Multifunctional steaming line for continuously producing pastries such as steamed stuffed buns and steamed buns

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of food processing equipment, and relates to a multifunctional steaming line for continuously producing pastries such as steamed stuffed buns and steamed buns. The steaming line integrates modular structures such as the steaming tank body, the steam direct injection type heating system, the water injection type heating system and the automatic drainage device, and composite control over the steaming temperature and humidity is achieved in a dual-heating mode. The conveying device is arranged in the steaming tank body to achieve continuous passing of products, the steam direct injection system provides rapid heating, the water injection system generates stable wet steam, and the automatic drainage system guarantees continuity of cavity cleaning and circulation production. The device can remarkably improve the uniformity and surface smoothness of pastry steaming, reduces energy consumption and manual operation intensity, and is suitable for continuous production of various pastries such as steamed stuffed buns, steamed buns, steamed twisted rolls and Shaomai.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food processing equipment, and in particular to a multi-functional steaming line for the continuous production of steamed buns, mantou, huajuan, shumai and other pastries, belonging to the field of continuous food steaming production line equipment technology. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, steamed buns, mantou, and other steamed bread products in industrial production still mostly rely on manual or intermittent steaming. Traditional equipment suffers from uneven heating of the heating chamber and restricted steam flow, easily leading to different cooking times for products on different levels. Furthermore, manual water replenishment is required after evaporation, and water accumulation or condensation at the bottom of the equipment can affect heating efficiency and pose food hygiene risks. While some equipment has added automatic water replenishment functions, the lack of stable control results in large fluctuations in temperature and humidity during steaming, making it difficult to maintain consistent product quality.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a steaming equipment that can quickly establish steaming temperature, stably maintain the steaming environment, and reduce steam energy consumption under continuous production conditions, so as to meet the quality and efficiency requirements of large-scale pastry production. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the problems of low steaming efficiency, unstable temperature and humidity, high energy consumption, and poor adaptability to continuous production in the prior art, and to provide a multi-functional steaming line. By redistributing and controlling the functions of different heating methods in a coordinated manner, it achieves: rapid temperature rise in the initial stage of steaming; stable temperature and humidity control during the steaming process; continuous operation of multiple steaming tanks with independent steam supply; reduced steam consumption; and improved product consistency.

[0005] The technical solution of this invention is as follows:

[0006] A multi-functional steaming line for continuous production of steamed buns, mantou, and other pastries includes a steaming trough body and a steaming lid. The steaming lid is connected to the steaming trough body to form a steaming cavity. The steaming trough body is elongated and equipped with a continuous conveyor belt to carry the pastry products through the steaming area. An inlet and an outlet are located at both ends of the steaming trough body.

[0007] It is equipped with a steam direct injection heating system and a water injection heating system, which work together in terms of spatial location and operation control to form a staged relay heating structure;

[0008] The direct steam injection heating system includes a main steam pipe, a steam injection branch pipe, and a proportional regulating valve. The proportional regulating valve is connected to the temperature control unit and is used to provide rapidly heated steam when the temperature of the steaming cavity is lower than the set value. After the temperature of the steaming cavity reaches the set value, the air intake is reduced and the system enters a low temperature compensation or steam supply stop state to maintain the steaming temperature with the minimum steam volume.

[0009] The water-injection heating system includes a water storage tank, a water inlet, an electrically controlled fluid control valve, a water level sensor, and a steam heating pipe. The electrically controlled fluid control valve is controlled by the water level sensor. When water flows into the steaming cavity through the water inlet and covers the steam heating pipe and reaches the preset water level, the water intake stops.

[0010] After the water injection heating system reaches the preset water level and enters a stable working state, steam is heated to boiling through the steam heating pipe to generate steam, and a stable and uniform steam environment is formed by utilizing the thermal inertia of the water layer.

[0011] After the water-injection heating system enters a stable working state, the steam direct injection heating system switches from the main heating state to the auxiliary compensation or stop state, so that the two heating systems form a master-slave relay relationship in terms of function, with the first heating and the second steady state.

[0012] The continuous conveying device divides the steaming cavity into an upper steaming zone and a lower heating zone. The through-hole of the continuous conveying device allows steam generated by the water injection heating system and steam generated by the direct steam injection heating system to enter the steaming zone through the through-hole.

