A device for rehydrating and dehydrating a drawn protein and a working method

Abstract

The application provides a protein drawing dehydration device and working method, relates to the technical field of food processing, and aims at the poor rehydration effect and poor rehydration consistency of protein drawing caused by floating problems. The device is configured with a process of forced immersion, stable conveying and uniform rehydration. Dry protein drawing is sent into the space between two reverse pushing conveying belts. Since the two pushing conveying belts are reverse, the upper and lower scrapers generate opposite clamping force and pushing force, so that the protein drawing floating on the water surface is pressed into the water in the rehydration bin and can be in a completely immersed state. The moving speed in the channel is uniform, the contact time with water is similar, and the problems of partial excessive soaking and partial insufficient contact are avoided. When the protein reaches the end of the conveying channel, the rehydration discharging element timely guides the protein out of the dehydration system, which prevents the protein from being broken due to long stay in the rehydration bin and avoids the residual protein which is not completely rehydrated, thereby improving the consistency of the rehydration effect of the same batch.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food processing technology, specifically to a rehydration and dehydration device and working method for textured protein. Background Technology

[0002] Textured soy protein is a food product made from plant protein through extrusion. It has a porous network structure and also possesses fibrous structures similar to muscle fibers. For further processing, it needs to be soaked in water until there is no hard core, then dehydrated in a centrifuge before proceeding to subsequent processing steps. Currently, the rehydration and dehydration processes for textured soy protein are usually performed separately: rehydration is done first, then the protein is removed and put into a dehydrator for further dehydration. This process cannot be continuous, reducing production efficiency and increasing production costs.

[0003] In the rehydration process of textured soy, because textured soy has a lower density than water, it floats on the surface. Textured soy floating on the surface and located on the water surface cannot fully contact the water, resulting in low rehydration efficiency. Textured soy submerged in water has a higher rehydration efficiency, leading to significant differences in rehydration effects within the same batch. Although the probability and time of contact between textured soy and water can be increased by extending the soaking time and agitation, prolonged contact time with water and agitation can cause some rehydrated textured soy to break down, affecting its quality. Textured soy with shorter contact time with water may still have a hard core, which is difficult to distinguish visually and separate for further processing. This results in significant differences in rehydration effects within the same batch of textured soy, affecting the quality of subsequent reprocessing. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to address the deficiencies of existing technologies by providing a rehydration and dehydration device and method for textured protein, which uses a pusher conveyor belt to immerse textured protein in water, thereby improving the rehydration effect and efficiency.

[0005] The first objective of this invention is to provide a rehydration and dehydration device for textured protein, which employs the following solution:

[0006] It includes a feeding system, a rehydration system, and a dehydration system. The rehydration system includes a rehydration bin, a pushing conveyor belt, and a rehydration discharge element. There are two pushing conveyor belts arranged vertically at intervals in the rehydration bin. The two pushing conveyor belts turn in opposite directions and are both equipped with scrapers on their surfaces to drive the textured protein into the conveying channel between the two pushing conveyor belts and push it. The first end of the conveying channel receives the textured protein fed by the feeding system, and the rehydration discharge element faces the end of the conveying channel and drives the rehydrated textured protein out. The dehydration system receives the rehydrated textured protein and dehydrates it.

[0007] Furthermore, the first pusher conveyor belt below the end of the conveying channel extends outside the conveying channel, and the area above the first pusher conveyor belt outside the end of the conveying channel forms a reflux area, so that the not fully rehydrated textured protein floats up and is transported to the beginning of the conveying channel by the second pusher conveyor belt above.

[0008] Furthermore, the scraper on the top surface of the second pusher conveyor belt is partially or completely exposed above the water surface, and the end of the first pusher conveyor belt faces the rehydration discharge element to push the fully rehydrated fibrous protein to the rehydration discharge element.

[0009] Furthermore, the first and second pusher conveyor belts are respectively mounted on the bracket, the distance between the first and second pusher conveyor belts can be adjusted, and a heating coil is installed inside the rehydration tank.

