and the input end of the first conveyor belt 15 to accommodate the particle size of the Codonopsis pilosula. After excluding the small Codonopsis pilosula that has fallen from the small gap, the medium Codonopsis pilosula with a diameter >0.6cm and <1.2cm will fall from the medium gap. The medium gap corresponds directly to the medium Codonopsis pilosula bin of the grading bin 4. The output end of the second conveyor belt 16 is directly opposite the large Codonopsis pilosula bin of the grading bin 4. Finally, the remaining large Codonopsis pilosula with a diameter >1.2cm will be transported to its output end by the second conveyor belt 16 and fall naturally into the large Codonopsis pilosula bin.

[0044] A motor housing 11 is installed at the bottom of the raw material conveyor belt 8, and a first transmission housing 10 is installed on the side of the raw material conveyor belt 8. The drive motor in the motor housing 11 drives the first drive roller 9 of the raw material conveyor belt 8 to rotate through the transmission components (such as chain drive or belt drive) in the first transmission housing 10. The other end of the raw material conveyor belt 8 is provided with a first driven roller that cooperates with the first drive roller 9, thereby driving the raw material conveyor belt 8 to rotate to transport Codonopsis pilosula. A second transmission housing 12 is installed on one side of the grading conveyor frame 7. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 9 and Figure 10 Its internal transmission components (chain or belt) are connected to the pulley (or sprocket) on the rotating shaft of the first drive roller 9 (the chain is a meshing connection, and the belt is a friction drive). When the first drive roller 9 rotates, it will synchronously drive the transmission components in the second transmission box 12 to operate.

[0045] The second drive roller 13 of the first conveyor belt 15 and the third drive roller 14 of the second conveyor belt 16 are both connected to the transmission components in the second transmission box 12. At the same time, the other ends of the first conveyor belt 15 and the second conveyor belt 16 are respectively provided with a second driven roller and a third driven roller that cooperate with the second drive roller 13 and the third drive roller 14. Therefore, when the transmission components in the second transmission box 12 are running, the second drive roller 13 and the third drive roller 14 can be driven to rotate synchronously, thereby driving the first conveyor belt 15 and the second conveyor belt 16 to work together to transport Codonopsis pilosula. With the above design, only a single motor in the motor box 11 is needed to synchronously drive the raw material conveyor belt 8, the first conveyor belt 15 and the second conveyor belt 16 to operate, so as to realize the continuous transport and grading of Codonopsis pilosula.

[0046] A material-pushing bracket 18 is fixedly connected between the two graded conveyor frames 7. The material-pushing bracket 18 is located above the output end of the guide plate 17 (i.e., on the right side near the small gap). The bottom end of the material-pushing bracket 18 is rotatably connected to a material-pushing roller 19 driven by a motor. The rotation direction of the material-pushing roller 19 is opposite to the conveying direction of the first conveyor belt 15 (i.e., when the Codonopsis pilosula is conveyed forward along the first conveyor belt 15, the material-pushing roller 19 rotates in the opposite direction). Through this design, the Codonopsis pilosula stacked during the conveying process can be laid out flat. If the Codonopsis pilosula is stacked, there will be a problem that the large Codonopsis pilosula will block the small Codonopsis pilosula, causing the small Codonopsis pilosula to be unable to fall from the corresponding gap. When the material-pushing roller 19 rotates in the opposite direction, the contact direction and friction direction between the material-pushing roller 19 and the material are opposite to the forward direction, which can generate a reverse thrust. The reverse rotation is equivalent to adding a temporary unblocking function to the equipment.

[0047] Both grading conveyor frames 7 have U-shaped connecting frames 24 slidably connected to their top ends. One end of each U-shaped connecting frame 24 is fixedly connected to the second partition 6, and the other end is fixedly connected to the first partition 5, allowing the two partitions to move synchronously. Vertically arranged lifting screws 23 are fixedly connected to the surfaces of the two U-shaped connecting frames 24. A drive shaft 20, driven by a motor, connects the two grading conveyor frames 7. The drive shaft 20 drives the two lifting screws 23 to move up and down through gear transmission. Through the above design, when the drive shaft 20 rotates, it can... The gear transmission synchronously drives the two lifting screws 23 to move up and down. Specifically, when the drive shaft 20 rotates, the gear transmission drives the two lifting screws 23 to slide upward synchronously. The lifting screws 23 drive the U-shaped connecting frame 24 to move. The U-shaped connecting frame 24 drives the first partition 5 and the second partition 6 to move upward synchronously until they no longer obstruct the transport of Codonopsis pilosula. Then, the Codonopsis pilosula in the grading bin 4 can be transported to the left discharge port. Both grading conveyor frames 7 are equipped with guide grooves 26 for the lifting screws 23 and the U-shaped connecting frame 24 to slide up and down.

