A vegetable product manufacturing process and apparatus

Abstract

This invention discloses a vegetable product manufacturing process and apparatus, solving the problems of high vacuum leakage rate, high material breakage rate, uneven drying, and easy oxidation and browning in existing vacuum drying equipment. The apparatus includes a rotary feed valve, an integrated pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling chamber, a vibrating tube airlock, and a drying chamber, all connected in a sealed manner. The rotary feed valve adopts a double-row pulse purging anti-sticking design on the side wall. The integrated pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling chamber integrates ultrasonic pretreatment, infrared steam combined enzyme inactivation, and two-stage micro-negative pressure precooling functions. The drying chamber adopts an integral vibrating structure, internally divided into gradient pressure chambers, which, together with a gradient perforated vibrating mesh plate, achieve vacuum gradient drying. The vibrating tube airlock achieves pressure differential isolation through a self-compacting material column and is controlled by an electromagnetic valve. The process includes system pre-start, feeding, pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling, material column formation, vacuum gradient drying, and discharging steps, with real-time control of pressure differential, vibration parameters, and temperature and pressure gradients via PLC.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of vegetable deep processing technology, specifically relating to a vegetable product production process and apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] With increasing awareness of healthy eating, low-oil, non-fried vegetable crisps have become the mainstream in the market. However, existing vacuum frying and vacuum freeze-drying processes suffer from drawbacks such as high oil content and high cost. While vacuum hot air drying offers advantages in both quality and cost, its core components still have structural defects.

[0003] The structure of the drying chamber presents prominent contradictions: the traditional external bed body + bellows seal design has a large number of dynamic sealing points, resulting in a high leakage rate and easy formation of sanitary dead corners; a single tilting excitation will generate a vertical component force, causing materials to jump and collide, which can easily cause brittle fragments to break; solid partitions cannot form a continuous vacuum gradient and are prone to material jamming.

[0004] The differential pressure isolation device is inadequate: the existing rotary feeder valve has serious leakage and is prone to material jamming under high pressure differential, and the dual valve alternating unloading can only achieve intermittent conveying, and cannot take into account both continuous conveying and reliable sealing.

[0005] Pre-cooling methods have drawbacks: water-cooled pre-cooling is prone to secondary pollution, while air-cooled pre-cooling has high energy consumption and low efficiency, and neither can quickly and evenly cool down in a closed environment.

[0006] Furthermore, most production lines employ open-loop transfer processes for pretreatment, enzyme inactivation, precooling, and drying, exposing materials to air and making them prone to oxidation and browning, resulting in significant loss of product color and nutrients. Existing technologies cannot simultaneously address these core issues, hindering the industrial application of vacuum hot air drying technology. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a fully continuous, enclosed vegetable product production device and process, enabling one-stop enclosed production from fresh vegetable slices to finished crisps, while solving the problems of high vacuum leakage rate, high material breakage rate, and uneven drying in traditional equipment.

[0008] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the technical solution adopted by this invention is as follows:

[0009] A vegetable product manufacturing apparatus includes a rotary feed valve, an integrated pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling chamber, a vibrating tube airlock, and a drying chamber.

[0010] The pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber is equipped with the rotary feed valve at its input end, and the output end of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber is connected to the input end of the drying chamber through the vibrating tube airlock. The output end of the drying chamber is connected to the next process through the vibrating tube airlock.

[0011] The pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity is provided with a first material distribution component, a water tank component, an infrared steam combined enzyme inactivation zone, a micro negative pressure precooling zone and a first hopper in sequence along the material conveying direction;

[0012] The drying chamber is provided with a second material distribution component, a vibrating mesh plate, and a second hopper in sequence along the material conveying direction in the middle part of the chamber; the upper and lower walls of the drying chamber are linearly arrayed with several partitions, which divide the drying chamber into several gradient pressure chambers; each gradient pressure chamber is provided with an air extraction port at the top and a ventilation port at the bottom, and a third pressure sensor is provided near the air extraction port; each gradient pressure chamber is provided with a pair of first infrared heating plates mirrored at the top and bottom; each air extraction port is connected to an external vacuum system;

[0013] The input and output ends of the vibratory tube airlock are respectively equipped with a fourth pressure sensor and a fifth pressure sensor.

[0014] The material enters the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber through the rotary feed valve, is distributed by the first material distribution component, and then enters the water tank component for ultrasonic pretreatment. After being sent to the micro-negative pressure precooling zone for precooling, it falls into the first hopper. From the first hopper, it is introduced into the drying chamber through the vibrating tube airlock for uniform drying, and then sent to the next process through another vibrating tube airlock.

[0015] Furthermore, the infrared steam combined enzyme inactivation zone includes a second infrared heating plate and a swirling steam nozzle;

[0016] The pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity has a number of second infrared heating plates arranged in a linear array at the top and bottom, and a pair of swirling steam nozzles are provided between two adjacent second infrared heating plates, which are respectively mirror-arranged on the left and right walls of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity;

[0017] The micro-negative pressure precooling zone includes a first-stage micro-negative pressure precooling zone and a second-stage micro-negative pressure precooling zone. A first air extraction port and a second air extraction port are respectively located at the top of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity in the areas of the first-stage and second-stage micro-negative pressure precooling zones. A first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor are respectively located near the first and second air extraction ports. The first and second air extraction ports are connected to an external vacuum system.

[0018] The pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity is located at the bottom of the micro negative pressure precooling zone and has several material disturbance nozzles arranged in a linear array.

[0019] The pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity is located in the middle of the micro-negative pressure precooling zone and the infrared steam combined enzyme inactivation zone, and is equipped with a conveyor belt.

[0020] The output end of the conveyor belt is connected to the input end of the first hopper.

[0021] Furthermore, the water tank components include a water tank, an ultrasonic transducer, an upper pressure plate, a water tank conveyor belt, an intermediate conveyor belt, an overflow trough, an outlet pipe, and an inlet pipe;

[0022] The water tank contains a plurality of ultrasonic transducers arranged in a horizontal and vertical array. A water tank conveyor belt is detachably installed on top of the ultrasonic transducers. An upper pressure plate is arranged parallel to the top of the water tank conveyor belt and is detachably connected to the top of the water tank. The input end of the water tank conveyor belt is connected to the first fabric component, and the output end is connected to the conveyor belt through the intermediate conveyor belt inclined at the end of the water tank.

[0023] The water tank is provided with an overflow trough and an overflow port adapted thereto at the end of the water tank, the water outlet pipe is provided at the bottom of the overflow trough, and the water inlet pipe is connected to the bottom of the beginning of the water tank.