[0010] Furthermore, the feeding system includes a feeding bin and a first conveyor belt, which extends from the bottom of the feeding bin to the outside of the feeding bin and connects with the rehydration bin.

[0011] Furthermore, a temporary storage system and a weighing system are provided between the rehydration system and the dehydration system. The temporary storage system is provided with a temporary storage bin for receiving the output of the rehydration discharge element. A third conveyor belt is installed on the temporary storage bin. The weighing system is provided with a weighing bin. The third conveyor belt extends from the bottom of the temporary storage bin to the outside of the temporary storage bin and connects with the weighing bin. A fourth conveyor belt is installed on the weighing bin. The fourth conveyor belt extends from the bottom of the weighing bin to the outside of the weighing bin and connects with the dehydration system.

[0012] Furthermore, the dehydration system includes an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder. The outer cylinder is fitted outside the inner cylinder. A dehydration bucket is rotatably installed in the inner cylinder. The dehydration bucket is connected to a dehydration motor to drive the dehydration bucket to rotate relative to the inner cylinder. The inner cylinder is horizontally mounted on the outer cylinder through a bearing. A tilting bucket motor is connected to a rotating shaft to drive the inner cylinder to rotate around the bearing axis.

[0013] Furthermore, the top surfaces of the dehydration tank, inner cylinder, and outer cylinder are respectively provided with openings. The dehydration tank is used to receive and dehydrate the fully rehydrated textured protein. The rehydration chamber and outer cylinder are respectively connected to drain pipes.

[0014] A second objective of the present invention is to provide a method for operating a rehydration and dehydration apparatus for textured protein, comprising:

[0015] The feeding system quantitatively adds dried textured soy protein into the rehydration chamber. The textured soy protein is located near the inlet of the conveying channel at the beginning of the two pusher conveyor belts, and the two pusher conveyor belts working in opposite directions.

[0016] The scrapers of the two pusher conveyor belts form opposing thrusts, which constrain the floating fibrous protein in the conveying channel and gradually push it, forcing it to be completely immersed in the water in the rehydration tank.

[0017] The pusher conveyor belt operates continuously, pushing the textured protein towards the end of the conveying channel while allowing the textured protein to fully contact the water and complete the rehydration process;

[0018] When the material reaches the end of the conveying channel, the rehydration discharge element discharges the rehydrated textured protein from the conveying channel and transports it to the dehydration system;

[0019] The dehydration system receives the rehydrated textured protein, removes excess water from the textured protein, and obtains textured protein products with the required moisture content.

[0020] Furthermore, by controlling the rotation speed of the feed conveyor belt, the immersion time of the textured protein in water can be adjusted.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the advantages and positive effects of this invention are:

[0022] To address the current issues of poor rehydration and inconsistent rehydration results caused by the floating of textured soy protein, a forced immersion, stable conveying, and uniform rehydration process is implemented. The feeding system delivers dried textured soy protein between two counter-rotating conveyor belts. Because the two conveyor belts rotate in opposite directions, the upper and lower scrapers generate opposing clamping and pushing forces, pressing the textured soy protein, which would otherwise float on the surface, into the water in the rehydration chamber, ensuring complete immersion rather than just bottom contact. Simultaneously, the scrapers, moving continuously with the conveyor belts, steadily push the protein along the conveying channel from one end to the other. Throughout the process, the textured soy protein remains completely submerged, moving at a consistent speed within the channel, with similar contact time with water, avoiding over-immersion and under-contact issues. When the protein reaches the end of the conveying channel, the rehydration discharge element promptly removes it to the dehydration system. This prevents the protein from breaking down due to prolonged residence in the rehydration chamber and avoids incompletely rehydrated protein residue, improving the consistency of rehydration within the same batch.

[0023] The end of the first pusher conveyor belt extends outside the conveying channel, forming a return flow area above it; the scraper on the top surface of the second pusher conveyor belt is partially or completely exposed above the water surface.

