An apparatus and method for steam explosion pretreatment of eggshell membranes

Abstract

The application discloses an eggshell membrane steam explosion pretreatment device and method and the technical field of steam explosion, and comprises a steam explosion tank, a high-pressure steam supplier, a rapid pressure relief device, a mechanical crushing device, a pre-crushing module and a separation screening module. The application loosens the material in advance through the double-toothed roll crusher of the pre-crushing module, uses high-pressure steam explosion to combine the rapid pressure relief device with extremely fast response to generate a high-speed airflow to tear the eggshell membrane, and uses the pressure relief airflow to drive the built-in radial flow impeller to rotate at high speed, the transmission shaft drives the multi-layer staggered cutter head with a high-hardness cubic boron nitride coating, and cooperates with the fixed stepped tooth plate to realize efficient recycling of the pressure relief energy under the stability of the speed-regulating flywheel, significantly reduces external energy consumption, and integrates the pre-crushing, steam explosion, energy recovery crushing and subsequent separation screening modules into one, greatly improves the efficiency, automation degree and final product yield and quality of the eggshell membrane separation treatment.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of steam explosion, in particular to an eggshell membrane steam explosion pretreatment device and method. BACKGROUND

[0002] The eggshell membrane is a tough and protein-rich film between the eggshell and the egg white, mainly composed of collagen, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, elastin, lysozyme and other high-value bioactive substances. These components have broad application prospects in the fields of medicine, cosmetics, health products, food and biological materials. However, effective separation and extraction of these high-purity and high-activity bioactive components face great challenges, and traditional separation methods cannot efficiently and cleanly separate them while maintaining their structure and bioactivity.

[0003] The existing eggshell membrane steam explosion pretreatment device has the following defects:

[0004] 1. Patent document JP2002263629A discloses a method for processing EGGS, but the device in the above document relies on independent equipment for processing, and the energy cannot be recycled;

[0005] 2. Patent document US3855915A discloses an EGG blowing device, but the device in the above document has the technical problems of easy wear of the crushing part, direct discharge of the pressure relief gas flow leading to energy waste, and insufficient separation precision;

[0006] 3. Patent document JPS5761630A discloses production of high-purity calcium carbonate, but the device in the above document lacks collaborative settings when in use, has uneven steam penetration, and slow pressure relief speed;

[0007] 4. Patent document CN215462590U discloses a chicken eggshell membrane separation device, but the device in the above document has the technical problem of difficulty in effectively destroying the cross-linking structure of the shell membrane, leading to poor enzyme substrate adaptability and long time consumption. SUMMARY

[0008] The present application aims to provide an eggshell membrane steam explosion pretreatment device and method to solve the technical problems raised in the background.

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the present application provides the following technical scheme: an eggshell membrane steam explosion pretreatment device, comprising a steam explosion tank, a high-pressure steam supplier, a rapid pressure relief device, a mechanical crushing device, a pre-crushing module and a separation screening module; a feed inlet on one side of the top of the steam explosion tank is connected to the discharge end of the pre-crushing module, and the steam explosion tank further comprises a steam inlet arranged on one side of the top of the outer wall and a pressure relief port on the other side of the top; the output end of the high-pressure steam supplier is connected to the steam inlet, and the high-pressure steam supplier is arranged on the outer wall of the steam explosion tank through a fixing rod; the input end of the rapid pressure relief device is connected to the pressure relief port, and the opening response time of the pressure relief port is ≤0.3 seconds; the mechanical crushing device is arranged inside the steam explosion tank and located at a position upstream of the airflow of the pressure relief port, and comprises: a ladder tooth plate fixed to the inner wall of the steam explosion tank; a radial impeller, wherein the radial impeller is fixedly connected to the outer wall of a transmission shaft, and the top of the transmission shaft is arranged through a bearing on the top of the steam explosion tank; a speed-regulating flywheel, wherein the rotational inertia of the speed-regulating flywheel is 0.05-0.2 kg·m<2>, and the bottom of the speed-regulating flywheel is fixedly arranged on the top of the transmission shaft; a multi-layer staggered cutter head, wherein the thickness of the cubic boron nitride coating on the edge of the multi-layer staggered cutter head is 80-150 μm, and one end of the multi-layer staggered cutter head is fixedly arranged on the outer wall of the transmission shaft; wherein, when the pressure relief airflow speed is 15-60 m / s, the radial impeller rotates at a speed of 1500-8000 rpm; the pre-crushing module comprises a double-toothed roller crusher, and the roller surface of the double-toothed roller crusher is provided with conical tooth nails.