[0024] The inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are connected to an external water bath circulation system.

[0025] Furthermore, the first fabric component includes a first distribution cone, a first chute, a support plate, and a first vibration motor;

[0026] The pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity has a support plate fixedly installed at its first end. The first vibration motor is detachably installed on the top of the support plate. The first chute is hinged to the top of the support plate and is inclined downwards. The working end of the first vibration motor is connected to the first chute. The first chute has a plurality of first distribution troughs arranged in an array along the vertical material conveying direction. The first distribution trough is provided with a first distribution cone at its top. The bottom of the first distribution trough is connected to the water tank conveyor belt. The top of the first distribution cone abuts against the connection port of the rotary feed valve and the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity.

[0027] Furthermore, the vibrating tube type airlock includes a bellows, a first conical vibrating tube with a large inlet and a small outlet, a second conical vibrating tube with a large inlet and a small outlet, and a third conical vibrating tube with a large inlet and a small outlet.

[0028] The first conical vibrating tube, the second conical vibrating tube, and the third conical vibrating tube are connected by the corrugated pipe;

[0029] The input end of the first conical vibrating tube is connected to the discharge port of the first or second hopper through the corrugated pipe, and the output end of the third conical vibrating tube is connected to the interior of the drying chamber or the next process through the corrugated pipe.

[0030] The first, second, and third conical vibrating tubes are detachably and inclinedly equipped with second vibrating motors on their sidewalls, and air hammers are detachably provided on their tops;

[0031] The output end of the third conical vibrating tube is equipped with a closable electromagnetic valve.

[0032] Furthermore, the second fabric component includes a second distributing cone and a second chute;

[0033] The drying chamber is provided with a second chute at the first end that is inclined downward. The second chute has a plurality of second distribution troughs arranged in an array perpendicular to the material conveying direction. The second distribution trough is provided with a second distribution cone at the top. The bottom of the second distribution trough is connected to the vibrating mesh plate. The top of the second distribution cone abuts against the connection port between the vibrating tube airlock and the drying chamber.

[0034] Furthermore, the bottom of the drying chamber is provided with several vibration springs in the circumferential direction. The vibration springs are sleeved on the limiting posts, and the limiting posts are fixedly set on the base of the drying chamber. Two third vibration motors of the same model are symmetrically inclined on the side wall of the drying chamber and rotate synchronously in opposite directions.

[0035] The integrated pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling chamber is fixedly mounted on the base.

[0036] Furthermore, the rotary feed valve has two rows of nozzles and a proximity switch extending through its sidewall along the axis;

[0037] The nozzle and the proximity switch are located on the lower side of the rotating shaft. The nozzle is used to spray materials to avoid sticking, and the proximity switch is used to detect the approach of the fan blades. The trigger signal is sent to the PLC 0.1 seconds in advance to ensure that the purging timing and the blade position are accurately matched.

[0038] Furthermore, this includes the following steps:

[0039] S1 System Pre-start: Turn on the water bath circulation system and ultrasonic transducer of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber to stabilize the water temperature in the water tank at 40-45℃; close the electromagnetic valve of the third conical vibration tube, turn on the first infrared heating plate and vacuum system of the drying chamber to heat the drying chamber to 80℃ and evacuate to 5kPa ultimate vacuum, maintain for 30 minutes to remove adsorbed moisture from the inner wall of the chamber, and maintain the drying chamber in a 5kPa vacuum state for standby.

[0040] S2 Feeding: Start the rotary feed valve, and the material enters the water tank of the water tank component after being evenly distributed by the first material distribution component for ultrasonic pretreatment.

[0041] S3 Pretreatment and Precooling: The material after ultrasonic pretreatment enters the infrared steam combined enzyme inactivation zone and the micro negative pressure precooling zone in sequence. Enzyme inactivation is completed under a micro positive pressure environment of 115-120℃ and 102-104kPa, and then precooling is completed under a two-stage micro negative pressure environment of 90-92kPa and 82-85kPa.

[0042] S4 Formation of the first material column: Simultaneously start the second vibration motor of the vibrating tube airlock at the output end of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber and the vibrating tube airlock at the output end of the drying chamber. When the fourth and fifth pressure sensors of the vibrating tube airlock at the output end of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber detect a pressure difference of 55 kPa, it is determined that the material column has formed, the electromagnetic valve corresponding to the airlock is opened, and the third vibration motor of the drying chamber is started.

[0043] S5 Vacuum Gradient Drying: The pre-cooled material enters the drying chamber through the vibrating tube airlock at the output end of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber. The pumping rate of each chamber is dynamically adjusted by an independent electric regulating valve to maintain the pressure of the first gradient partial pressure chamber at 25 kPa. When the pressure of the first gradient partial pressure chamber in the drying chamber stabilizes at 25 kPa, the system enters normal operation. The material undergoes a linear pressure gradient from 25 kPa to 5 kPa and a linear temperature gradient from 80°C to 60°C in the seven gradient partial pressure chambers, thus completing the low-temperature drying.

[0044] S6 Formation of the second material column: The dried material falls into the second hopper and enters the vibrating tube airlock at the output end of the drying chamber. When the fourth and fifth pressure sensors of the vibrating tube airlock at the output end of the drying chamber detect a pressure difference of 90 kPa, it is determined that the material column has formed. The electromagnetic valve corresponding to the airlock is opened, and the material is continuously transported to the next process.

[0045] Furthermore, in step S2, when the rotary feed valve is running, the proximity switch detects that the rotor blade is about to pass by and triggers the nozzle to perform a 0.2-second pulse purging; the upper row of nozzles is aimed at the dead corner at the root of the blade with a pressure of 0.05MPa, and the lower row of nozzles is aimed at the radial surface of the blade with a pressure of 0.03MPa.

[0046] In step S5, the vibration acceleration of the third vibration motor in the drying chamber is strictly controlled at 0.3-0.5g, so that the material exhibits a low-impact, micro-slip motion on the vibrating screen plate without large-scale air-lifting collisions; the air intake volume of the bottom ventilation port of each gradient pressure chamber is precisely matched with the air extraction volume of the top exhaust port, and the airflow velocity in the chamber is stabilized at 0.3-0.5m / s.

[0047] In steps S4 and S6, the PLC monitors the pressure difference between the two vibrating tube airlocks in real time: when the pressure difference is lower than the set value, the frequency of the second vibrating motor of the corresponding airlock is reduced, and the air hammer is started to strike once every 10 seconds. The striking stops after the pressure difference is restored; when the pressure difference is higher than the set value, the frequency of the second vibrating motor of the corresponding airlock is increased to speed up the material conveying speed.

