Energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for dehydrated garlic production

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of freeze-drying devices, in particular to energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for dehydrated garlic production, which comprises a freeze-drying bin, a rotatable rotating shaft is arranged in the freeze-drying bin, and a material bearing belt for bearing garlic slices and a fixing belt for pressing and positioning the garlic slices are connected onto the rotating shaft. One end of the fixing belt is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft, the other end of the fixing belt is connected with a winding shaft arranged in the freeze-drying bin, and the material bearing belt and the fixing belt can be synchronously wound around the rotating shaft when the rotating shaft rotates and form a vortex-shaped line structure extending along the periphery of the rotating shaft. A containing gap used for containing garlic slices is formed between the upper side face of the material bearing belt and the lower side face of the fixing belt, a limiting mechanism is arranged on the upper side face of the fixing belt, the material containing process is simplified, the manual operation time is saved, and the fixing belt presses and positions the garlic slices, so that the materials are effectively prevented from moving in the equipment operation process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of freeze-drying equipment technology, and specifically to an energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for the production of dehydrated garlic. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of agricultural product deep processing, dehydrated garlic, as a common seasoning and food processing ingredient, plays an important role in the food industry, condiment production, and convenience food processing. To preserve the nutritional components, color, and flavor characteristics of garlic, freeze-drying technology is commonly used to dehydrate garlic slices during production. Freeze-drying directly sublimates ice-state water in a low-temperature vacuum environment, achieving high-quality drying of agricultural products. However, in actual production, the arrangement of garlic slices in the freeze-drying equipment directly affects drying efficiency and uniformity. Traditional tray or mesh belt methods are prone to problems such as stacking, sticking, or poor local ventilation, leading to reduced drying efficiency, uneven drying, and even a decline in product quality. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the structure of the drying equipment to optimize the arrangement of garlic slices and improve air circulation efficiency to achieve more efficient and stable freeze-drying. Chinese patent document CN115363087B discloses an apparatus and method for freeze-drying fruits and vegetables. The technical problem to be solved is to provide an apparatus and method for freeze-drying fruits and vegetables that can continuously freeze and dry them, is easy to operate, and can absorb water from the surface of fruit and vegetable blocks, facilitating thorough and uniform drying. The apparatus and method include a box body, a door component, a rotating placement component, and a limiting component. The box body is equipped with a door component, a rotating placement component, and a limiting component connected to the door component. A multi-absorption cotton tray intermittently absorbs water from the fruit and vegetable blocks on the filter tray. A toothed support plate drives the filter tray to rotate intermittently, facilitating more even and thorough water absorption from the fruit and vegetable blocks on the filter tray, ensuring subsequent thorough and uniform drying of the fruit and vegetable blocks, and accelerating the drying speed of the subsequent fruit and vegetable blocks.

[0003] Chinese patent document CN222722362U discloses a fruit freeze-drying storage device, including a storage chamber, a mounting frame, a placement frame, and a drive device. It also includes a moving device comprising a support leg, a threaded rod, a bearing, a mounting base, rollers, and a positioning brake assembly. The lower end of the support leg has a threaded groove, and the support leg is fixedly connected to the storage chamber and located at the bottom of the storage chamber. The threaded rod extends into the threaded groove and is threadedly connected to the support leg. The inner side of the bearing is fixedly connected to the threaded rod, and the bearing is sleeved on the lower end of the threaded rod. The mounting base is fixedly connected to the bottom of the outer ring of the bearing. The rollers are rotatably connected to the mounting base via a rotating shaft and are located within the mounting base. The positioning brake assembly is installed at the bottom of the storage chamber near the rollers. This device provides convenient movement, shortens the handling time of freeze-dried fruit, and facilitates timely storage.