[0010] The input end of the separation screening module is connected to the eggshell membrane outlet of the steam explosion tank.

[0011] Preferably, the height h of the conical tooth nail of the pre-crushing module and the roller gap g satisfy h≥2.5g, and the top of the tooth nail is embedded with a tungsten carbide alloy wear-resistant head.

[0012] Preferably, the separation screening module comprises a vibrating screen and an airflow sorting machine, the mesh number of the screen of the vibrating screen is 40-80 meshes, the airflow sorting speed is 5-8 m / s, and the eggshell powder output port of the separation screening module is provided with a collection box.

[0013] Preferably, a flow guide cover is arranged inside the pressure relief port, and the curved surface of the flow guide cover is an elliptical paraboloid with the long axis along the airflow direction.

[0014] Preferably, the tooth surface of the ladder tooth plate is inclined at an angle of 45°-60°, and the distance between adjacent tooth tips is 1.2-1.8 times the tooth height.

[0015] Preferably, the enzyme reaction device further comprises:

[0016] an enzyme reaction kettle;

[0017] The protease storage tank is located on top of the enzymatic hydrolysis reactor;

[0018] The pH adjustment unit is located on the outer wall of the enzymatic hydrolysis reactor.

[0019] Preferably, the steps of the poultry eggshell membrane steam explosion pretreatment method are as follows:

[0020] S1. Pre-crushing: The eggshells are crushed into 8-15mm fragments using a double-toothed roller crusher;

[0021] S2, Steam permeation: Introduce saturated steam at 1.5-2.2 MPa into the steam explosion tank and maintain the pressure for 30-120 seconds;

[0022] S3, Instantaneous ejection and crushing: During instantaneous depressurization, the depressurized airflow drives the mechanical crushing device at a flow rate of 40±5m / s, causing eggshell fragments to impact the stepped toothed plate at a speed of 20~50m / s.

[0023] S4. Separation: Screening to obtain eggshell membrane and eggshell powder;

[0024] S5. Enzymatic hydrolysis: The eggshell membrane separated in step S4 is transported to the enzymatic hydrolysis reactor, and 0.5% to 2.0% alkaline protease is added through the protease storage tank. The pH is adjusted to 7.0-8.5 by the pH adjustment unit, and the mixture is treated at 40-55℃ for 0.5 to 2 hours.

[0025] Preferably, after the enzymatic hydrolysis treatment in step S5, the proportion of peptides with a molecular weight ≤5kDa is ≥80%.

[0026] Preferably, during the pressure holding stage of step S2, the temperature gradient inside the steam explosion tank is ≤3℃ / cm; after steam permeation in step S2 and instantaneous ejection breakage in step S3, the disulfide bond breakage rate of the shell membrane protein is ≥65%.

[0027] Preferably, the enzymatic hydrolysis time in step S5 is shortened by 40% to 60% compared to the eggshell membrane that has not undergone treatment in S2-S3.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0029] 1. This invention uses a double-toothed roller crusher with a pre-crushing module to loosen materials beforehand. It utilizes high-pressure steam explosion combined with a fast-response depressurization device to generate an instantaneous high-speed airflow that tears the eggshell membrane. The depressurized airflow drives the built-in radial impeller to rotate at high speed. Through the transmission shaft, it drives a multi-layer staggered cutter disc with a high-hardness cubic boron nitride coating, and works in conjunction with fixed stepped toothed plates. Under the stabilization of the speed-regulating flywheel, the exploded material is subjected to efficient and durable fine mechanical crushing. This achieves efficient recovery and utilization of depressurization energy, significantly reducing external energy consumption. At the same time, it integrates pre-crushing, steam explosion, energy recovery crushing, and subsequent separation and screening modules into one unit, greatly improving the efficiency, automation level, and yield and quality of the final product in eggshell membrane separation processing.