[0048] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0049] Excellent vacuum performance: The overall vibration drying chamber design significantly reduces the number of sealing points, significantly reduces the vacuum leakage rate, effectively reduces the energy consumption of the vacuum system, and can stably maintain a continuous vacuum gradient environment, solving the problem of unreliable sealing of traditional external fluidized bed.

[0050] Good material integrity: The pure horizontal excitation force generated by two reverse synchronous vibration motors, combined with a vibration acceleration design of 0.3-0.5g, avoids large-scale airborne collisions of materials, greatly reduces the breakage rate of brittle materials, and effectively preserves the integrity of the product's shape and sensory quality.

[0051] High drying uniformity: The gradient perforated bed plate and porous partition technology are used to precisely match the changes in air permeability during the material drying process, and force the airflow to pass through the material layer evenly to achieve uniform drying, thereby improving the consistency of product quality and the pass rate. Attached Figure Description

[0052] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the integrated pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling chamber;

[0054] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0055] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a vibratory tube-type airlock structure;

[0056] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the drying chamber;

[0057] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of a rotary feed valve;

[0058] Explanation of markings in the diagram:

[0059] 1- Rotary feed valve, 101- Nozzle, 102- Proximity switch; 2- Pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber, 201- Base, 11- Second infrared heating plate, 12- Swirl steam nozzle, 13- Material disturbance nozzle, 14- First exhaust port, 15- Second exhaust port, 16- Conveyor belt, 17- Fourth pressure sensor, 18- First hopper; 3- Vibrating tube airlock, 301- Bellows, 302- Air hammer, 303- Second vibration motor, 304- First conical vibrating tube, 305- Second conical vibrating tube, 306- Third conical vibrating tube; 4- Drying chamber, 402- Vibration spring, 403- Limiting post, 4 04-Drying chamber base, 19-Fifth pressure sensor, 20-Partition plate, 21-Exhaust port, 22-Vibrating mesh plate, 23-First infrared heating plate, 24-Second hopper, 25-Third vibration motor; 501-First material distribution cone, 502-First chute, 5021-First material distribution channel, 503-Support plate, 504-First vibration motor, 505-Water tank, 506-Ultrasonic transducer, 507-Upper pressure plate, 508-Water tank conveyor belt, 509-Intermediate conveyor belt, 510-Overflow channel, 511-Water outlet pipe, 512-Water inlet pipe; 601-Second material distribution cone, 602-Second chute, 6021-Second material distribution channel. Detailed Implementation

[0060] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, the technical means used in the embodiments are conventional means well known to those skilled in the art.

[0061] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this invention, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0062] like Figure 1-6 As shown, a vegetable product production device of the present invention includes a rotary feed valve 1, a pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber 2, a vibrating tube airlock 3, and a drying chamber 4, which are sequentially sealed and connected.

[0063] The rotary feed valve 1 is made of DN150 standard 316L stainless steel and features a 6-blade large-arc rotor design. All edges are rounded, and the rotor and inner wall of the housing are coated with a food-grade Teflon coating with a surface roughness Ra≤0.4μm, effectively reducing material adhesion to the wall. Two rows of nozzles 101 and one proximity switch 102 are installed along the lower side of the rotary feed valve 1's side wall axis. The six nozzles 101 are arranged in two staggered rows: the upper row of three φ1.5mm nozzles is tilted upwards at 45°, precisely aligning with the 90° dead angle between the blade root and the rotating shaft; the lower row of three φ2mm nozzles is tilted downwards at 30°, aligning with the radial surface of the blade. The proximity switch 102 is an NPN type, high-temperature resistant and waterproof, used to detect the position of the rotor blades. When the proximity switch 102 detects that a rotor blade is about to pass, it sends a signal to the PLC 0.1 seconds in advance. The PLC triggers the solenoid valve to open 0.2 seconds later, and compressed air pulses through the nozzles 101 for purging. The upper nozzles use a higher pressure of 0.05 MPa to remove stubborn material stuck at the root; the lower nozzles use a lower pressure of 0.03 MPa to remove loose material stuck on the surface. This synchronous pulse purging design ensures effective material removal while avoiding the problems of material splashing and excessive air consumption caused by continuous purging. The compressed air must undergo 0.1 μm precision filtration and freeze-drying treatment, with a dew point ≤ -20℃, to prevent material from absorbing moisture and nozzle clogging. The rotary feed valve is equipped with a geared motor with torque protection. When the torque exceeds 1.5 times the rated value, it automatically reverses 3 revolutions and then rotates forward, effectively removing large pieces of material stuck between the blades and the housing, preventing motor burnout.

[0064] The pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber 2 is made of 316L stainless steel and is fixedly installed on the base 201. The interior of the chamber is arranged in sequence along the material conveying direction, including a first material distribution component, a water tank component, an infrared steam combined enzyme inactivation zone, a micro-negative pressure precooling zone, and a first hopper 18.