[0024] Fully rehydrated protein, due to its increased density after absorbing water, is directly pushed to the rehydration discharge element by the first pusher conveyor belt. Incompletely rehydrated protein, with its lower density, floats in the return zone and is grabbed by the scraper of the second pusher conveyor belt that is exposed above the water surface. It is then sent back to the beginning of the conveying channel to participate in rehydration again. This reduces the probability of incompletely rehydrated protein being mixed into the finished product, reduces subsequent screening processes, structurally improves the rehydration effect of textured protein, and narrows the gap in rehydration effect within the same batch.

[0025] A temporary storage bin and a weighing bin are installed between the rehydration system and the dehydration system. Rehydrated protein first enters the temporary storage bin to prevent material accumulation caused by speed mismatch between the rehydration discharge element and the dehydration system. The protein in the temporary storage bin is then transported to the weighing bin via a third conveyor belt for quantitative weighing. After quantitative weighing, it is then fed into the dehydration system via a fourth conveyor belt. This avoids the problem of incomplete dehydration or the dehydration system running idle due to a concentrated influx of rehydrated material into the dehydration system. Simultaneously, quantitative weighing allows for precise control of the amount of material entering the dehydration system, ensuring subsequent dehydration efficiency and effect, and facilitating material metering management during production. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a rehydration and dehydration device for textured protein in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

[0028] The system comprises: 1. Feeding system; 11. Feeding bin; 12. First conveyor belt; 13. Scraper; 2. Rehydration system; 21. Water inlet pipe; 22. Second pushing conveyor belt; 23. First pushing conveyor belt; 24. Second conveyor belt; 25. Heating coil; 26. First drain pipe; 3. Temporary storage system; 31. Temporary storage bin; 32. Third conveyor belt; 33. Second drain pipe; 4. Weighing system; 41. Weighing bin; 42. Fourth conveyor belt; 43. Weighing device; 5. Dehydration system; 51. Outer cylinder; 52. Inner cylinder; 53. Tilting motor; 54. Dehydration motor; 55. Bearing; 56. Third drain pipe; 6. Control system; 61. Control button; 62. Display screen. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Example 1

[0030] In a typical embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, a rehydration and dehydration device for textured protein is presented.

[0031] Textured soda floats because its density is less than water, resulting in low rehydration efficiency and significant differences in rehydration performance within the same batch. Furthermore, existing methods for improvement often damage the protein content or leave a hard core. Therefore, this embodiment provides a textured soda rehydration and dehydration device that achieves efficient and uniform rehydration through a combination of forced immersion and stable transport.

[0032] like Figure 1 As shown, the textured protein rehydration and dehydration device mainly includes a feeding system 1, a rehydration system 2, and a dehydration system 5. Textured protein is fed into the rehydration system 2 through the feeding system 1, and the rehydrated textured protein in the rehydration system 2 is fed into the dehydration system 5 for dehydration.

[0033] The rehydration system 2 includes a rehydration chamber, a pusher conveyor belt, and a rehydration discharge element. There are two pusher conveyor belts arranged vertically at intervals in the rehydration chamber. The two pusher conveyor belts turn in opposite directions and each has a scraper 13 on its surface to drive the textured protein into the conveying channel between the two pusher conveyor belts and push it. The first end of the conveying channel receives the textured protein fed by the feeding system 1, and the rehydration discharge element faces the end of the conveying channel and drives the rehydrated textured protein to be discharged.

[0034] The rehydration system 2 includes two counter-rotating conveyor belts, which are arranged vertically at intervals within the rehydration chamber to form an upper-lower opposing structure. Each of the two conveyor belts is equipped with a scraper 13, which rotates with the conveyor belts and functions as both a pusher and a presser.

[0035] Since textured protein has a density less than water and always floats on the surface, with only the bottom in contact with water and the top relying on natural permeation, its rehydration efficiency is far lower than that of a fully submerged state. In this embodiment, the feeding system 1 feeds the dried textured protein between two opposing conveyor belts. Because the two conveyor belts rotate in opposite directions, the upper and lower scrapers 13 generate opposing clamping and pushing forces, pressing the textured protein that would otherwise float on the surface into the water in the rehydration chamber, ensuring that it is completely submerged, rather than only having the bottom in contact with water.