[0004] In summary, existing freeze-drying equipment for agricultural products still has some shortcomings: First, the traditional tray-type material-bearing structure requires garlic slices to be placed into each tray individually, and then the trays are inserted into the freeze-drying chamber one by one, making material placement cumbersome. Second, the lack of an effective structural design during tray placement into the freeze-drying chamber easily leads to material movement or accumulation during equipment operation, thus affecting product quality. Therefore, a new structure for agricultural product drying equipment is needed. By improving the material-bearing method, the garlic slices can be evenly distributed during the drying process, forming stable ventilation gaps, thereby improving drying efficiency and reducing material adhesion problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides an energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for the production of dehydrated garlic, aiming to solve the problems of inconvenient use and easy material movement and overlap in related technologies using tray-type material support structures.

[0006] An energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for dehydrated garlic production includes a freeze-drying chamber. The freeze-drying chamber contains a rotatable rotating shaft. A support belt for supporting garlic slices and a fixing belt for pressing and positioning the garlic slices are connected to the rotating shaft. One end of the fixing belt is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft, and the other end is connected to a winding shaft located within the freeze-drying chamber. The support belt and fixing belt can synchronously wind around the rotating shaft as it rotates, forming a vortex structure extending along the outer circumference of the rotating shaft. A receiving gap for accommodating garlic slices is formed between the upper side of the support belt and the lower side of the fixing belt. A limiting mechanism is provided on the upper side of the fixing belt. This limiting mechanism limits the minimum pitch between two adjacent turns of the vortex during the winding process, maintaining a preset interval between adjacent turns, thereby forming a through ventilation gap between the lower side of the support belt and the upper side of the fixing belt.

[0007] Its effects are as follows: the vortex structure formed by the synchronous winding of the support belt and the fixing belt can evenly hold the garlic slices in the receiving gap, avoiding the problems of material stacking and sticking in the traditional tray structure, and ensuring that each garlic slice can fully contact the drying environment; the limiting mechanism limits the minimum pitch of adjacent vortex lines, so that the ventilation gap remains stable and unobstructed during the drying process, significantly improving the air circulation efficiency in the freeze-drying chamber, accelerating moisture sublimation, and thus improving drying efficiency; at the same time, the rotation of the rotating shaft realizes the automatic winding of the support belt and the fixing belt. Compared with the traditional tray structure, which requires placing the tray one by one, it simplifies the material placement process, saves manual operation time, and the pressing and positioning of the garlic slices by the fixing belt effectively prevents the material from moving during the operation of the equipment, ensuring the stability of product quality.

[0008] Preferably, the limiting mechanism includes multiple limiting rods arranged along the length of the fixed belt. These limiting rods are sequentially connected by a rotating connector to form a bendable chain structure, allowing the limiting mechanism to form a curved shape along the outer periphery of the rotation axis that conforms to the spiral pattern during the winding of the fixed belt. Through the rotating connection between the multiple limiting rods, the limiting mechanism can bend according to the winding shape of the fixed belt, thereby maintaining the spacing limiting function while avoiding interference with the winding of the fixed belt.

[0009] Preferably, both ends of the limiting rod are provided with inclined surfaces. When the inclined surfaces of two hinged limiting rods abut each other, an obtuse angle is formed between the two limiting rods, thereby limiting the curvature of the fixing strip during the winding process. Through the mutual abutment between the inclined surfaces, the angle of adjacent limiting rods is limited when they bend, thereby limiting the minimum pitch of the vortex structure formed by the winding of the fixing strip and maintaining a certain distance between adjacent turns.

[0010] Preferably, the fixing belt is provided with multiple air vents. By forming an air vent structure on the fixing belt, air can flow through the fixing belt during the freeze-drying process, thereby improving gas flow capacity and promoting the drying process of the garlic slices.

[0011] Preferably, the fixing belt is provided with multiple crossbars at equal intervals to reduce deformation of the fixing belt in the width direction. The supporting effect of the crossbars improves the overall stability of the fixing belt, enabling it to maintain a relatively stable shape during the winding and pressing of materials.

[0012] Preferably, the upper side of the support belt is provided with protrusions or ridges to reduce the contact area between the garlic slices and the support belt. By providing the protrusions or ridges, a gap is formed between the garlic slices and the support belt, thereby reducing adhesion and facilitating airflow at the bottom of the material.