[0065] The first material distribution component includes a first distribution cone 501, a first chute 502, a support plate 503, and a first vibrating motor 504. The support plate 503 is fixed to the inner end of the cavity, and the top of it is hinged to a first chute 502 inclined downwards at 15°. The first vibrating motor 504 is mounted on the top of the support plate 503, with its working end connected to the first chute 502. The first chute 502 has five first distribution channels 5021 evenly distributed along the vertical material conveying direction, and a first distribution cone 501 is located at its top, with the top of the first distribution cone 501 abutting the outlet of the rotary feed valve 1. The concentrated material flow falling from the rotary feed valve 1 first impacts the first distribution cone 501, is initially dispersed, and then falls into the first distribution channels 5021. The first vibrating motor 504 drives the first chute 502 to vibrate, evenly conveying the material across the entire width of the water tank conveyor belt 508, achieving uniform material distribution. The frequency of the first vibrating motor is adjustable, ranging from 30-50Hz, and the vibration intensity can be adjusted according to the material characteristics. The water tank components include a water tank 505, ultrasonic transducers 506, an upper pressure plate 507, a water tank conveyor belt 508, an intermediate conveyor belt 509, an overflow trough 510, an outlet pipe 511, and an inlet pipe 512. The bottom outer side of the water tank 505 has 20 25kHz / 50W immersion ultrasonic transducers 506 arranged in a staggered 5-row, 4-column configuration. All transducers are tilted upwards at 15° towards the center of the tank to prevent ultrasonic waves from reflecting off the tank walls and forming standing waves, thus improving energy utilization. The 20 transducers are divided into 4 independent control groups, allowing adjustment of the ultrasonic power in each section according to the characteristics of different materials. The water tank conveyor belt 508 has a U-shaped submerged structure, completely submerged 20mm below the water surface, with an upper pressure plate 507 parallel to its top. The upper pressure plate 507 is made of 316L stainless steel wire mesh with a mesh opening. It is connected to the top of the water tank 505 via a quick-release buckle, which can press vegetable slices with a density less than water into the water, ensuring that all materials can be subjected to ultrasonic treatment. The top of the discharge end of the water tank 505 has a serrated overflow groove 510 with a tooth height of 10mm and a tooth spacing of 20mm, making the overflow more uniform. The bottom has a DN80 water outlet pipe 511, and each side of the bottom has a DN25 side drain port. Five DN15 bottom rinsing nozzles are evenly arranged along the length. The water inlet pipe 512 is located at the bottom of both sides of the feed end of the water tank 505, using a tangential water inlet method. The water flow direction is at a 45° angle to the material flow direction, generating a rotating water flow to enhance the agitation effect of the material. The water inlet pipe 512 and the water outlet pipe 511 are connected to an external water bath circulation system to maintain a stable water temperature in the water tank at 40-45℃. The ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic transducer 506 propagate in the water, disrupting the cell wall structure of the vegetables and improving the subsequent drying speed. The upper pressure plate 507 prevents materials from floating and ensures that all materials receive uniform ultrasonic treatment. The output end of the water tank conveyor belt 508 is connected to the conveyor belt 16 through the intermediate conveyor belt 509 inclined at 30°, so that the materials can smoothly slide from the water onto the conveyor belt 16 and avoid accumulation at the outlet.

[0066] The infrared-steam combined enzyme inactivation zone is located inside the cavity. Twelve 2kW second infrared heating plates 11 are linearly arrayed at the top and bottom. A pair of swirling steam nozzles 12 are positioned between every two adjacent second infrared heating plates 11, mirror-mounted on the left and right walls of the cavity. The second infrared heating plates 11 heat the interior of the cavity to 115-120℃, while the swirling steam nozzles 12 eject superheated steam at 120℃, creating a combined infrared-steam heating environment. This heating method utilizes both the penetrating power of infrared heating and the uniformity of steam heating, rapidly inactivating polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase in vegetables within 60-90 seconds, while avoiding overcooking. A DN80 steam reflux port is located at the top center of the enzyme inactivation zone, recovering 70% of the steam. The remaining 30% of the steam flows to the pre-cooling zone as an evaporation medium, improving energy utilization.

[0067] The micro-negative pressure precooling zone is located inside the chamber and is divided into a first-stage micro-negative pressure precooling zone and a second-stage micro-negative pressure precooling zone. The top of the chamber is equipped with a DN100 first exhaust port 14 and a second exhaust port 15, respectively connected to water ring vacuum pumps with capacities of 200 m³ / h and 150 m³ / h, controlling the pressure in the two precooling zones at 90-92 kPa and 82-85 kPa. At the bottom of the precooling zone, a linear array of five material agitation nozzles 13 sprays low-pressure steam upwards, causing slight agitation of the material and accelerating surface moisture evaporation, achieving evaporative precooling. This precooling method does not require additional cooling media, has low energy consumption, and avoids secondary contamination caused by contact between the material and cooling water. A conveyor belt 16 runs through the entire enzyme inactivation zone and precooling zone, using a 316L stainless steel mesh belt with adjustable speed, and its output end connects to the first hopper 18.

[0068] The micro-negative pressure pre-cooling zone is a crucial transitional unit connecting infrared steam enzyme inactivation and vacuum drying. It plays a triple role in rapid cooling, heat recovery, and pressure buffering. Utilizing the principle of evaporative cooling, it achieves non-contact pre-cooling of materials in a closed environment, completely overcoming the inherent shortcomings of traditional water and air cooling. Taking advantage of the lower boiling point of water under low pressure, a micro-negative pressure environment is created within the chamber through air extraction. Moisture on the material surface rapidly evaporates, absorbing latent heat, reducing the material temperature from 115-120℃ to below 60℃ within 30-45 seconds. The small temperature difference between the inside and outside of the material prevents surface crusting. No cooling water or cold air is used in direct contact with the material throughout the process, eliminating the risk of microbial contamination and cross-contamination, meeting food production hygiene requirements. Excess steam generated in the enzyme inactivation zone enters the pre-cooling zone with the material, participating in the pre-cooling process as an evaporation medium, eliminating the need for additional cooling media and reducing overall system energy consumption by more than 20%. By using two-stage evacuation to create a gradual pressure gradient of 90-92 kPa and 82-85 kPa, a pressure transition is provided for the subsequent entry into the drying chamber in a 5 kPa vacuum environment, thus preventing sudden pressure changes that could cause the material to be blown away or oxidized by the airflow.

[0069] Specifically, uncondensed steam in the enzyme inactivation zone flows naturally into the precooling zone through the space above the conveyor belt. The negative pressure airflow generated by the first and second exhaust ports 14 and 15 in the precooling zone guides the steam flow, ensuring a slightly positive pressure environment (102-104 kPa) in the enzyme inactivation zone while also achieving steam recovery and utilization. Low-pressure steam (0.05 MPa) is introduced through the material agitation nozzles 13 at the bottom of the precooling zone, spraying upwards to slightly agitate the material, preventing it from accumulating on the conveyor belt 16 and forming a thick layer. This ensures that moisture on the surface of all materials evaporates quickly, improving precooling uniformity. The precooled material falls into the first hopper 18 along with the conveyor belt 16. The first hopper acts as a temporary buffer and flow stabilizer, ensuring that the material continuously and evenly enters the intermediate vibrating tube airlock 3. The final pressure (82-85 kPa) of the precooling zone is consistent with the upstream pressure of the intermediate airlock, preventing airflow disturbance within the hopper.