[0013] The steam injection branch pipe of the direct steam injection heating system is located in the upper part of the heating chamber area, and the steam injection direction is to the side and not directly opposite the continuous conveying device.

[0014] The proportional control valve is electrically connected to a temperature sensor located in the steaming zone. The proportional control valve continuously or gradually adjusts the steam intake of the direct steam injection heating system according to the real-time temperature signal of the steaming zone.

[0015] When the temperature in the steaming zone reaches the set temperature threshold, the proportional regulating valve reduces the steam intake of the direct steam injection heating system to the preset compensation range, or shuts off the steam intake.

[0016] The water level sensor is installed within the heating chamber area to detect whether the water level covers the steam heating pipe. When the water level reaches a preset height, the electrically controlled fluid control valve closes the water inlet.

[0017] The steam heating pipe is located in the heating chamber area and is connected to the main steam pipe through a valve body. The water in the heating chamber area is located below the steam injection branch pipe.

[0018] Steam is introduced into the steam heating pipe to heat the water in the heating chamber, so that it continuously generates wet steam, which enters the steaming zone through the baffle holes.

[0019] The operating states of the direct steam injection heating system and the water injection heating system are coordinated and controlled by the same control unit. The control unit is used to limit the continuous steam supply of the direct steam injection heating system after the water injection heating system enters a stable operating state.

[0020] The automatic drainage device is located at the lowest point of the heating chamber area and includes a drainage channel and a fluid valve. During cleaning or shutdown, the valve is automatically opened to drain the water and condensate accumulated in the heating chamber area; when the drainage channel detects no fluid signal, the fluid valve is automatically closed.

[0021] The continuous conveying device uses a metal chain belt, a Teflon mesh belt, or a perforated tray as the conveyor belt. The surface of the conveyor belt is provided with ventilation holes, which allow steam to penetrate from the bottom up, so as to achieve uniform heating of the bottom of the pasta.

[0022] The main body of the steaming tank includes multiple steaming tank sections, which are spliced ​​and connected to each other. A continuous conveyor belt connects multiple steaming tank sections in sequence. Each steaming tank section is equipped with a set of heating devices, which include a direct steam injection heating component and a water injection heating component. A steam main pipe is provided, which is connected to the steam main pipe of each steaming tank section. The steam main pipe is connected to a proportional valve and a steam heating pipe, respectively.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0024] Through a phased relay heating mechanism, the rapid temperature rise in the initial stage of steaming and the steady-state control of the steaming process are achieved in unification.

[0025] By utilizing the thermal inertia of the water layer to create a stable steam environment, the consistency of product cooking is improved.

[0026] To avoid temperature and humidity fluctuations and condensation problems caused by simply stacking multiple steam sources;

[0027] Reduce steam consumption and improve energy efficiency under continuous production conditions;

[0028] The system features multiple steam tanks connected in parallel for steam supply, a modular structure, stable operation, and ease of maintenance and expansion. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the side structure of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the steam pipe of the present invention.

[0032] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0033] 1 – Steaming tank body; 2 – Continuous conveying device; 3 – Steaming lid; 4 – Steaming cavity; 41 – Heating chamber area; 42 – Steaming zone.

[0034] 5 – Direct steam injection heating system; 51 – Steam main pipe; 52 – Steam injection branch pipe; 53 – Proportional regulating valve.

[0035] 61 – Water storage tank; 62 – Water inlet; 63 – Steam heating pipe; 64 – Fluid control valve; 65 – Water inlet for heating chamber area.

[0036] 71 – Drainage channel; 72 – Fluid valve. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The present invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments:

[0038] This invention's multifunctional steaming line, through modular design and precise control, optimizes temperature and humidity control during the steaming process of pastries, significantly improving steaming efficiency and product consistency. The implementation principles and technical effects of each component are explained in detail below, along with a specific description of the electronic devices involved.