[0013] Preferably, a fixing rod is provided at the end of the fixing belt away from the rotation axis, and a slot is provided inside the freeze-drying chamber. After the fixing rod enters the freeze-drying chamber, both ends of the fixing rod are embedded in the slot. Through the cooperation between the fixing rod and the slot, the fixing belt can maintain a stable position after winding.

[0014] Preferably, a sensor is installed in the slot. When the sensor detects that the fixing rod has entered the slot, the rotating shaft stops rotating. By detecting the position of the fixing rod with the sensor, the rotation of the rotating shaft is stopped when winding is completed, avoiding excessive tightness of the structure or interference with equipment operation caused by continued winding.

[0015] Preferably, the take-up shaft is rotatably mounted inside the freeze-drying chamber and located above the rotating shaft. The take-up shaft pulls the fixed belt, allowing it to gradually unwind or retract during the rotation of the rotating shaft, thus forming a continuous winding structure with the support belt.

[0016] Preferably, an elastic element for winding the take-up shaft is installed between the take-up shaft and the freeze-drying chamber. The retraction force provided by the elastic element ensures that the fixing belt maintains a certain tension when the rotating shaft rotates, thereby guaranteeing stable material holding.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. This invention sets up a rotating shaft inside the freeze-drying chamber, and sets up a material-supporting belt and a fixing belt on the rotating shaft. When the rotating shaft rotates, the material-supporting belt and the fixing belt can simultaneously wrap around the rotating shaft and form a vortex structure extending along the outer circumference of the rotating shaft. Garlic slices can be evenly clamped in the receiving gap formed between the material-supporting belt and the fixing belt, so that the garlic slices can be distributed in multiple circles along the outer circumference of the rotating shaft during the freeze-drying process. Compared with the traditional tray-type material laying method, it can not only increase the material arrangement density in a limited space, but also make the material continuously distributed in space, which is conducive to improving the space utilization of the freeze-drying chamber, while reducing the amount of manual material laying and sorting work.

[0018] 2. This invention provides a limiting mechanism on the upper side of the fixed belt, which limits the minimum pitch between two adjacent spiral coils during the winding process. This ensures that a preset interval is always maintained between adjacent coils, creating a through ventilation gap between the lower side of the support belt and the upper side of the fixed belt. This allows water vapor generated during freeze-drying to flow smoothly between the coils and be discharged, improving the airflow within the freeze-drying chamber. This, in turn, increases the sublimation efficiency of the garlic slices during the drying process and makes the drying process more uniform and stable.

[0019] 3. The limiting mechanism of the present invention adopts multiple limiting rods that are sequentially rotated and connected to form a chain structure. This allows the limiting mechanism to form a bending shape that adapts to the vortex structure along the outer circumference of the rotation axis during the winding of the fixed belt. As the fixed belt gradually winds up and forms a multi-turn structure, the limiting rods can rotate relative to each other, thereby adapting to changes in different bending radii. This ensures the stability of the structure during the winding process and avoids interference or jamming caused by rigid structures, thus maintaining good reliability of the equipment during long-term operation.

[0020] 4. This invention sets an inclined structure between adjacent limiting rods, so that the two limiting rods form an obtuse angle when they come into contact with each other, thereby limiting the degree of bending of the fixing strip during the winding process. When the fixing strip is gradually wound up to form a multi-turn vortex structure, this structure can limit the distance between adjacent turns, so that the fixing strip maintains a stable spacing between different layers, thereby avoiding excessive adhesion or compression between the fixing strips, which is conducive to maintaining ventilation space between each turn.

[0021] 5. The present invention provides a ventilated structure on the fixing belt, so that the fixing belt still has a certain degree of air permeability while pressing and positioning the garlic slices. The airflow generated during the freeze-drying process can flow through the ventilated holes and the ventilation gaps between adjacent rings, so that the gas can form a flow path on both the top and bottom sides of the garlic slices, thereby improving the overall drying efficiency of the garlic slices and reducing the situation where the drying speed in some areas is slow.