[0070] This device comprises two vibrating tube airlocks 3, installed between the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber 2 and the drying chamber 4, and between the drying chamber 4 and the final discharge system, respectively. Each vibrating tube airlock 3 includes a first conical vibrating tube 304 (large inlet, small outlet), a second conical vibrating tube 305 (large inlet, small outlet), and a third conical vibrating tube 306 (large inlet, small outlet), connected sequentially by corrugated pipes 301. Each section of the vibrating tube has a second vibrating motor 303 mounted obliquely on its side wall and a miniature air hammer 302 mounted on its top. The vibrating tubes are independently supported on the frame by four rubber damping springs, and all connections use 316L stainless steel flexible corrugated pipes 301 for complete vibration isolation. The output end of the third conical vibrating tube 306 is equipped with a closable solenoid valve to maintain a seal before the material column forms. The input and output ends of the airlock are equipped with a fourth pressure sensor 17 and a fifth pressure sensor 19, respectively, for real-time monitoring of the airlock's pressure differential. The vibrating tube airlock utilizes the throttling resistance generated by the continuous column of material itself to achieve sealing. As the material is conveyed forward, the cross-sectional area of ​​the channel gradually decreases, becoming increasingly compacted and forming a natural seal. For the intermediate airlock, it can isolate a pressure difference of 58 kPa between the pre-cooling zone and the drying chamber; for the final discharge airlock, it can isolate a pressure difference of 96 kPa between the drying chamber and atmospheric pressure. The PLC monitors the pressure difference between the two airlocks in real time: when the pressure difference is lower than the set value, the frequency of the second vibrating motor 303 of the corresponding airlock is reduced, and the air hammer 302 is activated to strike once every 10 seconds, stopping the striking once the pressure difference recovers; when the pressure difference is higher than the set value, the frequency of the second vibrating motor 303 of the corresponding airlock is increased to accelerate the material conveying speed. The solenoid valve remains closed before the material column forms to prevent air from entering the drying chamber; it automatically opens when the pressure difference reaches the set value to achieve continuous conveying.

[0071] The drying chamber 4 is a 316L stainless steel sealed pressure vessel with a quick-opening inspection port at each end for easy access and maintenance. Three DN50 CIP cleaning ports are located at the top of the chamber, and a DN50 drain port is located at the lowest point of the bottom. Eight vibration springs 402 are circumferentially mounted on the bottom of the drying chamber 4, fitted onto limiting posts 403. The limiting posts 403 are fixed to the drying chamber base 404, supporting the entire drying chamber and isolating vibrations. Two identical third vibration motors 25 are symmetrically inclined on the side wall of the drying chamber 4, rotating synchronously in opposite directions. The vertical components of the excitation force cancel each other out, generating only a superimposed excitation force in the purely horizontal direction.

[0072] A second material distribution component is provided at the inlet of the drying chamber 4, including a second distribution cone 601 and a second chute 602. The second chute 602 is installed at a downward inclination of 15°, and five second distribution channels 6021 are evenly distributed along the vertical material conveying direction. The top is provided with a second distribution cone 601. The material falling from the central vibrating tube airlock 3 first impacts the second distribution cone 601, is initially dispersed, and then falls into the second distribution channels 6021, where it is evenly distributed across the entire width of the vibrating mesh plate 22.

[0073] The drying chamber is the core processing unit of the entire production line. It adopts an innovative structure of integral vibration combined with porous baffle gradient partitioning, achieving continuous vacuum gradient drying within a single sealed pressure vessel. This simultaneously solves the three core problems of traditional equipment: vacuum leakage, material breakage, and uneven drying. The integral chamber vibration design eliminates the multiple bellows seals of traditional external beds, retaining only two drive shaft sealing points. The vacuum leakage rate is <0.1 m³ / h, and it can stably maintain a linear pressure gradient of 25 kPa to 5 kPa, providing a reliable vacuum environment for low-temperature drying. The pure horizontal excitation force generated by two counter-synchronous vibration motors, combined with a vibration acceleration of 0.3-0.5 g, causes the material to exhibit a low-impact, micro-slip motion on the vibrating mesh plate 22, without significant airborne collisions. The material breakage rate is <1%, effectively preserving the integrity of the product's shape. The interior is divided into seven relatively independent pressure gradient chambers by six porous baffles 20, forming a continuous and smooth pressure and temperature gradient. Combined with a vibrating mesh plate 22 with gradient openings along its length, it precisely matches the permeability changes of the material from wet to dry, forcing airflow to pass evenly through the material layer, achieving a drying uniformity of ±3%. Each chamber has a first infrared heating plate 23 positioned vertically, using radiation heating to directly heat the material and simultaneously heat the drying air entering the chamber, achieving a thermal efficiency of over 95%, saving 30% more energy than traditional convection heating. The pre-cooled material enters the drying chamber through the intermediate vibrating tube airlock 3, first impacting the second distribution cone 601 for initial dispersion, then falling into the second distribution trough 6021 of the second chute 602, evenly distributing across the entire width of the vibrating mesh plate 22, ensuring a uniform bed thickness (±5%). The exhaust port 21 at the top of each gradient pressure chamber is connected to an independent electric regulating valve, and the vent at the bottom is connected to the drying hot air system. Based on data from the third pressure sensor in each chamber, the PLC synchronously adjusts the opening of the exhaust valve and the hot air intake to create a linear pressure gradient of 25kPa→22kPa→19kPa→16kPa→12kPa→8kPa→5kPa across the seven chambers, while simultaneously achieving a linear temperature gradient of 80℃→60℃. The porous baffle 20 suppresses cross-contamination between chambers through the throttling effect of its small holes, ensuring the stability of the gradient. The vibrating screen 22 is rigidly connected to the drying chamber and vibrates horizontally along with the chamber. The PLC automatically adjusts the frequency of the third vibrating motor 25 based on the material characteristics and moisture content, controlling the vibration acceleration within the optimal range of 0.3-0.5g to ensure continuous and stable forward conveying of the material while preventing breakage. The dried material moves with the vibrating screen 22 to the end of the chamber, falls into the second hopper 24 for buffering, and then continuously enters the final vibrating tube airlock 3. The PLC controls the opening timing of the solenoid valve of the final airlock based on the pressure and material residence time in the last chamber of the drying chamber, ensuring that the vacuum environment of the drying chamber is not affected by external factors.Each chamber has an independently temperature-controlled upper and lower infrared heating plate 23. The PLC automatically adjusts the power of the heating plate based on real-time data from the temperature sensor to ensure that the temperature of each chamber remains stable at the set value, thus achieving precise gradient temperature control.

[0074] The vibrating screen 22 is a segmented fish-scale perforated guide bed, divided into 6 sections, connected by quick-release clips for easy disassembly and cleaning. The bed is made of 316L stainless steel sheet, formed by a single stamping process without welding points. The bed features a linear gradient perforation design along its length: the inlet section has an 18% perforation rate with a 35° backward tilt; the middle section has a 15% perforation rate with a 30° backward tilt; and the outlet section has a 12% perforation rate with a 25° backward tilt, with all holes having a diameter of 1.5mm. This gradient perforation design perfectly matches the changes in air permeability during material drying, ensuring that the airflow velocity across the entire bed surface remains stable within the optimal range of 0.3-0.5m / s. The entire drying chamber is driven by two counter-synchronously operating third vibrating motors 25, generating a purely horizontal excitation force. Vibration acceleration is strictly controlled within 0.3-0.5g. Within this range, the material will not be thrown up significantly, but will only make slight relative sliding movements on the bed surface, which fundamentally eliminates the possibility of large-scale collision and breakage, and significantly reduces the material breakage rate.