[0030] 2. This invention significantly improves wear resistance while efficiently crushing eggshells through the design of conical toothed nails and tungsten carbide wear-resistant heads in the pre-crushing module. The elliptical parabolic guide hood of the pressure relief port directionally guides high-speed airflow, maximizing the energy recovery of the radial impeller. The inclined tooth surface and tooth pitch of the stepped tooth plate in the mechanical crushing device, together with the multi-layer staggered cutter disc, achieve fine shearing of the eggshell membrane. The separation and screening module, through the coupling effect of a 40-80 mesh vibrating screen and 5-8 m / s airflow sorting, efficiently separates eggshell membrane fragments and residual hard components, and continuously outputs high-purity eggshell powder from the collection box, thereby improving crushing efficiency, energy utilization, product purity, and equipment durability.

[0031] 3. This invention controls eggshell fragments to 8-15mm through pre-crushing, ensuring efficient steam penetration. Saturated steam pressure of 1.5-2.2MPa is maintained for 30-120 seconds to fully soften organic matter and accumulate energy. During instantaneous pressure release, a high-speed airflow of 40±5m / s drives the mechanical crushing device, causing the fragments to impact a 45°-60° inclined stepped toothed plate at a speed of 20-50m / s. This achieves a synergistic effect of explosive tearing and mechanical shearing, significantly improving eggshell membrane peeling efficiency. The separation module directly sieves to obtain high-purity eggshell membrane and eggshell powder. Subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis, under precise temperature control, pH adjustment, and the action of 0.5%-2.0% alkaline protease, efficiently decomposes membrane proteins within 0.5-2 hours, forming a fully optimized system integrating explosive pretreatment, energy-driven crushing, targeted separation, and bio-enzymatic hydrolysis, significantly improving eggshell membrane recovery rate and product activity.

[0032] 4. This invention ensures uniform heating of eggshell fragments by precisely controlling the temperature gradient inside the tank during the steam permeation stage, significantly improving collagen denaturation efficiency. Instantaneous ejection fragmentation achieves a disulfide bond breakage rate of ≥65% in shell membrane proteins, efficiently destroying intermolecular cross-linking structures and creating ideal substrates for enzymatic hydrolysis. Under optimized conditions, the final enzymatic hydrolysis process increases the proportion of highly bioactive small molecule peptides ≤5kDa in the product to ≥80%, and shortens the hydrolysis time by 40%–60% compared to traditional untreated processes. This not only significantly improves the conversion efficiency of eggshell membrane resources but also significantly reduces energy consumption and time costs, producing high-value-added eggshell membrane peptide products. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the steam explosion tank of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a top cross-sectional view of the steam explosion tank structure of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the pre-crushing module structure of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the method steps of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the pre-crushing module's workflow according to the present invention;

[0039] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the separation and screening module of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the enzymatic hydrolysis reaction process of the present invention.

[0041] In the diagram: 1. Steam explosion tank; 2. High-pressure steam supplier; 3. Rapid pressure relief device; 5. Pre-crushing module; 6. Separation and screening module; 7. Steam inlet; 8. Pressure relief port; 9. Stepped toothed plate; 10. Radial impeller; 11. Drive shaft; 12. Speed-regulating flywheel; 13. Multi-layer staggered cutter head; 14. Double toothed roller crusher; 15. Collection box; 17. Enzymatic hydrolysis reactor; 18. Protease storage tank; 19. pH adjustment unit; 20. Flow guide hood. Detailed Implementation

[0042] 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.