[0048] A driven gear 27 is coaxially fixedly connected to the surface of the drive shaft 20. A drive shaft 25 driven by a motor is connected to the surface of the grading conveyor frame 7. A drive gear 28 is coaxially fixedly connected to one end of the drive shaft 25. The drive gear 28 and the driven gear 27 are meshed. By driving the drive shaft 25 to rotate, the drive gear 28 is driven to rotate. The drive gear 28 drives the driven gear 27 to rotate through the meshing relationship. The driven gear 27 then drives the drive shaft 20 to rotate synchronously, thus realizing the control of the rotation of the drive shaft 20.

[0049] Both ends of the drive shaft 20 are coaxially fixedly connected to the drive bevel gears 21. The two grading conveyor frames 7 are rotatably connected to the driven bevel gears 22 (which restrict the vertical movement of the driven bevel gears 22). The grading conveyor frame 7 has a rotating groove that matches the driven bevel gears 22. The rotating groove restricts the driven bevel gears 22 from moving along their axial direction. Each lifting screw 23 coaxially passes through the corresponding driven bevel gear 22 and forms a threaded connection with the driven bevel gear 22. By driving the drive shaft 20 to rotate, the drive bevel gears 21 at both ends will rotate synchronously, thereby driving the driven bevel gears 22 to rotate. Since the driven bevel gears 22 are restricted from moving up and down and are threadedly engaged with the lifting screws 23, their rotation will be converted into the vertical movement of the lifting screws 23, which will eventually drive the U-shaped connecting frame 24 to rise and fall synchronously, thereby controlling the height of the U-shaped connecting frame 24.

[0050] It also includes a scalding machine 2 and a cooling machine 3. The scalding machine 2 is used to scald the washed Codonopsis pilosula, and the cooling machine 3 is used to cool the scalded Codonopsis pilosula immediately. After cooling, the Codonopsis pilosula then enters the drying process.

[0051] A method for cleaning and blanching extract of Codonopsis pilosula, using cleaning and blanching equipment, with the following specific steps:

[0052] A. Start the drive motor in the motor housing 11. The motor drives the first drive roller 9 of the raw material conveyor belt 8 to rotate through the chain drive or belt drive component in the first transmission housing 10. This, in turn, drives the raw material conveyor belt 8 to rotate in conjunction with the first driven roller. Simultaneously, the first drive roller 9 is connected to the transmission component in the second transmission housing 12, which in turn drives the second transmission housing 12 to rotate. This, in turn, drives the second drive roller 13 of the first conveyor belt 15 and the third drive roller 14 of the second conveyor belt 16 to rotate. This causes the first conveyor belt 15 and the second conveyor belt 16 to operate in coordination, feeding freshly harvested Codonopsis pilosula onto the raw material conveyor belt 8. The Codonopsis pilosula is then transported by the raw material conveyor belt 8 to the guide plate 17, where it slides smoothly along the inclined guide plate 17. As the material moves towards the first conveyor belt 15, the material-pushing roller 19 at the bottom of the material-pushing bracket 18 (driven by a motor, rotating in the opposite direction to the conveying direction of the first conveyor belt 15) is activated, spreading out the stacked Codonopsis pilosula flat to prevent large Codonopsis pilosula from blocking small Codonopsis pilosula. Small Codonopsis pilosula with a diameter <0.6cm falls through the small gap between the guide plate 17 and the first conveyor belt 15 and into the small Codonopsis pilosula bin of the grading bin 4. After removing the small Codonopsis pilosula, medium Codonopsis pilosula with a diameter >0.6cm and <1.2cm falls through the medium gap between the first conveyor belt 15 and the second conveyor belt 16 and into the medium Codonopsis pilosula bin. The remaining large Codonopsis pilosula with a diameter >1.2cm is conveyed to its output end by the second conveyor belt 16 and naturally falls into the large Codonopsis pilosula bin, completing the grading of Codonopsis pilosula.