[0039] A multi-functional steaming line for continuous production of steamed buns, mantou, and other pastries includes a steaming trough body 1 and a steaming lid 3. The steaming lid 3 is connected to the steaming trough body 1 to form a steaming cavity 4. The steaming trough body 1 is elongated and equipped with a continuous conveying device to carry the pastry products through the steaming cavity 4. An inlet and an outlet are respectively located at both ends of the steaming trough body.

[0040] The steaming tank body 1 is a long, sealed structure made of food-grade stainless steel. This structure has good corrosion resistance and high strength, and can withstand the working environment of high-temperature steam for a long time. A continuous conveyor device 2 is installed inside to carry the pasta products through the steaming zone 42, ensuring that the pasta are not disturbed by the outside world during the steaming process and that the heating is completed stably.

[0041] The steaming tank body 1 is divided into an upper steaming zone 42 and a lower heating chamber zone 41 by a continuous conveying device 2. The continuous conveying device 2 has evenly distributed through holes, allowing steam generated from the heating chamber zone 41 to pass evenly through the partitions into the steaming zone 42, thus ensuring uniform heating of the pastries and avoiding inconsistent steaming results due to uneven steam distribution. This ensures uniform steam distribution within the steaming zone 42 and avoids excessive temperature differences; the modular design facilitates the production of pastries of different sizes and types.

[0042] The steam direct injection heating system 5 includes a main steam pipe 51, a steam injection branch pipe 52, and a proportional control valve 53, which is connected to a temperature control unit. The main steam pipe 51 supplies steam to the steaming tank, and the steam injection branch pipe 52 injects steam directly through nozzles located at the bottom. The proportional control valve 53 adjusts the steam flow rate according to the real-time temperature signal of the steaming zone 42 to ensure that the temperature of the steaming cavity 4 is within the set range.

[0043] When the temperature of the steaming cavity 4 is lower than the set value, the proportional regulating valve 53 is fully open for rapid heating; once the temperature reaches the set value, the proportional regulating valve 53 reduces the air intake or completely stops the steam supply to maintain a stable steaming temperature. The proportional regulating valve 53 is located near the steam injection branch pipe 52, quickly responding to temperature changes in the steaming zone 42 to ensure precise temperature control; it rapidly raises the temperature in the initial stage of steaming, effectively improving production efficiency; and it reduces steam consumption by precisely adjusting the steam volume to minimize energy waste.

[0044] Proportional control valve model 53: The Honeywell 3200 series electronic proportional control valve 53 is used. This valve has the characteristics of precise control and can respond quickly to temperature changes; Temperature sensor model in the heating chamber: The OMEGA 5331 series PT100 temperature sensor is used. It has high precision and high stability and is suitable for long-term use in high-temperature environments.

[0045] The water-filled heating system includes a water storage tank 61, a water inlet 62, an electrically controlled fluid control valve 64, a water level sensor, and a steam heating pipe 63. Water flows through the water inlet 62 into the water storage tank 61 via the electrically controlled fluid control valve 64, and then through the heating chamber inlet 65 at the bottom of the water storage tank 61 into the heating chamber area 41, covering the steam heating pipe 63. The water level sensor monitors the water level in real time; when the water level reaches a preset height, the electrically controlled fluid control valve 64 automatically closes, stopping the water intake.

[0046] After the water-injection heating system reaches a stable operating state, steam enters from the steam heating pipe 63 and exchanges heat with the water in the heating chamber 41, rapidly heating the water to boiling and generating wet steam. The wet steam rises and enters the steaming zone 42 via a continuous heating conveyor belt, ensuring stable and uniform steam within the steaming zone 42. This creates a stable wet steam environment, improving temperature and humidity stability during the steaming process; utilizing the thermal inertia of the water layer improves heating efficiency and reduces energy consumption; and prevents temperature fluctuations that may occur if relying solely on direct steam injection heating.

[0047] Water level sensor model: Honeywell 7MM series ultrasonic water level sensor is used. This sensor has accurate water level monitoring capability and is suitable for liquid level detection in high temperature environments; Fluid control valve model 64: Fisher 626 series electro-hydraulic valve 72 is used, which features fast response and high-precision control.

[0048] This invention employs a centralized electronic control unit to coordinate the control of the direct steam injection heating system 5 and the water injection heating system. This control unit adjusts the operating status of the two heating systems in real time based on changes in temperature and humidity in the steaming zone 42, ensuring a stable and efficient steaming process.