[0036] Two pusher conveyor belts can stably transport the textured protein immersed in water, ensuring uniform contact time. While being forcibly submerged, scraper 13 continuously rotates with the pusher conveyor belts, steadily pushing the protein along the conveying channel from the beginning to the end. Throughout the process, each piece of protein is fully submerged and moves at a consistent speed within the channel, with the same contact time with water, avoiding the problems of some parts being over-soaked and others being under-contacted.

[0037] When the protein reaches the end of the conveyor channel, the rehydration discharge element promptly discharges it to the dehydration system 5. This prevents the protein from breaking down due to prolonged residence in the rehydration chamber and avoids incomplete rehydration residue, ensuring consistent rehydration results for proteins from the same batch.

[0038] The process of transforming textured soy protein from partial contact with water to complete immersion significantly accelerates water penetration, eliminating the need for extended soaking time and dramatically improving rehydration efficiency. All proteins maintain consistent contact time and immersion levels within the conveying channel, completely resolving the coexistence of hard cores and over-soaking, and drastically reducing the difference in rehydration performance within the same batch. Instead of relying on agitation to increase contact probability, forced wetting and conveying are achieved solely through the scraper 13 of the reverse-pushing conveyor belt, avoiding damage to the protein structure caused by agitation. Simultaneously, precise discharge prevents breakage due to over-soaking, effectively protecting the integrity and quality of the textured soy protein.

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, considering the potential risk of some protein being discharged before it is fully rehydrated, a secondary treatment is achieved through a reflux mechanism. To address this, the first pusher conveyor belt 23 below the end of the conveying channel extends outside the conveying channel, and the area above the first pusher conveyor belt 23 outside the end of the conveying channel forms a reflux zone, allowing the incompletely rehydrated textured protein to float to the surface and be transported to the beginning of the conveying channel by the second pusher conveyor belt 22 above.

[0040] The scraper 13 on the top surface of the second pusher conveyor belt 22 is partially or completely exposed above the water surface. The end of the first pusher conveyor belt 23 faces the rehydration discharge element to push the fully rehydrated fibrous protein to the rehydration discharge element. The fully rehydrated protein becomes denser after absorbing water and is directly pushed to the rehydration discharge element by the first pusher conveyor belt 23. The rehydration discharge element is the second conveyor belt 24. The protein that is not fully rehydrated still has a lower density and will float in the return area. It will be grabbed by the scraper 13 of the second pusher conveyor belt 22 that is exposed above the water surface and sent back to the beginning of the conveying channel to participate in rehydration again.

[0041] In this embodiment, the problem of incompletely rehydrated textured protein being mixed into the finished product is reduced, ensuring the rehydration effect of textured protein from a structural perspective and narrowing the gap in rehydration effect within the same batch.

[0042] The first pusher conveyor belt 23 and the second pusher conveyor belt 22 are respectively mounted on the bracket. The distance between the first pusher conveyor belt 23 and the second pusher conveyor belt 22 can be adjusted. A heating coil 25 is installed in the rehydration chamber. By flexibly adjusting the equipment parameters and controlling the rehydration environment, the device can be adapted to more types of textured proteins and improve the rehydration efficiency.

[0043] Depending on the particle size and thickness of the textured protein, the spacing between the two conveyor belts is adjusted to ensure that proteins of different specifications can be effectively clamped and forcibly wetted; the water temperature in the rehydration chamber is controlled by the heating coil 25, and the water penetration is accelerated at a suitable temperature (usually 20-30℃) to further improve the rehydration efficiency, while avoiding high temperature damage to the protein structure.