[0053] B. After the ginseng is placed into the large, medium, and small ginseng bins of grading bin 4, the first partition 5 and the second partition 6 are kept in their initial positions (separating the bins) to prevent ginseng of different sizes from being squeezed together. The bubble generating device and spraying device in the bubble cleaning tank 1 are activated. The ginseng in grading bin 4 is cleaned by a combination of bubble impact and water spraying to remove the mud covering the surface. During this period, high-pressure rinsing is continuously carried out by the spraying device to ensure that the mud on the surface of the ginseng, the fibrous roots, and the gaps in the buds is thoroughly cleaned until the ginseng appears white and bright yellow.

[0054] C. After cleaning, first turn off the bubble generator and spraying device. The Codonopsis pilosula in the grading bin 4 will naturally fall onto the chain conveyor rail in the bubble cleaning tank 1. Then start the drive motor of the drive shaft 25. The drive shaft 25 drives the drive gear 28 to rotate. Through meshing transmission, it drives the driven gear 27 and drive shaft 20 to rotate. The drive shaft 20 drives the two lifting screws 23 to slide synchronously upward along the guide groove 26 of the grading conveyor frame 7 through gear transmission. The lifting screws 23 drive the U-shaped connecting frame 24 to move, thereby causing the first partition 5 and the second partition 6 to move synchronously upward to a position that does not obstruct the conveying of Codonopsis pilosula. Start the chain conveyor rail to convey the cleaned Codonopsis pilosula in the grading bin 4 to the left discharge port. Then, through the output rail connected to the discharge port, the Codonopsis pilosula is conveyed to the scalding machine 2.

[0055] D. Control the water temperature in the scalding machine 2 to maintain at 80℃~100℃. Put the washed Codonopsis pilosula into the scalding machine 2 and scald for 0.2-5 minutes. During this period, continuously monitor the condition of the Codonopsis pilosula until it is completely translucent and uniform. Then, immediately remove it from the scalding machine 2.

[0056] E. Remove the blanched Codonopsis pilosula and immediately place it into the cooling chamber of cooling machine 3. Start cooling machine 3 and spray 5-10℃ atomized water at a pressure of 0.3MPa, combined with 10℃ cold air blowing at a wind speed of 2m / s, to quickly cool the Codonopsis pilosula, ensuring that the temperature of the Codonopsis pilosula drops from 85℃ to below 25℃ within 10 seconds. After cooling is completed, keep the cooling chamber ventilated and drain the Codonopsis pilosula.

[0057] F. Transfer the cooled and drained Codonopsis pilosula to the drying equipment. Control the temperature inside the drying equipment to not exceed 65°C and continue drying. During this period, regularly check the moisture content of the Codonopsis pilosula. When the moisture content drops to not more than 14%, turn off the drying equipment and stop drying to complete the entire process of cleaning and blanching Codonopsis pilosula.

[0058] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A cleaning and scalding device for a process of extracting Codonopsis pilosula, comprising a bubble cleaning tank (1), a scalding machine (2), a cooling machine (3), and a raw material conveyor belt (8), characterized in that, The bubble cleaning tank (1) is equipped with a grading chamber (4). The grading chamber (4) is open at both the top and bottom, and has a discharge port on the left side. The grading chamber (4) is equipped with a first partition (5) and a second partition (6). The second partition (6) and the first partition (5) divide the internal space of the grading chamber (4) into a large ginseng chamber, a medium ginseng chamber, and a small ginseng chamber from left to right. The top of the grading chamber (4) is fixedly connected to two grading conveyor frames (7) by a bracket. The top of the two grading conveyor frames (7) is slidably connected to a U-shaped connecting frame (24). One end of the two U-shaped connecting frames (24) is fixedly connected to the second partition (6), and the other end is fixedly connected to the first partition (5). The surfaces of the two U-shaped connecting frames (24) are fixedly connected to vertically arranged lifting screws (23). A drive shaft (20) driven by a motor is connected between the two grading conveyor frames (7). The drive shaft (20) drives the two lifting screws (23) to move up and down through gear transmission. A guide plate (17) is fixedly connected between the two graded conveyor frames (7). The input end of the guide plate (17) is connected to the output end of the raw material conveyor belt (8). A first conveyor belt (15) for conveying Codonopsis pilosula is installed between the two graded conveyor frames (7). A second conveyor belt (16) for conveying Codonopsis pilosula is installed between the two graded conveyor frames (7). Between the input end of the first conveyor belt (15) and the output end of the guide plate (17), a small gap adapted to the small particle size of Codonopsis pilosula is reserved, and the small particle size of the grading bin (4) is directly below the small particle size of the small gap. Between the input end of the second conveyor belt (16) and the input end of the first conveyor belt (15), a medium gap adapted to the medium particle size of Codonopsis pilosula is reserved, and the medium particle size of the grading bin (4) is directly below the medium particle size of the medium gap. The output end of the second conveyor belt (16) is directly opposite the large particle size of the grading bin (4). A material feeding bracket (18) is fixedly connected between the two graded conveyor frames (7). The material feeding bracket (18) is located above the output end of the guide plate (17). The bottom end of the material feeding bracket (18) is rotatably connected to a material feeding roller (19) driven by a motor, and the rotation direction of the material feeding roller (19) is opposite to the conveying direction of the first conveyor belt (15).