[0043] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "front end," "rear end," "both ends," "one end," and "the other end," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0044] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "equipped with," "connected," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0045] Example 1: Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 6This invention provides an embodiment of a poultry eggshell membrane steam explosion pretreatment device, comprising a steam explosion tank 1, a high-pressure steam supplier 2, a rapid pressure relief device 3, a mechanical crushing device, a pre-crushing module 5, and a separation and screening module 6. The feed inlet on one side of the top of the steam explosion tank 1 is connected to the discharge end of the pre-crushing module 5. The steam explosion tank 1 also includes a steam inlet 7 on one side of the top of its outer wall and a pressure relief port 8 on the other side of the top. The output end of the high-pressure steam supplier 2 is connected to the steam inlet 7, and the high-pressure steam supplier 2 is fixed to the outer wall of the steam explosion tank 1 via a fixing rod. The input end of the rapid pressure relief device 3 is connected to the pressure relief port 8, and the opening response time of the pressure relief port 8 is ≤0.3 seconds. The mechanical crushing device is located inside the steam explosion tank 1 and upstream of the airflow at the pressure relief port 8, comprising: a stepped toothed plate 9 fixed to the inner wall of the steam explosion tank 1; a radial impeller 10 fixedly connected to the outer wall of a drive shaft 11; and the top of the drive shaft 11 penetrating through a bearing at the top of the steam explosion tank 1. The variable speed flywheel 12 has a rotational inertia of 0.05–0.2 kg·m², and its bottom is fixedly mounted on the top of the drive shaft 11. This variable speed flywheel 12 provides inertial buffering under the instantaneous impact of pressure relief, smoothing speed fluctuations by storing and releasing kinetic energy. This ensures that the radial impeller 10 rotates at a speed range of 1500–8000 rpm under airflow drive, and maintains stable operation of the cutter head within milliseconds. The multi-layer staggered cutter head 13 has a cubic boron nitride coating thickness of 8 mm on its edge. 0-150μm, and one end of the multi-layer staggered cutter disc 13 is fixedly set on the outer wall of the drive shaft 11. When the depressurized airflow velocity is 15-60m / s, the radial impeller 10 rotates at a speed of 1500-8000rpm through airflow kinetic energy conversion. This speed range is established based on airflow energy and impeller aerodynamic design. The pre-crushing module 5 includes a double toothed roller crusher 14, whose roller surface is provided with conical toothed nails. The input end of the separation screening module 6 is connected to the eggshell membrane outlet of the steam explosion tank 1.

[0046] Furthermore, efficient pretreatment: the double-toothed roller crusher 14 and its conical toothed spikes in the pre-crushing module 5 can initially crush and loosen the eggshells, preventing materials from bridging or clogging in the steam explosion tank 1, and ensuring uniform steam penetration;

[0047] Instantaneous blasting and energy utilization: The rapid pressure relief device 3 can instantly release the pressure inside the tank, generating a powerful shock wave and high-speed airflow, which efficiently tears and separates the eggshell membrane. At the same time, the high-speed airflow directly drives the radial impeller 10 located upstream of the pressure relief port 8 to rotate at high speed, converting the pressure relief energy into mechanical crushing power, which greatly reduces energy consumption.

[0048] High-efficiency collaborative crushing: The radial impeller 10 driven by the depressurized airflow drives the multi-layer staggered cutter disc 13 to rotate through the transmission shaft 11. The speed-regulating flywheel 12 stabilizes the speed, ensuring that the cutter disc runs smoothly under instantaneous high load. The high-speed rotating cutter disc forms a strong shearing and impact with the fixed stepped toothed plate 9, which performs fine crushing on the eggshell membrane that has been initially loosened by steam explosion. The cubic boron nitride coating on the edge of the cutter disc provides extremely high hardness and wear resistance, ensuring long-term durability under impact and friction environment.

[0049] Integration and Automation: The device integrates pre-crushing, steam explosion, depressurization, mechanical crushing, and separation screening functions into one compact structure with continuous operation, significantly improving processing efficiency and automation.

[0050] Effective separation: The separation and screening module 6 is directly connected to the eggshell membrane outlet, which can effectively separate the processed target product from the residual hard part of the eggshell or other impurities, making it convenient for subsequent collection and utilization.

[0051] Example 2: Please refer to Figure 1 . Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 7 In one embodiment of the present invention: the height h of the conical toothed spikes of the pre-crushing module 5 and the roller gap g satisfy: h≥2.5g and the top of the toothed spikes is embedded with a tungsten carbide alloy wear-resistant head; the separation and screening module 6 includes a vibrating screen and an airflow separator; the mesh number of the vibrating screen is 40-80 mesh; the airflow separation wind speed is 5-8m / s; the eggshell powder output port of the separation and screening module 6 is provided with a collection box 15; the inner side of the pressure relief port 8 is provided with a flow guide hood 20, whose curved surface is an elliptical paraboloid with the major axis along the airflow direction; the tooth surface of the stepped toothed plate 9 is inclined at 45°-60°; and the distance between adjacent tooth tips is 1.2-1.8 times the tooth height.