[0044] To address potential material accumulation or supply instability issues that might occur if materials directly enter the dewatering system after rehydration, buffering and quantitative control are used to achieve a smooth transition between processes. Specifically, for example... Figure 1As shown, a temporary storage system 3 and a weighing system 4 are provided between the rehydration system 2 and the dehydration system 5. The temporary storage system 3 has a temporary storage bin 31 to receive the output of the rehydration discharge element. A third conveyor belt 32 is installed on the temporary storage bin 31. The weighing system 4 has a weighing bin 41. The third conveyor belt 32 extends from the bottom of the temporary storage bin 31 to the outside of the temporary storage bin 31 and connects with the weighing bin 41. A fourth conveyor belt 42 is installed on the weighing bin 41, extends from the bottom of the weighing bin 41 to the outside of the weighing bin 41 and connects with the dehydration system 5. This avoids the problem of material flooding into the dehydration system 5 after rehydration, which could lead to incomplete dehydration or the dehydration system 5 running idle. At the same time, quantitative weighing can accurately control the amount of material entering the dehydration system 5, ensuring the efficiency and effect of subsequent dehydration, and also facilitating material metering management during the production process.

[0045] The dehydration system 5 includes an inner cylinder 52 and an outer cylinder 51. The outer cylinder 51 is fitted over the inner cylinder 52. A dehydration tank is rotatably installed inside the inner cylinder 52. The dehydration tank is connected to a dehydration motor 54 to drive the dehydration tank to rotate relative to the inner cylinder 52. The inner cylinder 52 is horizontally rotatably mounted on the outer cylinder 51 via a bearing 55. A tilting motor 53 is connected to a rotating shaft to drive the inner cylinder 52 to rotate around the axis of the bearing 55. The top surfaces of the dehydration tank, the inner cylinder 52, and the outer cylinder 51 are each provided with openings. The dehydration tank is used to receive and dehydrate the fully rehydrated textured protein. The rehydration chamber and the outer cylinder 51 are respectively connected to drain pipes.

[0046] After rehydration, the protein enters the dehydration tank through the opening. The dehydration motor 54 drives the dehydration tank to rotate at high speed, using centrifugal force to throw out the water. The water passes through the gap between the inner cylinder 52 and the outer cylinder 51 and is discharged from the third drain pipe 56 below the outer cylinder 51. After dehydration is completed, the tipping motor 53 drives the inner cylinder 52 to flip, pouring the dehydrated protein out through the opening on the top surface, thus completing the discharge.

[0047] Compared to traditional static draining or simple squeezing dehydration, centrifugal dehydration is more efficient and more thorough, avoiding the problem of residual moisture leading to poor subsequent processing (such as frying and seasoning). The flip-up inner cylinder 52 design solves the problem of protein accumulating in the barrel after dehydration and being difficult to remove, simplifying the discharge process and improving production continuity.

[0048] The components of the rehydration and dehydration device for textured protein are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0049] Feeding system 1 precisely delivers the material to be rehydrated. As the first stage of material entry into the system, feeding system 1 is responsible for stably conveying the dried textured protein to rehydration system 2, preventing uneven feeding that could affect subsequent rehydration. Feeding system 1 includes a feeding bin 11 and a first conveyor belt 12. The feeding bin 11 serves as a storage container for the dried textured protein, temporarily storing the material to be processed and providing a material base for subsequent continuous conveying, avoiding frequent feeding interruptions to production. The first conveyor belt 12 extends from the bottom of the feeding bin 11 to the outside, connecting to rehydration system 2. It is the core component of material conveying, continuously transporting the textured protein in the feeding bin 11 to the beginning of the conveying channel in rehydration system 2. A scraper 13 is installed on the surface of the first conveyor belt 12. Since the dried textured protein may clump or accumulate, the scraper 13 can flatten and disperse the material on the conveyor belt surface, ensuring that the material enters rehydration system 2 evenly and quantitatively, avoiding local accumulation that could lead to incomplete rehydration.

[0050] The rehydration system 2 achieves forced immersion, solving the floating problem. The rehydration system 2 is the core component for improving the rehydration efficiency and uniformity of textured protein. Through structural design, it forces the buoyant protein to be submerged in water while simultaneously controlling the rehydration environment. The inlet pipe 21 replenishes water into the rehydration chamber, regulating the water flow to maintain a balance between the replenished water and the water carried away by the textured protein, thus maintaining a stable water level within the rehydration chamber and ensuring the protein remains in a submerged state at all times.