[0022] 6. This invention provides a raised dot or raised strip structure on the upper side of the support belt, so that a certain gap is formed between the garlic slices and the support belt when they are placed on it, thereby reducing the contact area between the garlic slices and the support belt. During the freeze-drying process, a certain air circulation space can also be formed at the bottom of the garlic slices, which is conducive to the release of moisture at the bottom of the garlic slices and reduces the adhesion between the garlic slices and the support belt to a certain extent.

[0023] 7. The present invention provides a fixing rod at the end of the fixing belt away from the rotation axis and a slot that cooperates with the fixing rod in the freeze-drying chamber. This allows the fixing belt to be positioned during unfolding or rewinding by cooperating with the fixing rod and the slot, which facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the fixing belt and also helps to maintain the stability of the fixing belt during equipment operation.

[0024] 8. The present invention sets a sensor in the slot. When the sensor detects that the fixing rod enters the slot, it can control the rotating shaft to stop rotating, thereby avoiding the situation where the fixing belt continues to wind up and the structure is over-wound. This allows the equipment to stop automatically during operation, which is beneficial to improving the safety of the equipment and also makes it easier for operators to take out or replace materials. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a front view of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified structural diagram of point A in the middle.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure when the material support strip is completely rolled up in this invention.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a side view of the material support strip when it is fully rolled up in this invention.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of the upper side of the fixing belt in this invention.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a partial side view of the fixing belt in this invention.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a partial structural diagram of the upper side of the material support belt in this invention.

[0032] Figure label: 1. Freeze-drying chamber; 11. Slot; 2. Rotating shaft; 3. Material support belt; 31. Fixing rod; 4. Fixing belt; 41. Crossbar; 5. Rewinding shaft; 51. Elastic element; 6. Limiting mechanism; 61. Limiting rod. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0034] like Figures 1-7 As shown, an energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for dehydrated garlic production mainly consists of a freeze-drying chamber 1, a rotating shaft 2, a supporting belt 3, a fixed belt 4, a winding shaft 5, and a limiting mechanism 6. The general working process of the equipment is as follows: garlic slices are laid flat on the supporting belt 3, the drive motor drives the rotating shaft 2 to rotate, and the supporting belt 3 and the fixed belt 4 are synchronously wound on the rotating shaft 2 under tension. The limiting mechanism 6 on the fixed belt 4 supports the interlayer spacing during the winding process, thereby forming a vortex-shaped columnar structure with fixed ventilation gaps between layers. This structure is placed in the freeze-drying chamber 1 for vacuum low-temperature sublimation drying. After drying, the rotating shaft 2 reverses, the fixed belt 4 is wound back under the action of the winding shaft 5, and the supporting belt 3 unfolds to release the dried garlic slices.

[0035] The freeze-drying chamber 1 includes an outer shell, a support structure inside the chamber, and a matching vacuum pumping system interface and a heating and temperature control system interface. The outer shell is made of stainless steel, and the interior of the chamber wall is filled with a thermal insulation layer formed by polyurethane or other thermal insulation materials to maintain the low temperature environment inside and withstand external atmospheric pressure. A rotatable rotating shaft 2 is transversely installed inside the freeze-drying chamber 1. The two ends of the rotating shaft 2 are rotatably installed on both sides of the inner wall of the freeze-drying chamber 1 through sealed bearing seats. One end extends through the chamber wall to the outside and is connected to an external drive device through a coupling. The drive device includes a reducer and a servo motor, which can drive the rotating shaft 2 to rotate in the forward or reverse direction at a set speed and torque. One end of the support belt 3 and the fixing belt 4 are connected to the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 2. The support belt 3 is used to support the garlic slices, and the fixing belt 4 is used to press and position the garlic slices. The support belt 3 is located inside the fixing belt 4, that is, before winding begins, the support belt 3 is located below the fixing belt 4. One end of the fixing belt 4 is fixedly connected to the surface of the rotating shaft 2, and the other end extends upward and is connected to the winding shaft 5 located at the top of the freeze-drying chamber 1. When the rotating shaft 2 rotates, the support belt 3 and the fixing belt 4 will be wrapped around the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 2 layer by layer under the action of tension, forming a vortex structure extending along the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 2. The upper side of the support belt 3 A receiving gap is formed between the surface of the belt 3 and the lower side of the fixing belt 4 to accommodate garlic slices. The height of the receiving gap is slightly less than the natural stacking height of the garlic slices, so that the fixing belt 4 can apply a certain normal pressure to the garlic slices to prevent them from shifting in position under vacuum. The upper side of the fixing belt 4 is provided with a limiting mechanism 6, which is used to limit the minimum pitch between two adjacent spirals during the winding process of the fixing belt 4, so that the adjacent spirals maintain a preset interval, thereby forming a through ventilation gap between the lower side of the supporting belt 3 and the upper side of the fixing belt 4. The ventilation gap is connected in the axial and circumferential directions, forming a channel for water vapor to sublimate and escape.