[0075] The drying chamber 4 is vertically equipped with six 316L stainless steel perforated baffles 20, dividing the chamber into seven independent gradient pressure chambers. Each baffle 20 has a 15mm material channel between its bottom and the vibrating screen 22, and an airflow channel between its top and the top of the chamber. The baffles 20 have evenly distributed φ3mm holes with a 30% opening rate, all angled downwards at 30°. The perforated baffles do not act as physical barriers but rather as throttling buffers; airflow passing through the holes generates local resistance, creating a small pressure difference on both sides of the baffle. Each gradient pressure chamber has a DN100 exhaust port 21 at the top and a DN50 vent at the bottom. The exhaust port is connected to the main vacuum system via an independent electric regulating valve, and the vent is connected to the drying hot air system. By adjusting the opening of each exhaust port and the airflow of the vent, a linear decreasing pressure gradient of 25kPa to 5kPa and a linear decreasing temperature gradient of 80℃ to 60℃ can be formed within the seven chambers. This partitioning method has a simple structure, low cost, and allows materials to pass through the gaps at the bottom without any obstruction, preventing accumulation and breakage.

[0076] Each gradient pressure chamber has a pair of 1.5kW first infrared heating plates 23 mirrored at the top and bottom, with independent temperature control to achieve a linearly decreasing temperature gradient from 80℃ to 60℃. The bottom heating plate is installed in the air chamber, 100mm away from the vibrating mesh plate 22, which can simultaneously heat the airflow and the bed plate, improving drying efficiency. A second hopper 24 is located at the end of the drying chamber 4. The dried material falls into the second hopper 24 and is then conveyed to the electric three-way diversion valve via the final vibrating tube airlock 3. The PLC automatically switches the diversion valve to the finished product channel or the waste channel based on the pressure of the last chamber of the drying chamber and the material residence time, realizing the automatic separation of unqualified materials.

[0077] The manufacturing process of this invention:

[0078] The following describes the production process of this invention in detail using a 1500kg / h carrot chip production line as an example:

[0079] System pre-start: Turn on the water bath circulation system to heat the water temperature in the water tank 505 to 42℃ and maintain it stable; turn on 20 ultrasonic transducers 506 and set the power density to 1.0W / cm²; close the solenoid valves at the output end of the third conical vibrating tube 306 of the two vibrating tube airlocks 3; turn on the 14 sets of first infrared heating plates 23 in the drying chamber 4 to heat the chamber to 80℃; turn on the Roots water ring vacuum unit to evacuate the drying chamber 4 to a 5kPa ultimate vacuum and maintain it for 30 minutes to remove the moisture adsorbed on the inner wall of the chamber; maintain the drying chamber in a 5kPa vacuum state for standby.

[0080] Feeding: Start the rotary feed valve 1 and feed material at 22.5 rpm (150% of rated speed) for 10 minutes, while simultaneously increasing the speed of the conveyor belt 16 to 150% of the rated speed. After being evenly distributed by the first material distribution component, the material enters the water tank 505 for ultrasonic pretreatment. When the rotary feed valve is running, when the proximity switch 102 detects that the rotor blades are about to pass, it triggers the nozzle 101 0.1 seconds in advance to perform a 0.2-second pulse purging. The pressure of the upper nozzle is 0.05 MPa, and the pressure of the lower nozzle is 0.03 MPa.

[0081] Pretreatment and precooling: Carrot slices are subjected to ultrasonic pretreatment at 42℃ for 45 seconds to disrupt the cell wall structure; then they enter the infrared steam combined enzyme inactivation zone and are treated at 118℃ and 103kPa for 75 seconds to complete enzyme inactivation; subsequently, they enter the two-stage micro-negative pressure precooling zone and are treated at 91kPa and 83kPa for 20 seconds respectively, and the material temperature is reduced to 60℃ through water evaporation.

[0082] Formation of the first material column: Simultaneously start the second vibration motor 303 of the vibrating tube airlock 3 at the output end of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber 2 and the second vibration motor 303 at the output end of the drying chamber, with frequencies set to 45Hz and 40Hz respectively; when the fourth pressure sensor 17 and the fifth pressure sensor 19 of the vibrating tube airlock 3 at the output end of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber 2 detect a pressure difference of 55kPa, it is determined that the material column has formed, the solenoid valve corresponding to the airlock is opened, and the third vibration motor 25 of the drying chamber 4 is started, with the vibration acceleration set to 0.4g.

[0083] Vacuum gradient drying: After pre-cooling, carrot slices enter the drying chamber 4 through the vibrating tube airlock 3 at the output end of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-pre-cooling integrated chamber 2; the PLC dynamically adjusts the pumping rate of each chamber through independent electric regulating valves to maintain the pressure of the first gradient pressure chamber at 25 kPa, while gradually adjusting the rotation speed of the rotary feed valve 1 and the speed of the conveyor belt 16 to the rated speed of 15 rpm; when the pressure of the first gradient pressure chamber stabilizes at 25 kPa, the system enters normal operation; the carrot slices undergo a pressure gradient of 25 kPa → 22 kPa → 19 kPa → 16 kPa → 12 kPa → 8 kPa → 5 kPa and a temperature gradient of 80℃ → 77℃ → 74℃ → 71℃ → 68℃ → 64℃ → 60℃ in the 7 gradient pressure chambers, with a total residence time of 12 minutes, and the final moisture content is reduced to below 5%. The air intake at the bottom vent of each gradient pressure chamber is precisely matched with the air extraction at the top vent, and the airflow velocity inside the chamber is stabilized at 0.3-0.5 m / s.