[0051] The second pusher conveyor belt 22 and the first pusher conveyor belt 23 are arranged vertically at intervals in the rehydration chamber, turning in opposite directions, and are equipped with scrapers 13 on their surfaces. The top scrapers 13 are partially or completely exposed above the water surface, which not only participate in forcibly clamping the protein into the water, but also grab the protein that has not been fully rehydrated in the return area and send it back to the beginning of the conveying channel for secondary rehydration.

[0052] The end of the first pusher conveyor belt 23 extends outside the conveying channel, forming a conveying base below the return area. The surface scraper 13 cooperates with the scraper 13 of the second pusher conveyor belt 22 to generate a counter-clamping force, pressing the floating protein into the water; at the same time, it pushes the fully rehydrated (density increased) protein to the second conveyor belt 24.

[0053] The second conveyor belt 24, acting as the rehydration discharge element, receives the fully rehydrated protein pushed by the first pusher conveyor belt 23 and directionally transports it to the temporary storage system 3, achieving a smooth transfer of the rehydrated material. The heating coil 25 is installed inside the rehydration chamber to regulate the water temperature during the winter and spring seasons when the water temperature is low, maintaining it within the suitable rehydration range of 20-30℃ to prevent a decrease in rehydration efficiency due to low temperatures and ensure stable rehydration results throughout the year. The first drain pipe 26 is used to drain excess water from the rehydration chamber or replace the water, maintaining a clean rehydration environment and preventing impurities in the water from affecting the quality of the textured protein.

[0054] Temporary storage system 3 serves as a buffer to prevent process interruptions. Located between rehydration system 2 and weighing system 4, temporary storage system 3 acts as a material buffer, resolving the speed mismatch between the rehydration and weighing processes.

[0055] The temporary storage bin 31 receives the rehydrated protein conveyed by the second conveyor belt 24 and can temporarily store a certain amount of material to prevent material accumulation caused by the continuous discharge of the rehydration system 2 and the unpreparedness of the weighing system 4. It also provides a stable material source for the weighing system 4. The third conveyor belt 32 is installed on the temporary storage bin 31, extending from the bottom of the bin to the outside and connecting to the weighing bin 41 of the weighing system 4. It is responsible for quantitatively conveying the rehydrated protein from the temporary storage bin 31 to the weighing bin 41 and starts and stops according to the demand signal from the weighing bin 41. The second drain pipe 33 is located at the bottom of the temporary storage bin 31. After the rehydrated protein enters the temporary storage bin 31, some surface moisture will drain out. This drain pipe can promptly remove this moisture, preventing it from being carried into the weighing system 4 and affecting the accuracy of weight measurement.

[0056] The weighing system 4 provides quantitative control to ensure effective dehydration. Through precise metering, the weighing system 4 controls the amount of material entering the dehydration system 5, preventing the system from being affected by excessive or insufficient material, thus ensuring efficient and thorough dehydration. The weighing bin 41 receives the material conveyed by the third conveyor belt 32 and is the core container for weight measurement, ensuring consistent material volume entering the dehydration system 5 each time.

[0057] The fourth conveyor belt 42 is installed on the weighing bin 41, extending from the bottom of the weighing bin 41 to the outside and connecting to the inner cylinder 52 of the dewatering system 5. When the material in the weighing bin 41 reaches the set weight, the conveyor belt is started to send the material into the dewatering system 5; after the material is emptied, it stops and waits for the next weighing to be completed. The weighing device 43 is installed at the bottom of the weighing bin 41 and is used to weigh the material in the bin in real time. When the weight reaches the set value (e.g., 100kg), it sends a signal to the control system 6 to stop the third conveyor belt 32 and start the fourth conveyor belt 42; when the weight returns to zero, it sends a signal to restart the third conveyor belt 32, realizing cyclic quantitative conveying.