[0036] The limiting mechanism 6 includes multiple limiting rods 61 arranged along the length of the fixed belt 4. These limiting rods 61 are sequentially connected by a rotating connector to form a bendable chain structure, allowing the limiting mechanism 6 to form a bending shape adapted to the spiral pattern along the outer periphery of the rotating axis 2 during the winding of the fixed belt 4. The limiting rods 61 are typically made of rigid plastic or metal, possessing a certain compressive strength. Each limiting rod 61 is a long strip-shaped block, its bottom surface fixedly connected to or embedded in the upper surface of the fixed belt 4. The connection method can be adhesive, riveting, or sewing. The rotating connector is a pin, with hinge ears and hinge holes at the ends of two adjacent limiting rods 61. The pin passes through the hinge holes to connect the two limiting rods 61 together, allowing them to rotate relative to each other in a plane perpendicular to the surface of the fixed belt 4. Both ends of the limiting rods 61 are provided with inclined surfaces. When the chain structure is laid flat, adjacent limiting rods... The inclined surfaces of the positioning rods 61 are spread at a certain angle. When the chain structure is wound with the fixing belt 4, every two hinged positioning rods 61 will rotate relative to each other, causing the fixing belt 4 to bend. When the rotation reaches a certain angle, the inclined surfaces at the ends of two adjacent positioning rods 61 will abut against each other. At this time, an obtuse angle is formed between the axes of the two positioning rods 61. This obtuse angle is pre-calculated and set so that when the chain composed of multiple positioning rods 61 is subjected to radial inward pressure, it forms a rigid arched support structure due to the abutment of the inclined surfaces, thereby limiting the curvature of the fixing belt 4 during the winding process. This ensures that the radius of each layer of vortex is larger than that of the inner layer by a fixed value. This value is the height of the ventilation gap. This structure uses the interlocking principle of geometric shapes to automatically lock the layer spacing after winding and tightening, preventing the inner ventilation channel from being squeezed due to the tightening of the outer belt.

[0037] The fixing belt 4 is provided with multiple ventilation holes, which are evenly distributed in the belt area between the limiting rods 61. The diameter of the ventilation holes is smaller than the minimum size of garlic slices to prevent garlic slice fragments from falling off, while ensuring that water vapor can pass smoothly through the fixing belt 4 and enter the ventilation gap formed by the limiting mechanism 6. The fixing belt 4 is provided with multiple crossbars 41 at equal intervals. The crossbars 41 are rigid rods, and their length direction is parallel to the width direction of the fixing belt 4. The crossbars 41 are covered inside the material of the fixing belt 4 or fixed to the surface of the belt body to reduce the deformation of the fixing belt 4 in the width direction, prevent the belt body from shrinking laterally or curling under the action of winding tension, and ensure that the fixing belt 4 can cover the material support belt 3 flatly. The support belt 3 includes a belt body structure and a bearing area on the surface of the belt body. The upper side of the support belt 3 forms a bearing surface for placing garlic slices. Multiple protrusions or ridges can be provided on the bearing surface, distributed along the surface of the support belt 3. When the garlic slices are placed on the support belt 3, they contact the support belt 3 through the protrusions or ridges, maintaining a certain gap between the garlic slices and the belt body. This structure reduces the contact area between the garlic slices and the support belt 3, thereby reducing adhesion during the drying process and allowing air to pass through from the bottom of the material. The material of the support belt 3 can be a flexible strip material, allowing it to bend smoothly and conform to the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 2 during winding, while returning to a relatively flat state when unwound. The support belt 3 mainly serves to support the material in the entire device, maintaining the garlic slices in a stable position within the winding structure and providing sufficient space for the drying gas to flow.