[0084] Formation of the second material column: The dried material falls into the second hopper 24 and enters the vibrating tube airlock 3 at the output end of the drying chamber 4. When the fourth pressure sensor 17 and the fifth pressure sensor 19 of the vibrating tube airlock 3 at the output end of the drying chamber 4 detect a pressure difference of 90 kPa, it is determined that a material column has formed. The solenoid valve corresponding to the airlock is opened, and the material is continuously conveyed to the next process. When the third pressure sensor of the last gradient pressure chamber of the drying chamber 4 detects that the pressure has stabilized at 5 kPa, after a delay of 12 minutes (total material residence time), the PLC automatically switches the electric three-way diverter valve to the finished product channel. System shutdown: After issuing a shutdown command, the feeding valve 1 is stopped; after a delay of 12 minutes, after all the material in the drying chamber is discharged, the electric three-way diverter valve is automatically switched to the waste channel; the solenoid valves of the intermediate vibrating tube airlock 3 and the final discharge vibrating tube airlock 3 are closed in sequence, and the vacuum system and heating system are stopped; dry air is introduced into the drying chamber 4 to break the vacuum. After the chamber temperature drops below 40°C, all power systems are shut down, and the shutdown is completed.

[0085] The speeds mentioned above are the operating speeds of the equipment under the corresponding capacity specifications, and can be adjusted proportionally according to actual capacity requirements.

[0086] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any modifications, alterations, substitutions, or variations made by those skilled in the art to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vegetable product production apparatus, characterized in that: It includes a rotary feed valve (1), a pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber (2), two vibrating tube airlocks (3) and a drying chamber (4); The pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2) is equipped with the rotary feed valve (1) at its input end. The output end of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2) is connected to the input end of the drying cavity (4) through one of the vibrating tube air locks (3). The output end of the drying cavity (4) is connected to the next process through another vibrating tube air lock (3). The pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2) is provided with a first cloth feeding component, a water tank component, an infrared steam combined enzyme inactivation zone, a micro negative pressure precooling zone and a first hopper (18) in sequence along the material conveying direction. The drying chamber (4) is provided with a second cloth feeding component, a vibrating mesh plate (22) and a second hopper (24) in the middle along the material conveying direction; the upper and lower walls of the drying chamber (4) are linearly arrayed with several partitions (20), which divide the drying chamber (4) into several gradient pressure chambers; each gradient pressure chamber is provided with an air extraction port (21) at the top and a ventilation port at the bottom, and a third pressure sensor is provided near the air extraction port (21); each gradient pressure chamber is provided with a pair of first infrared heating plates (23) mirrored at the top and bottom; each air extraction port (21) is connected to an external vacuum system; The two vibrating tube airlocks (3) are equipped with a fourth pressure sensor (17) and a fifth pressure sensor (19) at their input and output ends, respectively. The material enters the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2) from the rotary feed valve (1), is distributed by the first material distribution component, and then enters the water tank component for ultrasonic pretreatment. After being sent to the micro negative pressure precooling zone for precooling, it falls into the first hopper (18). From the first hopper (18), it is introduced into the drying chamber (4) through the vibrating tube air lock (3) for uniform drying, and then sent to the next process through another vibrating tube air lock (3).

2. The vegetable product production apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The infrared steam combined enzyme inactivation zone includes a second infrared heating plate (11) and a swirling steam nozzle (12). The pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2) has a number of second infrared heating plates (11) arranged in a linear array at the top and bottom. A pair of swirling steam nozzles (12) are provided between two adjacent second infrared heating plates (11). The two swirling steam nozzles (12) are respectively mirror-arranged on the left and right walls of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2). The micro-negative pressure precooling zone includes a first-level micro-negative pressure precooling zone and a second-level micro-negative pressure precooling zone. The top of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2) is provided with a first air extraction port (14) and a second air extraction port (15) in the areas of the first-level micro-negative pressure precooling zone and the second-level micro-negative pressure precooling zone, respectively. A first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor are provided near the first air extraction port (14) and the second air extraction port (15), respectively. The first air extraction port (14) and the second air extraction port (15) are connected to an external vacuum system. The pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2) is located at the bottom of the micro negative pressure precooling zone and has a number of material disturbance nozzles (13) arranged in a linear array. The pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2) is provided with a conveyor belt (16) in the middle of the micro negative pressure precooling zone and the infrared steam combined enzyme inactivation zone. The output end of the conveyor belt (16) is connected to the input end of the first hopper (18).

3. The vegetable product production apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that: The water tank components include a water tank (505), an ultrasonic transducer (506), an upper pressure plate (507), a water tank conveyor belt (508), an intermediate conveyor belt (509), an overflow trough (510), an outlet pipe (511), and an inlet pipe (512). The water tank (505) contains a plurality of ultrasonic transducers (506) arranged in a horizontal and vertical array. The water tank (505) is detachably provided with a water tank conveyor belt (508) located on top of the ultrasonic transducers (506). The water tank conveyor belt (508) is provided with an upper pressure plate (507) parallel to the top of the water tank (508). The upper pressure plate (507) is detachably connected to the top of the water tank (505). The input end of the water tank conveyor belt (508) is connected to the first fabric component, and the output end is connected to the conveyor belt (16) through the intermediate conveyor belt (509) inclined at the end of the water tank (505). The water tank (505) is provided with an overflow trough (510) and an overflow port adapted thereto at the end. The overflow trough (510) is provided with an outlet pipe (511) at the bottom. The water tank (505) is connected to the inlet pipe (512) at the bottom of the first end. The inlet pipe (512) and the outlet pipe (511) are connected to an external water bath circulation system.

4. The vegetable product production apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first fabric component includes a first distribution cone (501), a first chute (502), a support plate (503), and a first vibration motor (504); The first end of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2) is fixedly provided with the support plate (503). The first vibration motor (504) is detachably provided on the top of the support plate (503). The first chute (502) is hinged to the top of the support plate (503) and is inclined downward. The working end of the first vibration motor (504) is connected to the first chute (502). The first chute (502) has a plurality of first distribution troughs (5021) arranged in a vertical material conveying direction. The first distribution trough (5021) is provided with a first distribution cone (501) on the top. The bottom of the first distribution trough (5021) is connected to the water tank conveying mesh belt (508). The top of the first distribution cone (501) abuts against the connection port of the rotary feed valve (1) and the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2).

5. A vegetable product production apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vibrating tube type airlock (3) includes a bellows (301), a first conical vibrating tube (304) with a large inlet and a small outlet, a second conical vibrating tube (305) with a large inlet and a small outlet, and a third conical vibrating tube (306) with a large inlet and a small outlet. The first conical vibrating tube (304), the second conical vibrating tube (305), and the third conical vibrating tube (306) are connected by the corrugated tube (301); The input end of the first conical vibrating tube (304) is connected to the discharge port of the first hopper (18) or the second hopper (24) through the corrugated tube (301), and the output end of the third conical vibrating tube (306) is connected to the interior of the drying chamber (4) or the next process through the corrugated tube (301). The first conical vibrating tube (304), the second conical vibrating tube (305) and the third conical vibrating tube (306) are detachably inclinedly provided with a second vibrating motor (303) on their side walls, and a pneumatic hammer (302) is detachably provided on their top. The output end of the third conical vibrating tube (306) is equipped with a closable electromagnetic valve.