[0052] Furthermore, the pre-crushing module 5 is optimized: the conical toothed spikes ensure that the eggshells are effectively crushed by impact, avoiding material blockage. At the same time, the tungsten carbide alloy wear-resistant head significantly improves the impact resistance and wear resistance of the spikes, extending the service life of the equipment.

[0053] High-efficiency recovery of pressure relief energy: The elliptical parabolic shroud 20 guides the high-speed airflow in a directional manner, reducing turbulent energy loss and improving the driving efficiency of the radial impeller 10;

[0054] Refined mechanical crushing: The 45°-60° inclined tooth surface of the stepped tooth plate 9 and the multi-layer staggered cutter disc 13 form a strong shear force field. The tooth tip spacing is 1.2-1.8 times the tooth height, which optimizes the material biting depth and improves the uniformity of eggshell membrane crushing.

[0055] High-purity product separation: A 40-80 mesh vibrating screen intercepts eggshell membranes, and a 5-8 m / s airflow separation method precisely separates lightweight eggshell membrane fragments to avoid scattering and loss. The collection box 15 directly receives high-purity eggshell powder, achieving continuous production.

[0056] Example 3: Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 8 An embodiment of the present invention further includes an enzymatic hydrolysis reaction device, the inlet of which is connected to the eggshell membrane output port of the separation and screening module 6. The enzymatic hydrolysis reaction device includes: an enzymatic hydrolysis reactor 17, a protease storage tank 18 disposed on the top of the enzymatic hydrolysis reactor 17, and a pH adjustment unit 19 disposed on the outer wall of the enzymatic hydrolysis reactor 17.

[0057] Furthermore, by directly connecting the eggshell membrane output port of the separation and screening module 6, seamless transport of pre-treated products is achieved, avoiding intermediate contamination. The enzymatic hydrolysis reactor 17 receives eggshell membrane fragments, and 0.5%–2.0% alkaline protease is precisely added by the protease storage tank 18 set at the top, and the pH adjustment unit 19 integrated on the outer wall maintains an optimized environment of pH 7.0–8.5 in real time, forming a closed continuous enzymatic hydrolysis system.

[0058] Example 4: Please refer to Figure 5 The present invention provides an embodiment of the poultry eggshell membrane steam explosion pretreatment method, which includes the following steps:

[0059] S1. Pre-crushing: The eggshells are crushed into 8-15mm fragments by a double toothed roller crusher 14;

[0060] S2, Steam permeation: Introduce saturated steam at 1.5-2.2 MPa into the steam explosion tank 1 and maintain the pressure for 30-120 seconds;

[0061] S3, Instantaneous ejection and crushing: During instantaneous depressurization, the depressurized airflow drives the mechanical crushing device at a flow rate of 40±5m / s. It is accelerated in a directional manner through the guide hood 20, so that the eggshell fragments can hit the stepped toothed plate 9 at an impact speed of 20 to 50m / s.

[0062] S4. Separation: Screening to obtain eggshell membrane and eggshell powder;

[0063] S5. Enzymatic hydrolysis: The eggshell membrane separated in step S4 is transported to the enzymatic hydrolysis reactor 17, and 0.5% to 2.0% alkaline protease is added through the protease storage tank 18. The pH is adjusted to 7.0-8.5 by the pH adjustment unit 19, and the mixture is treated at 40-55℃ for 0.5 to 2 hours.

[0064] Furthermore, by pre-crushing the eggshells to 8-15mm fragments, efficient steam penetration is ensured. Saturated steam pressure of 1.5-2.2MPa is maintained for 30-120 seconds to fully soften the organic matter and accumulate energy. During instantaneous depressurization, a high-speed airflow of 40±5m / s drives the mechanical crushing device, causing the fragments to impact the 45°-60° inclined stepped toothed plate 9 at a speed of 20-50m / s. This achieves a synergistic effect of explosive tearing and mechanical shearing, significantly improving the eggshell membrane peeling efficiency. The separation module directly sieves to obtain high-purity eggshell membranes and eggshell powder. Subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis, under precise temperature control, pH adjustment, and the action of 0.5%-2.0% alkaline protease, efficiently decomposes membrane proteins within 0.5-2 hours. This forms a fully optimized system integrating explosive pretreatment, energy-driven crushing, targeted separation, and bio-enzymatic hydrolysis, significantly improving eggshell membrane recovery rate and product activity.