[0038] A fixing rod 31 is provided at the end of the fixing belt 4 away from the rotating shaft 2. The length is slightly greater than the width of the fixing belt 4, and it is horizontally fixed to the end of the fixing belt 4. A slot 11 is provided on the inner wall of the freeze-drying chamber 1 or on a specially designed bracket. The position of the slot 11 corresponds to the end point of the trajectory of the fixing rod 31 after winding. The opening of the slot 11 faces the direction of movement of the fixing rod 31. After the fixing rod 31 enters the freeze-drying chamber 1, as the belt moves, both ends of the fixing rod 31 are finally embedded in the slot 11 to achieve physical limitation and prevent the winding from loosening. A sensor is provided in the slot 11. The sensor can be a pressure sensor, a limit switch or a photoelectric switch. When the sensor detects that the fixing rod 31 has fully entered the slot 11 and is pressed into place, it sends an electrical signal to the control system. The control system controls the rotating shaft 2 to stop rotating and activates the braking device to lock the shaft position. The take-up shaft 5 is rotatably installed inside the freeze-drying chamber 1 and above the rotating shaft 2. It is mounted on the chamber wall or support via a bearing seat. An elastic element 51 for winding the take-up shaft 5 is installed between the take-up shaft 5 and the freeze-drying chamber 1. The elastic element 51 is a spiral spring, with one end connected to the take-up shaft 5 and the other end connected to a fixed support. During the winding and loading process of the rotating shaft 2, the fixed belt 4 is pulled out, which drives the take-up shaft 5 to rotate. The spiral spring is tightened and stores energy. When the rotating shaft 2 reverses to unload, the spiral spring releases energy to drive the take-up shaft 5 to rotate in the opposite direction, automatically winding back the loose fixed belt 4 to prevent the belt from accumulating.

[0039] Working principle: The working process of this equipment includes three main stages: loading, drying, and unloading.

[0040] During the loading stage, the equipment is in its initial state. The rotating shaft 2 is stationary, most of the fixing belt 4 is wound on the upper take-up shaft 5, and the supporting belt 3 is loose or in a flat position. Freshly sliced ​​garlic is evenly laid on the surface of the supporting belt 3, supported by the raised dots or strips on the surface. The drive motor is started, causing the rotating shaft 2 to rotate slowly in the forward direction. The supporting belt 3 and the fixing belt 4 begin to wind synchronously under the drive of the rotating shaft 2. As the number of winding layers increases, the fixing belt 4 covers the supporting belt 3, holding the garlic slices in the middle. Simultaneously, the limiting mechanism 6 on the fixing belt 4 is wound in. Due to the beveled design of the end of the limiting rod 61, when the fixing belt 4 bends to a certain extent, the bevels of adjacent limiting rods 61 abut against each other, forming a rigid support that prevents the outer fixing belt 4 from moving further into the inner layer, thus forcibly maintaining the ventilation gap between layers. The winding continues until the fixing rod 31 at the end of the fixing belt 4 is inserted into the slot 11 and triggers the sensor, the motor stops, the rotating shaft 2 locks, and at this time the garlic slices are tightly arranged around the rotating shaft 2 in a spiral layered form.

[0041] During the drying stage, the freeze-drying chamber 1 is sealed, the vacuum pump is started to create a vacuum, and the heating system is activated. Under vacuum, the heating system provides sublimation heat to the spiral material column. The ice crystals in the garlic slices directly sublimate into water vapor. The generated water vapor passes through the gaps between the protrusions on the surface of the support belt 3, through the vents on the fixing belt 4, and collects in the interlayer ventilation gap supported by the limiting mechanism 6. The water vapor escapes rapidly along these spiral ventilation channels to both ends of the axis, eventually leaving the material column and entering the free space of the freeze-drying chamber 1 where it is captured by the cold trap. The crossbar 41 ensures the flatness of the fixing belt 4, the vents ensure vertical air permeability, and the limiting mechanism 6 ensures unobstructed radial interlayer channels.