2. The cleaning and scalding equipment for the process of extracting Codonopsis pilosula extract according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driven shaft (20) is coaxially fixedly connected to the surface of the drive shaft (20), and the graded conveyor frame (7) is connected to the surface of the drive shaft (25) which is driven by a motor. One end of the drive shaft (25) is coaxially fixedly connected to the drive gear (28), and the drive gear (28) and the driven gear (27) are meshed.

3. The cleaning and scalding equipment for the process of extracting Codonopsis pilosula extract according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both ends of the drive shaft (20) are coaxially fixedly connected to the drive bevel gear (21), and the interiors of the two grade conveying frames (7) are rotatably connected to the driven bevel gear (22). The grade conveying frame (7) is provided with a rotating groove that matches the driven bevel gear (22). The rotating groove restricts the driven bevel gear (22) from moving along its axial direction. Each lifting screw (23) coaxially passes through the corresponding driven bevel gear (22) and forms a threaded connection with the driven bevel gear (22).

4. A method for cleaning and blanching extract of Codonopsis pilosula, characterized in that, The cleaning and scalding equipment described in claim 1 is used, and the specific steps are as follows: A. Freshly harvested Codonopsis pilosula is graded according to diameter to obtain large, medium, and small Codonopsis pilosula. B. After grading, the large, medium and small ginseng are cleaned separately. Bubble impact and water spray are used to remove the soil from the surface, fibrous roots and bud crevices of the ginseng until the ginseng is white and bright yellow. C. Transfer the washed Codonopsis pilosula to the blanching equipment, control the water temperature in the blanching equipment to 80℃-100℃, blanch for 0.2-5 minutes, and remove it immediately after the Codonopsis pilosula is completely translucent and uniform. D. Immediately transfer the blanched Codonopsis pilosula into the cooling chamber and cool it quickly by spraying atomized water and blowing cold air. Within 10 seconds, reduce the temperature of the Codonopsis pilosula from 85℃ to below 25℃. After cooling, keep the cooling chamber ventilated and drain the Codonopsis pilosula. E. Transfer the cooled and drained Codonopsis pilosula to the drying equipment, control the temperature inside the drying equipment to not exceed 65℃ and continue drying. Regularly check the moisture content of Codonopsis pilosula. When the moisture content drops to not more than 14%, stop drying and complete the cleaning and blanching process. In step A, fresh Codonopsis pilosula is first conveyed to the guide plate (17), and then the stacked Codonopsis pilosula is spread out by the feeding roller (19), so that small, medium and large Codonopsis pilosula fall from the corresponding gaps into the small, medium and large Codonopsis pilosula bins, thus achieving grading.

5. The cleaning and scalding method for the extract of Codonopsis pilosula according to claim 4, characterized in that, In step A, the large ginseng is a ginseng with a diameter > 1.2 cm, the medium ginseng is a ginseng with a diameter > 0.6 cm and ≤ 1.2 cm, and the small ginseng is a ginseng with a diameter ≤ 0.6 cm.

6. The cleaning and scalding method for the extract of Codonopsis pilosula according to claim 5, characterized in that, The rotation direction of the feeding roller (19) is opposite to the conveying direction of the ginseng. The gap corresponding to the small ginseng includes the small gap between the feeding roller (19) and the first conveyor belt (15). The gap corresponding to the medium ginseng includes the medium gap between the first conveyor belt (15) and the second conveyor belt (16). The large ginseng is conveyed to the end by the second conveyor belt (16) and falls off.

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