6. The vegetable product production apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second fabric component includes a second distribution cone (601) and a second chute (602); The drying chamber (4) is provided with a second chute (602) at the first end that is inclined downward. The second chute (602) has a plurality of second distribution troughs (6021) arranged in a vertical direction of material conveying. The second distribution trough (6021) is provided with a second distribution cone (601) at the top. The bottom of the second distribution trough (6021) is connected to the vibrating mesh plate (22). The top of the second distribution cone (601) abuts against the connection port of the vibrating tube air lock (3) and the drying chamber (4).

7. A vegetable product production apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom circumferential surface of the drying chamber (4) is provided with several vibration springs (402), the vibration springs (402) are sleeved on the limiting post (403), the limiting post (403) is fixedly set on the drying chamber base (404), and two third vibration motors (25) of the same model are symmetrically inclined on the side wall of the drying chamber (4) and rotate synchronously in opposite directions; The pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber (2) is fixedly mounted on the base (201).

8. A vegetable product production apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotary feed valve (1) has two rows of nozzles (101) and a proximity switch (102) running through its side wall along the axis. The nozzle (101) and the proximity switch (102) are located on the lower side of the rotating shaft. The nozzle (101) is used to spray materials to avoid sticking. The proximity switch (102) is used to determine the approach of the fan blades. The trigger signal is sent to the PLC 0.1 seconds in advance to ensure that the purging timing and the blade position are accurately matched.

9. A vegetable product manufacturing process, employing the apparatus described in claim 1, characterized in that: The vibrating tube airlock (3) includes a tapered third conical vibrating tube (306), the output end of which is equipped with a closable electromagnetic valve; the side wall of the vibrating tube airlock (3) is equipped with a second vibrating motor (303), and the top is equipped with an air hammer (302). The water tank component includes a water tank (505) and an ultrasonic transducer (506) disposed in the water tank, wherein the water tank (505) is connected to an external water bath circulation system. The drying chamber (4) is provided with a third vibration motor (25) on its side wall, which is used to drive the overall vibration of the drying chamber; The rotary feed valve (1) has a nozzle (101) and a proximity switch (102) on its side wall along the axis. The infrared steam combined enzyme inactivation zone and the micro negative pressure precooling zone in the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2) are equipped with conveyor belts (16). The production process includes the following steps: S1 System pre-start: turn on the water bath circulation system and ultrasonic transducer (506) of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2) to stabilize the water temperature in the water tank (505) at 40-45℃; close the electromagnetic valve of the third conical vibration tube (306), turn on the first infrared heating plate (23) and vacuum system of the drying cavity (4), heat the drying cavity (4) to 80℃ and pump it to 5kPa ultimate vacuum, keep it for 30 minutes to remove the adsorbed moisture on the inner wall of the cavity, and keep the drying cavity in a 5kPa vacuum state for later use; S2 Feeding: Start the rotary feed valve (1), and the material enters the water tank (505) of the water tank component after being evenly distributed by the first cloth component for ultrasonic pretreatment; S3 Pretreatment and precooling: The material after ultrasonic pretreatment enters the infrared steam combined enzyme inactivation zone and the micro negative pressure precooling zone in sequence, and completes enzyme inactivation under a micro positive pressure environment of 115-120℃ and 102-104kPa, and then completes precooling under a two-stage micro negative pressure environment of 90-92kPa and 82-85kPa; S4 Formation of the first material column: Simultaneously start the second vibration motor (303) of the vibration tube airlock (3) at the output end of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2) and the vibration tube airlock (3) at the output end of the drying cavity (4). When the fourth pressure sensor (17) and the fifth pressure sensor (19) of the vibration tube airlock (3) at the output end of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated cavity (2) detect that the pressure difference reaches 55kPa, it is determined that the material column is formed, the electromagnetic valve corresponding to the airlock is opened, and the third vibration motor (25) of the drying cavity (4) is started. S5 Vacuum Gradient Drying: The pre-cooled material enters the drying chamber (4) through the vibrating tube airlock (3) at the output end of the pretreatment-enzyme inactivation-precooling integrated chamber (2). The pumping rate of each chamber is dynamically adjusted by an independent electric regulating valve to maintain the pressure of the first gradient partial pressure chamber at 25 kPa. When the pressure of the first gradient partial pressure chamber of the drying chamber (4) is stable at 25 kPa, the system enters normal operation. The material undergoes a linear pressure gradient from 25 kPa to 5 kPa and a linear temperature gradient from 80°C to 60°C in the seven gradient partial pressure chambers to complete the low-temperature drying. S6 Formation of the second material column: The dried material falls into the second hopper (24) and enters the vibrating tube airlock (3) at the output end of the drying chamber (4). When the fourth pressure sensor (17) and the fifth pressure sensor (19) of the vibrating tube airlock (3) at the output end of the drying chamber (4) detect that the pressure difference reaches 90 kPa, it is determined that the material column is formed, and the electromagnetic valve corresponding to the airlock is opened, and the material is continuously transported to the next process.

10. The vegetable product manufacturing process according to claim 9, characterized in that: In step S2, when the rotary feed valve (1) is running, the proximity switch (102) detects that the rotor blades are about to pass by and triggers the nozzle (101) to perform a 0.2-second pulse purging. The upper row of nozzles is aimed at the dead corner at the root of the blade with a pressure of 0.05 MPa, and the lower row of nozzles is aimed at the radial surface of the blade with a pressure of 0.03 MPa. In step S5, the vibration acceleration of the third vibration motor (25) of the drying chamber (4) is strictly controlled at 0.3-0.5g, so that the material exhibits a low-impact micro-slip motion on the vibrating mesh plate (22) without large-scale air-lifting collisions; the air intake of the bottom ventilation port of each gradient pressure chamber is precisely matched with the air extraction of the top air extraction port (21), and the airflow velocity in the chamber is stabilized at 0.3-0.5m / s; In steps S4 and S6, the PLC monitors the pressure difference between the two vibrating tube airlocks (3) in real time: when the pressure difference is lower than the set value, the frequency of the corresponding second vibrating motor (303) of the airlock is reduced, and the air hammer (302) is started to strike once every 10 seconds. The striking stops after the pressure difference is restored; when the pressure difference is higher than the set value, the frequency of the corresponding second vibrating motor (303) of the airlock is increased to speed up the material conveying speed.

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