[0042] During the unloading stage, after drying, the vacuum is released, and the drive motor drives the rotating shaft 2 to rotate in the opposite direction. As the rotating shaft 2 is released, the fixing rod 31 disengages from the slot 11. Under the restoring force of the spiral spring on the winding shaft 5, the winding shaft 5 automatically reverses, winding the fixing belt 4 upwards for storage. The receiving belt 3 then unfolds, and the dried garlic slices separate from the receiving belt 3, falling into the collection device below.

[0043] This invention employs a winding structure within the freeze-drying chamber 1, utilizing a rotating shaft 2 to wind the material-carrying belt 3 and the fixing belt 4 into a vortex-shaped column, which greatly improves the utilization rate of the internal space of the freeze-drying chamber 1 and increases the loading capacity of garlic slices in a single drying cycle.

[0044] By setting a chain-type limiting mechanism 6 consisting of multiple limiting rods 61 on the fixed belt 4, a stable interlayer ventilation gap is automatically constructed during the winding process using the mechanical principle of the inclined surfaces of the limiting rods 61 abutting each other. This structure solves the problem of poor internal ventilation and uneven drying caused by the tight adhesion between layers in traditional winding drying equipment. This ventilation gap, together with the vent holes on the fixed belt 4 and the protrusion structure on the material support belt 3, forms a three-dimensional water vapor escape channel, which significantly reduces mass transfer resistance, improves drying efficiency, shortens drying time, and thus reduces energy consumption.

[0045] The protrusions or strips on the support belt 3 reduce the contact area between the garlic slices and the belt body, preventing moisture residue and material adhesion in dead corners. The crossbars 41 on the fixing belt 4 enhance the lateral rigidity of the belt body and prevent winding deformation.

[0046] The cooperation between the fixing rod 31, the slot 11, and the sensor enables automatic positioning and stopping during the winding process, ensuring operational accuracy and safety. The take-up shaft 5 automatically rewinds the fixing belt 4 using the elastic element 51, simplifying the mechanical transmission structure and making the unloading process smoother.

[0047] An energy-saving agricultural product drying process for dehydrated garlic production includes the following steps: s1. Fabric and winding: The cleaned and sliced ​​garlic slices are evenly laid on the side surface of the support belt 3 with protrusions or strips; the rotating shaft 2 is started to rotate, so that the support belt 3 and the fixing belt 4 are wound synchronously on the rotating shaft 2; during the winding process, the mutual contact of the inclined surfaces of adjacent limiting rods 61 in the chain limiting mechanism 6 on the surface of the fixing belt 4 is used to limit the winding curvature, support the gap between two adjacent spiral lines, and form a ventilation gap. At the same time, the fixing belt 4 positions the garlic slices on the support belt 3 through its ventilation holes and crossbar 41 structure until the fixing rod 31 at the end of the fixing belt 4 is embedded in the slot 11 in the freeze-drying chamber 1 and triggers the sensor to stop the rotation, forming a spiral material column.

[0048] s2, Vacuum freeze drying: Seal the freeze drying chamber 1, start the vacuum system and heating system to make the chamber reach the preset vacuum degree and temperature environment; the moisture in the garlic slices sublimates and enters the ventilation gap between the layers through the micropores on the surface of the material support belt 3 and the air vents of the fixing belt 4, and is finally discharged from the material column; during the drying process, the limiting mechanism 6 continuously resists the radial pressure to keep the ventilation gap unobstructed.

[0049] s3, Reverse unloading: After drying, restore the normal pressure inside the chamber and control the rotating shaft 2 to rotate in the opposite direction; under the action of the winding shaft 5 and the elastic element 51, the fixing belt 4 automatically rolls back upward to collect, the material support belt 3 unfolds, and the dried garlic slices are separated from the material support belt 3 and collected.