[0065] Example 5: Please refer to Figure 8 In one embodiment of the present invention: after the enzymatic hydrolysis treatment in step S5, the proportion of polypeptides with a molecular weight ≤5kDa is ≥80%; during the pressure holding stage in step S2, the temperature gradient inside the steam explosion tank 1 is ≤3℃ / cm; after steam permeation in step S2 and instantaneous ejection breakage in step S3, the disulfide bond breakage rate of the shell membrane protein is ≥65%; and the enzymatic hydrolysis time in step S5 is shortened by 40% to 60% compared to the eggshell membrane without treatment in S2-S3.

[0066] Furthermore, by precisely controlling the temperature gradient (≤3℃ / cm) within the steam explosion tank 1 during the steam permeation stage, uniform heating of eggshell fragments is ensured. This significantly improves collagen denaturation efficiency while avoiding excessive denaturation. Instantaneous ejection fragmentation achieves a disulfide bond breakage rate of ≥65% in shell membrane proteins, efficiently disrupting intermolecular cross-linking structures and creating ideal substrates for enzymatic hydrolysis. Under optimized conditions, the final enzymatic hydrolysis process increases the proportion of highly bioactive small molecule peptides ≤5kDa in the product to ≥80%, and shortens the hydrolysis time by 40%–60% compared to traditional untreated processes. This not only significantly improves the conversion efficiency of eggshell membrane resources but also significantly reduces energy consumption and time costs, producing high-value-added eggshell membrane peptide products.

[0067] Example 6: Experimental Data Testing and Verification

[0068] Control group: Untreated eggshell membrane (directly enzymatically hydrolyzed).

[0069] Experimental group 1: Eggshell membrane after pretreatment by steam explosion of S1-S4.

[0070] Experimental Group 2: Steam treatment only (no explosion or crushing).

[0071] Test 1: Verification of disulfide bond breakage rate: Raman spectroscopy was used to detect the characteristic peaks of disulfide bonds in shell membrane proteins (500-550 cm⁻¹). -1The intensity change is calculated using the following formula: fracture rate = [1 - (peak intensity after pretreatment / original peak intensity)] × 100%.

[0072] Test 2: Verification of the reduction rate of enzymatic hydrolysis time: Enzymatic hydrolysis conditions: 1.5% alkaline protease added, pH 8.0, 50℃, with the degree of hydrolysis (DH) reaching 35% as the endpoint, and the enzymatic hydrolysis time was compared.

[0073] Test 3: Small molecule peptide yield verification: The enzymatic hydrolysis product was subjected to ultrafiltration and centrifugation (molecular weight cutoff 5kDa), and the proportion of peptides with molecular weight ≤5kDa in the filtrate was determined by HPLC.

[0074] Table 1 Verification of disulfide bond breakage rate

[0075] Steam explosion pretreatment significantly improves the disulfide bond breaking rate compared to simple steam treatment.

[0076] Table 2 Verification of Enzymatic Hydrolysis Time Reduction Rate

[0077] The proportion of small molecule peptides after explosion pretreatment is significantly increased compared with that after simple steam treatment.

[0078] Table 3 Verification of Enzyme Hydrolysis Time Reduction Rate

[0079] The proportion of small molecule peptides after explosion pretreatment is significantly increased compared with that after simple steam treatment.