[0058] The dewatering system 5 provides efficient dewatering and convenient material discharge. Dewatering system 5 achieves rapid dewatering through centrifugal force, while its tilting structure solves the problem of material removal, which is crucial for ensuring the quality of subsequent processing. The outer cylinder 51 is fitted over the inner cylinder 52, forming a closed dewatering environment to collect the water ejected from the inner cylinder 52. A third drain pipe 56 is connected to the bottom to promptly discharge wastewater generated during dewatering. Inside the inner cylinder 52, a dewatering bucket is rotatably installed to hold the material. The cylinder wall has multiple small holes through which water can be ejected to the outer cylinder 51 during dewatering. Low-speed operation during feeding ensures even material distribution and avoids vibration. After dewatering, the dewatering bucket and inner cylinder 52 tilt together to discharge the material.

[0059] The tipping motor 53 is connected to the rotating shaft of the inner cylinder 52. It starts after dehydration is completed and drives the inner cylinder 52 and the dehydration tank to tilt simultaneously through the bearing 55, so that the dehydrated protein is poured out from the top opening. After the discharge is completed, the motor reverses to drive the inner cylinder 52 and the dehydration tank to reset, ready for the next dehydration.

[0060] The dewatering motor 54 is connected to the dewatering drum in the inner cylinder 52, driving the dewatering drum to rotate. During feeding, the dewatering drum rotates at a low speed to ensure uniform material distribution; after feeding, it rotates at a high speed, generating centrifugal force to throw out the water from the material, thus achieving dewatering. The bearing 55 is installed at the connection between the outer cylinder 51 and the inner cylinder 52, providing rotational support for the tilting and resetting of the inner cylinder 52 relative to the outer cylinder 51. The outer cylinder 51 serves as a protective structure for the inner cylinder 52, and the bearing 55 reduces friction during operation, ensuring smooth and stable tilting. The third drain pipe 56 is connected to the bottom of the outer cylinder 51 to drain the dewatering wastewater collected inside the outer cylinder 51 and thrown out from the inner cylinder 52, maintaining the dryness and cleanliness of the dewatering system 5.

[0061] The control system 6 is responsible for receiving signals from various systems and issuing instructions to ensure that all processes operate continuously and stably according to the set parameters. Control buttons 61 are used for manual start / stop of the device or adjustment of the operating status under special circumstances; they are a fundamental component of human-machine interaction, facilitating basic operations for operators. The display screen 62 has dual functions of display and setting. It can display the operating parameters of each system in real time (such as rehydration temperature, soaking time, dehydration speed, material weight, etc.), and allows operators to set these parameters according to material characteristics or production needs. Furthermore, it can receive signals from various systems (such as the weighing device 43 and motors), automatically coordinating the start / stop and speed of each conveyor belt and motor to achieve fully automated production.

[0062] Example 2

[0063] In another typical embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, a method for operating a textured protein rehydration and dehydration device is provided. Using the textured protein rehydration and dehydration device as described in Example 1, the method includes the following steps:

[0064] Feeding system 1 quantitatively feeds dried textured protein into the rehydration chamber. The textured protein is close to the inlet of the conveying channel at the beginning of the two pusher conveyor belts, and the two pusher conveyor belts working in opposite directions.

[0065] The scrapers 13 of the two pusher conveyor belts form opposing thrusts, which constrain the floating fibrous protein in the conveying channel and gradually push it, forcing it to be completely immersed in the water in the rehydration tank.

[0066] The pusher conveyor belt operates continuously, pushing the textured protein towards the end of the conveying channel while allowing the textured protein to fully contact the water and complete the rehydration process;

[0067] When the material reaches the end of the conveying channel, the rehydration discharge element discharges the rehydrated textured protein from the conveying channel and conveys it to the dehydration system 5;

[0068] The dehydration system 5 receives the rehydrated textured protein, removes excess water from the textured protein, and obtains textured protein products with the required moisture content.

[0069] The rotation speed of the feed conveyor belt is controlled to adjust the time when the textured protein is immersed in water.