[0049] Once the water-injection heating system reaches a stable operating state, the control unit automatically switches the direct steam injection heating system 5 to auxiliary compensation or stops steam supply to avoid repeated heating interference and maintain a stable steaming environment. This control unit can adjust the steam supply of the two heating systems in real time to ensure that temperature and humidity remain balanced throughout the steaming process. Precise control of the switching and coordination of the two heating methods ensures a stable steaming environment; by automatically adjusting the operating status of the heating systems, energy efficiency is optimized and energy consumption is reduced.

[0050] Control unit model: The Siemens S7-1200 PLC control system is used, which has multi-channel real-time control and flexible input / output interfaces, making it suitable for complex industrial automation systems.

[0051] To prevent water or condensate buildup at the bottom of the steaming tank from affecting heating efficiency, this invention incorporates an automatic drainage device. The drainage device includes a drainage channel 71 and a fluid valve 72. When the system enters cleaning or shutdown mode, the drainage channel 71 automatically opens the fluid valve 72 to drain accumulated water. When no fluid is detected in the drainage channel 71, the fluid valve 72 automatically closes to avoid wasting steam or liquid. This ensures timely removal of water and condensate from the chamber, guaranteeing long-term stable operation of the equipment; the automated drainage function reduces manual operation and improves production efficiency.

[0052] Fluid valve model 72: The Burkert Type 6512 series electric fluid valve 72 is used. This valve has a fast response capability and can adapt to high temperature and high humidity environments.

[0053] Continuous conveyor device 2 uses a conveyor belt in the form of a metal chain belt, Teflon mesh belt, or perforated tray. The surface of the conveyor belt is equipped with ventilation holes to ensure that steam can penetrate evenly into the bottom of the pastry product from below. This ensures that the bottom of the pastry is heated evenly, avoiding local overcooking or undercooking. Through appropriate conveyor belt design, the continuous stability and efficiency of the steaming process are ensured.

[0054] This invention utilizes the combined operation of a direct steam injection heating system 5 and a water injection heating system to provide rapid heating in the initial stage of steaming and maintain stable temperature and humidity during the steady-state stage. This effective combination of two heating methods not only improves steaming efficiency but also ensures the consistency and high quality of the pastry products. Furthermore, the introduction of automatic control and automatic drainage systems further enhances the automation level and ease of operation of the equipment.

[0055] Through this phased and coordinated heating mechanism, the present invention can reduce energy consumption while ensuring the continuity and high quality of pastry production.

[0056] The steaming tank body 1 comprises multiple steaming tank sections, which are interconnected. A continuous conveyor belt sequentially connects multiple steaming tank sections. Each steaming tank section is equipped with a heating device, which includes a direct steam injection heating component and a water injection heating component. A main steam pipe is provided, which is connected to the main steam pipe 51 of each steaming tank section. The main steam pipe 51 is connected to a proportional valve and a steam heating pipe 63. Each steam heating pipe 63 is equipped with an independent valve for opening and closing, and the connection between the main steam pipe 51 and the main steam pipe is also controlled by a valve.

[0057] The present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-described manner. Any improvements made using the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention, or the direct application of the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention to other situations without modification, are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-functional steaming line for continuous production of steamed buns, mantou, and other pastries, characterized in that: The device includes a steaming tank body and a steaming lid. The steaming lid is connected to the steaming tank body to form a steaming cavity. The steaming tank body is elongated and equipped with a continuous conveying device to carry pasta products through the steaming cavity. The steaming tank body has an inlet and an outlet at both ends. It is equipped with a steam direct injection heating system and a water injection heating system, which work together in terms of spatial location and operation control to form a staged relay heating structure; The direct steam injection heating system includes a steam main pipe, a steam injection branch pipe, and a proportional regulating valve. The proportional regulating valve is connected to the temperature control unit and is used to provide rapidly heated steam when the temperature of the steaming cavity is lower than the set value. After the temperature of the steaming cavity reaches the set value, the air intake is reduced and the system enters a low temperature compensation or steam supply stop state to maintain the steaming temperature with the minimum steam volume. The water-injection heating system includes a water storage tank, a water inlet, an electrically controlled fluid control valve, a water level sensor, and a steam heating pipe. The electrically controlled fluid control valve is controlled by the water level sensor. When water flows into the steaming cavity through the water inlet and covers the steam heating pipe and reaches a preset water level, the water intake stops. After the water injection heating system reaches the preset water level and enters a stable working state, steam is heated to boiling through the steam heating pipe to generate steam, and a stable and uniform steam environment is formed by utilizing the thermal inertia of the water layer. After the water-injection heating system enters a stable working state, the steam direct injection heating system switches from the main heating state to the auxiliary compensation or shutdown state.