[0080] Working principle: The material is pre-loosened by the double-toothed roller crusher 14 in the pre-crushing module 5. High-pressure steam explosion, combined with a rapid-response quick-release device 3, generates an instantaneous high-speed airflow that tears the eggshell membrane. The released airflow drives the built-in radial impeller 10 to rotate at high speed. This rotation, via the drive shaft 11, drives the multi-layered staggered cutter disc 13 with a high-hardness cubic boron nitride coating, and works in conjunction with the fixed stepped toothed plate 9. Under the stabilization of the speed-regulating flywheel 12, the exploded material undergoes efficient and durable fine mechanical crushing. This achieves efficient recovery and utilization of the released energy, significantly reducing external energy consumption. Simultaneously, it integrates pre-crushing and steam... The blasting, energy recovery crushing, and subsequent separation and screening module 6 is integrated, significantly improving the efficiency, automation level, and final product yield and quality of eggshell membrane separation processing. Through the conical toothed spikes and tungsten carbide wear-resistant head design of the pre-crushing module 5, wear resistance is greatly improved while efficiently crushing eggshells. The elliptical parabolic guide shroud 20 of the pressure relief port 8 directionally guides high-speed airflow, maximizing energy recovery from the driving radial impeller 10. The inclined tooth surface and tooth pitch of the stepped toothed plate 9 in the mechanical crushing device, in conjunction with the multi-layer staggered cutter disc 13, achieves fine shearing of the eggshell membrane. The separation and screening module 6 uses a 40-80 mesh vibrating screen and a 5-8 mesh screen... The coupling effect of the m / s airflow separation efficiently separates eggshell membrane fragments from residual hard components, and high-purity eggshell powder is continuously output from the collection box 15. This improves crushing efficiency, energy utilization, product purity, and equipment durability. Pre-crushing controls the eggshell fragments to 8-15mm, ensuring efficient steam penetration. A saturated steam pressure of 1.5-2.2MPa is maintained for 30-120 seconds to fully soften the organic matter and accumulate energy. During instantaneous pressure release, a high-speed airflow of 40±5m / s drives the mechanical crushing device, causing the fragments to impact the 45°-60° inclined stepped toothed plate 9 at a speed of 20-50m / s. This achieves a synergistic effect of explosive tearing and mechanical shearing, significantly improving eggshell membrane peeling efficiency. The separation module directly sieves to obtain high-purity eggshell membrane and eggshell powder. Subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis is performed with precise temperature control and pH adjustment (0.5%-2.0%). Under the action of alkaline protease, membrane proteins are efficiently decomposed within 0.5 to 2 hours, forming a fully optimized process system integrating explosive pretreatment, energy-driven crushing, targeted separation, and bio-enzymatic hydrolysis. This significantly improves the eggshell membrane recovery rate and product activity. By precisely controlling the internal temperature gradient during the steam permeation stage, uniform heating of eggshell fragments is ensured, significantly improving collagen denaturation efficiency. Instantaneous ejection crushing achieves a disulfide bond breakage rate of ≥65% in shell membrane proteins, efficiently destroying intermolecular cross-linking structures and creating ideal substrates for enzymatic hydrolysis. Finally, under optimized conditions, the proportion of highly bioactive small molecule peptides ≤5kDa in the product increases to ≥80%, and the hydrolysis time is shortened by 40% to 60% compared to the traditional untreated process. This not only significantly improves the conversion efficiency of eggshell membrane resources but also significantly reduces energy consumption and time costs, producing high-value-added eggshell membrane peptide products.

[0081] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for steam explosion pretreatment of an eggshell membrane, characterized by: It comprises a steam explosion tank (1), a high-pressure steam supplier (2), a rapid pressure relief device (3), a mechanical crushing device, a pre-crushing module (5) and a separation screening module (6). The steam explosion tank (1) is connected with the discharge end of the pre-crushing module (5) through the feed inlet on one side of the top of the steam explosion tank (1), and the steam explosion tank (1) further comprises a steam inlet (7) arranged on one side of the top of the outer wall and a pressure relief port (8) arranged on the other side of the top. The output end of the high-pressure steam supplier (2) is connected to the steam inlet (7), and the high-pressure steam supplier (2) is arranged on the outer wall of the steam explosion tank (1) through a fixing rod. The input end of the rapid pressure relief device (3) is connected to the pressure relief port (8), and the opening response time of the pressure relief port (8) is less than or equal to 0.3 seconds, and a flow guide cover (20) is arranged on the inner side of the pressure relief port (8). The mechanical crushing device is arranged inside the steam explosion tank (1) and located at a position upstream of the airflow of the pressure relief port (8), and comprises: a stepped tooth plate (9) fixed to the inner wall of the steam explosion tank (1); a radial flow impeller (10) fixedly connected to the outer wall of a transmission shaft (11), and the top of the transmission shaft (11) is arranged through a bearing on the top of the steam explosion tank (1); a speed-regulating flywheel (12) with a rotational inertia of 0.05-0.2 kg·m², and the bottom of the speed-regulating flywheel (12) is fixedly arranged on the top of the transmission shaft (11); a multi-layer staggered cutter head (13) with a cubic boron nitride coating on the edge of the multi-layer staggered cutter head (13) with a thickness of 80-150 μm, and one end of the multi-layer staggered cutter head (13) is fixedly arranged on the outer wall of the transmission shaft (11); wherein, when the pressure relief airflow speed is 15-60 m / s, the radial flow impeller (10) rotates at a speed of 1500-8000 rpm, and the pressure relief airflow is guided by the flow guide cover (20) to drive the radial flow impeller (10); The pre-crushing module (5) comprises a double-toothed roll crusher (14) with tapered tooth pins arranged on the roll surface. The input end of the separation screening module (6) is connected to the eggshell membrane outlet of the steam explosion tank (1).