[0070] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rehydration and dehydration device for textured protein, characterized in that, The system includes a feeding system, a rehydration system, and a dehydration system. The rehydration system includes a rehydration chamber, a pusher conveyor belt, and a rehydration discharge element. Two pusher conveyor belts are arranged vertically at intervals within the rehydration chamber. The two pusher conveyor belts rotate in opposite directions and each has a scraper on its surface to drive the textured protein into the conveying channel between the two pusher conveyor belts and push it forward. The first end of the conveying channel receives the textured protein fed by the feeding system. The rehydration discharge element faces the end of the conveying channel and drives the rehydrated textured protein out. The dehydration system receives the rehydrated textured protein and dehydrates it. The first pusher conveyor belt below the end of the conveying channel extends outside the conveying channel. The area above the first pusher conveyor belt outside the end of the conveying channel forms a reflux area, causing the incompletely rehydrated textured protein to float to the surface and be transported to the first end of the conveying channel by the second pusher conveyor belt above.

2. The rehydration and dehydration apparatus for textured protein as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The scraper on the top surface of the second pusher conveyor belt is partially or completely exposed above the water surface, and the end of the first pusher conveyor belt faces the rehydration discharge element to push the fully rehydrated fibrous protein to the rehydration discharge element.

3. The rehydration and dehydration apparatus for textured protein as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first and second pusher conveyor belts are respectively mounted on the bracket, and the distance between the first and second pusher conveyor belts can be adjusted. A heating coil is installed in the rehydration tank.

4. The rehydration and dehydration device for textured protein as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding system includes a feeding bin and a first conveyor belt, which extends from the bottom of the feeding bin to the outside of the feeding bin and connects with the rehydration bin.

5. The rehydration and dehydration apparatus for textured protein as described in claim 1 or 4, characterized in that, A temporary storage system and a weighing system are provided between the rehydration system and the dehydration system. The temporary storage system is equipped with a temporary storage bin for receiving the output of the rehydration discharge element. A third conveyor belt is installed on the temporary storage bin. The weighing system is equipped with a weighing bin. The third conveyor belt extends from the bottom of the temporary storage bin to the outside of the temporary storage bin and connects with the weighing bin. A fourth conveyor belt is installed on the weighing bin. The fourth conveyor belt extends from the bottom of the weighing bin to the outside of the weighing bin and connects with the dehydration system.

6. The rehydration and dehydration apparatus for textured protein as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The dehydration system includes an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder. The outer cylinder is fitted outside the inner cylinder. A dehydration bucket is rotatably installed in the inner cylinder. The dehydration bucket is connected to a dehydration motor to drive the dehydration bucket to rotate relative to the inner cylinder. The inner cylinder is horizontally mounted on the outer cylinder through a bearing. A tilting bucket motor is connected to a rotating shaft to drive the inner cylinder to rotate around the bearing axis.

7. The rehydration and dehydration apparatus for textured protein as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The top surfaces of the dehydration tank, inner cylinder, and outer cylinder are respectively provided with openings. The dehydration tank is used to receive and dehydrate the fully rehydrated textured protein. The rehydration chamber and outer cylinder are respectively connected to drain pipes.

8. A method for operating a textured protein rehydration and dehydration device, comprising using the textured protein rehydration and dehydration device as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Also includes: The feeding system quantitatively adds dried textured soy protein into the rehydration chamber. The textured soy protein is located near the inlet of the conveying channel at the beginning of the two pusher conveyor belts, and the two pusher conveyor belts working in opposite directions. The scrapers of the two pusher conveyor belts form opposing thrusts, which constrain the floating fibrous protein in the conveying channel and gradually push it, forcing it to be completely immersed in the water in the rehydration tank. The pusher conveyor belt operates continuously, pushing the textured protein towards the end of the conveying channel while allowing the textured protein to fully contact the water and complete the rehydration process; When the material reaches the end of the conveying channel, the rehydration discharge element discharges the rehydrated textured protein from the conveying channel and transports it to the dehydration system; The dehydration system receives the rehydrated textured protein, removes excess water from the textured protein, and obtains textured protein products with the required moisture content.

9. The operating method of the rehydration and dehydration device for textured protein as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The rotation speed of the feed conveyor belt is controlled to adjust the time when the textured protein is immersed in water.

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