2. The multifunctional steaming line for continuous production of steamed buns, mantou, and other pastries according to claim 1, characterized in that: The continuous conveying device divides the steaming cavity into an upper steaming zone and a lower heating zone. The through-hole of the continuous conveying device allows steam generated by the water injection heating system and steam generated by the direct steam injection heating system to enter the steaming zone through the through-hole.

3. The multi-functional steaming line for continuous production of steamed buns, mantou, and other pastries according to claim 2, characterized in that: The steam injection branch pipe of the direct steam injection heating system is located in the upper part of the heating chamber area, and the steam injection direction is to the side and not directly opposite the continuous conveying device.

4. A multi-functional steaming line for continuous production of steamed buns, mantou, and other pastries according to claim 2, characterized in that: The proportional control valve is electrically connected to a temperature sensor located in the steaming zone. The proportional control valve continuously or gradually adjusts the steam intake of the direct steam injection heating system according to the real-time temperature signal of the steaming zone.

5. A multi-functional steaming line for continuous production of steamed buns, mantou, and other pastries according to claim 4, characterized in that: When the temperature in the steaming zone reaches the set temperature threshold, the proportional regulating valve reduces the steam intake of the direct steam injection heating system to the preset compensation range, or shuts off the steam intake.

6. A multi-functional steaming line for continuous production of steamed buns, mantou, and other pastries according to claim 2, characterized in that: The water level sensor is installed within the heating chamber area to detect whether the water level covers the steam heating pipe. When the water level reaches a preset height, the electrically controlled fluid control valve closes the water inlet. The steam heating pipe is located in the heating chamber area and is connected to the main steam pipe through a valve body. The water in the heating chamber area is located below the steam injection branch pipe. Steam is introduced into the steam heating pipe to heat the water in the heating chamber, so that it continuously generates wet steam, which enters the steaming zone through the baffle holes.

7. A multi-functional steaming line for continuous production of steamed buns, mantou, and other pastries according to claim 1, characterized in that: The operating states of the direct steam injection heating system and the water injection heating system are coordinated and controlled by the same control unit. The control unit is used to limit the continuous steam supply of the direct steam injection heating system after the water injection heating system enters a stable operating state.

8. A multi-functional steaming line for continuous production of steamed buns, mantou, and other pastries according to claim 1, characterized in that: The automatic drainage device is located at the lowest point of the heating chamber area and includes a drainage channel and a fluid valve. During cleaning or shutdown, the valve is automatically opened to drain the water and condensate accumulated in the heating chamber area; when the drainage channel detects no fluid signal, the fluid valve is automatically closed.

9. A multi-functional steaming line for continuous production of steamed buns, mantou, and other pastries according to claim 1, characterized in that: The continuous conveying device uses a metal chain belt, a Teflon mesh belt, or a perforated tray as the conveyor belt. The surface of the conveyor belt is provided with ventilation holes, which allow steam to penetrate from the bottom up, so as to achieve uniform heating of the bottom of the pasta.

10. A multi-functional steaming line for continuous production of steamed buns, mantou, and other pastries according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main body of the steaming tank includes multiple steaming tank sections, which are spliced ​​and connected to each other. A continuous conveyor belt connects multiple steaming tank sections in sequence. Each steaming tank section is equipped with a set of heating devices, which include a direct steam injection heating component and a water injection heating component. A steam main pipe is provided, which is connected to the steam main pipe of each steaming tank section. The steam main pipe is connected to a proportional valve and a steam heating pipe, respectively.

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