2. The apparatus for steam explosion pretreatment of an eggshell according to claim 1, wherein: The height h of the tapered tooth pin of the pre-crushing module (5) and the roll gap g satisfy the condition h≥2.5g, and a tungsten carbide alloy wear-resistant head is embedded in the top of the tooth pin.

3. The apparatus for steam explosion pretreatment of an eggshell according to claim 1, wherein: The separation screening module (6) comprises a vibrating screen and an airflow separator, the mesh number of the screen of the vibrating screen is 40-80 mesh, the airflow separation speed is 5-8 m / s, and the eggshell powder outlet of the separation screening module (6) is provided with a collection box (15).

4. The apparatus for steam explosion pretreatment of an eggshell according to claim 1, wherein: The curved surface of the flow guide cover (20) is an elliptical paraboloid with the long axis along the airflow direction.

5. The apparatus for steam explosion pretreatment of an eggshell according to claim 1, wherein: The tooth surface of the stepped tooth plate (9) is inclined at an angle of 45°-60°, and the distance between adjacent tooth tips is 1.2-1.8 times the tooth height.

6. The apparatus for steam explosion pretreatment of an eggshell according to claim 1, wherein: It further comprises an enzymatic reaction device, the feed inlet of which is connected to the eggshell membrane outlet of the separation screening module (6), and the enzymatic reaction device comprises: an enzymatic reaction kettle (17); a protease storage tank (18) arranged on the top of the enzymatic reaction kettle (17); a pH adjusting unit (19) arranged on the outer wall of the enzymatic reaction kettle (17).

7. A method of pre-treating an eggshell membrane for steam explosion, suitable for use in an apparatus for pre-treating an eggshell membrane for steam explosion according to claim 6, characterized in that The steps of the method for pretreating the eggshell membrane by steam explosion are as follows: S1, pre-crushing: the eggshell is crushed into 8-15 mm fragments by a double-toothed roller crusher (14); S2, steam permeation: 1.5-2.2 MPa saturated steam is introduced into the steam explosion tank (1), and the pressure is maintained for 30-120 seconds; S3, instantaneous ejection crushing: when the pressure is instantaneously released, the pressure relief gas flow drives the mechanical crushing device to work at a flow rate of 40±5 m / s, and the eggshell fragments are accelerated by the flow guide cover (20) to impact the stepped tooth plate (9) at a speed of 20-50 m / s; S4, separation: the eggshell membrane and eggshell powder are obtained by screening; S5, enzymatic treatment: the eggshell membrane separated in step S4 is transported to the enzymatic reaction kettle (17), 0.5%-2.0% alkaline protease is added through the protease storage tank (18), the pH adjusting unit (19) adjusts the pH to 7.0-8.5, and the treatment is carried out at 40-55℃ for 0.5-2 hours.

8. A method of steam explosion pre-treatment of an eggshell membrane according to claim 7, characterized in that: After the enzymatic treatment of step S5, the proportion of polypeptide molecular weight ≤5kDa is ≥80%.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the method is characterized by: During the pressure maintaining stage of step S2, the temperature gradient in the steam explosion tank (1) is ≤3℃ / cm; After the steam permeation of step S2 and the instantaneous ejection crushing of step S3, the disulfide bond breaking rate of the shell membrane protein is ≥65%.

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