[0050] By employing the above-mentioned process, the two-dimensional flat drying process is transformed into a three-dimensional spiral drying process through the winding of the fabric, significantly improving the loading rate of a single production batch. The forced ventilation gaps created by physical constraints ensure a short path and low resistance for water vapor escape under vacuum conditions, effectively solving the problem of incomplete internal drying caused by material accumulation and guaranteeing a uniform moisture content in the dehydrated garlic. Simultaneously, this process integrates fabric spreading, drying, and unloading, making it easy to operate. Combined with automated control logic, it significantly reduces manual labor intensity and improves production efficiency and product quality. The convex contact drying method preserves the shape and color of the garlic to the greatest extent, enhancing the market value of the final product.

[0051] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for the production of dehydrated garlic, comprising a freeze-drying chamber (1), characterized in that, The freeze-drying chamber (1) is equipped with a rotatable rotating shaft (2). The rotating shaft (2) is connected to a material support belt (3) for supporting garlic slices and a fixing belt (4) for pressing and positioning the garlic slices. One end of the fixing belt (4) is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft (2), and the other end is connected to a winding shaft (5) set in the freeze-drying chamber (1). When the rotating shaft (2) rotates, the material support belt (3) and the fixing belt (4) can be wound synchronously around the rotating shaft (2) and form a vortex structure extending along the outer periphery of the rotating shaft (2). A receiving gap for accommodating garlic slices is formed between the upper side of the material support belt (3) and the lower side of the fixing belt (4). The upper side of the fixing belt (4) is equipped with a limiting mechanism (6). The limiting mechanism (6) is used to limit the minimum pitch between two adjacent vortexes during the winding process of the fixing belt (4) so ​​that the adjacent rings maintain a preset interval, thereby forming a through ventilation gap between the lower side of the material support belt (3) and the upper side of the fixing belt (4).

2. The energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for dehydrated garlic production according to claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting mechanism (6) includes multiple limiting rods (61) arranged along the length direction of the fixed belt (4). The multiple limiting rods (61) are connected in sequence through a rotating connector to form a bendable chain structure, so that the limiting mechanism (6) can form a bending shape that is compatible with the vortex line along the outer periphery of the rotating axis (2) during the winding of the fixed belt (4).

3. The energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for dehydrated garlic production according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both ends of the limiting rod (61) are provided with inclined surfaces. When the inclined surfaces of two hinged limiting rods (61) abut each other, an obtuse angle is formed between the two limiting rods (61), thereby limiting the curvature of the fixing belt (4) during the winding process.

4. The energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for dehydrated garlic production according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fixing strap (4) is provided with multiple ventilation holes.

5. The energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for dehydrated garlic production according to claim 4, characterized in that, Multiple crossbars (41) are provided at equal intervals on the fixing band (4) to reduce the deformation of the fixing band (4) in the width direction.

6. The energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for dehydrated garlic production according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper side of the material support belt (3) is provided with protrusions or strips to reduce the contact area between the garlic slices and the material support belt (3).

7. The energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for dehydrated garlic production according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The fixing band (4) is provided with a fixing rod (31) at one end away from the rotating shaft (2). The freeze-drying chamber (1) is provided with a slot (11). After the fixing rod (31) enters the freeze-drying chamber (1), both ends of the fixing rod (31) are embedded in the slot (11).

8. The energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for dehydrated garlic production according to claim 7, characterized in that, A sensor is installed in the slot (11). When the sensor detects that the fixing rod (31) enters the slot (11), the rotating shaft (2) stops rotating.

9. The energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for dehydrated garlic production according to claim 7, characterized in that, The take-up shaft (5) is rotatably installed inside the freeze-drying chamber (1) and is located above the rotating shaft (2).

10. The energy-saving agricultural product drying equipment for dehydrated garlic production according to claim 7, characterized in that, An elastic element (51) for winding the winding shaft (5) is installed between the winding shaft (5) and the freeze-drying chamber (1).

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