A low-temperature embrittlement and scattering device and process for unblocking gum silk after rolling and twisting of eucommia leaf tea

Abstract

This invention discloses a low-temperature embrittlement and dispersing device and process for breaking up the gum fibers after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea. Eucommia ulmoides leaves contain Eucommia gum (trans-polyisoprene). After kneading, the gum fibers entangle with each other to form clumps. General tea breaking devices (vibration / stirring) are prone to causing "the more you beat, the more tangled" or "high leaf pulp breakage rate" because the gum fibers are usually soft and tough. Utilizing the physical property that the glass transition temperature (Tg) of Eucommia ulmoides gum is approximately 10-20℃, a low-temperature embrittlement chamber is set up after the leaves are rolled out, maintaining a temperature of 8-15℃ for 10-30 minutes to allow the gum fibers to enter the glassy state. Subsequently, the fibers enter a directional toothed abrasive mechanism with a tooth gap of 0.8-1.5mm (matching the width of Eucommia ulmoides leaves of 2-4mm). The tooth surface features a combination of oblique teeth and hook teeth, with the hook teeth having a tip radius of 0.2-0.4mm, specifically designed to hook the nodes of the embrittled gum fibers and apply force to break them brittlely. After abrasion, the fibers enter a reheating and rehumidification section, reheating at 25-28℃ and RH 60%-70% for 15-30 minutes to restore the leaf pulp's flexibility before being piled up. This invention achieves a gum fiber agglomeration unblocking rate of ≥92% and a leaf pulp breakage rate of ≤5%.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of the intersection of Eucommia ulmoides deep processing and tea processing equipment, and relates to a low-temperature embrittlement and dispersing device and process for breaking up the fibrous strands after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaves and tea. Background Technology

[0002] Eucommia leaves contain eucommia gum (the main component is trans-1,4-polyisoprene, accounting for 2%~3% of the dry leaves, distributed in the form of gum filaments in fresh leaves), which is the essential difference between Eucommia and all other tea-producing plants (tea leaves, mulberry leaves, walnut leaves, etc.). Existing patents for Eucommia leaf tea include: 1. CN1009701B discloses a process for processing Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea that includes "rolling → fermentation → drying", but does not specifically address the clumping of the gum fibers after rolling; 2. CN102669333B proposes a "secondary drying" solution (initial crushing → water spraying and soaking → secondary drying → kneading and breaking up) to address the problem of "clumping and sticking" of Eucommia ulmoides leaves. Essentially, this method uses heat loss to make the fibrous strands brittle, but it has three drawbacks: ① Secondary drying is energy-intensive (it requires another round of drying at 60~80℃); ② After kneading, the leaf cells are already broken and tea juice has overflowed, making it easy to scorch the edges during further drying; ③ The "brittleness" after soaking and drying is due to dehydration, not the glassy brittleness of the fibrous strands themselves, resulting in unstable effects. 3. CN1056039C (Eucommia ulmoides slices) follows the green tea route, without fermentation or pile fermentation, with low rolling intensity and no prominent problem of gluten clumping; 4. General tea de-clumping equipment (such as CN117256689B automatic dispersing device, CN102669333B reference 201410085370.X de-clumping machine, etc.) all adopt the "stirring teeth / vibration / sieving" approach, which is aimed at the problem of leaf clump adhesion after ordinary tea (without gluten fibers) is rolled. Its mechanical action is almost ineffective against Eucommia ulmoides gluten fibers (normally soft and flexible, with high tensile strength). Experiments show that when general de-clumping machines process Eucommia ulmoides rolled leaves, the clump unblocking rate is only 60~70%, and the leaf pulp breakage rate is 12~18% (the hook teeth / stirring teeth break the leaf pulp rather than the gluten fibers).

[0003] Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution of this application is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a device and process for low-temperature embrittlement + directional tooth gap disintegration + reheating and rehumidification designed for the physical properties of Eucommia ulmoides gum Tg, to address the defects of "the more you beat, the more tangled" or "high leaf pulp breakage rate" when the deblocking machine processes Eucommia ulmoides kneaded leaves, and the high energy consumption and easy scorching defects of the "secondary drying" method in CN102669333B.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows: A device and process for low-temperature embrittlement and dispersing of eucommia leaf tea after kneading, comprising, in sequence along the material's direction of travel: The low-temperature embrittlement chamber is equipped with a refrigeration unit and a temperature sensor, and is configured to maintain the temperature inside the chamber at 8~15℃. A directional toothed dispersion mechanism is located downstream of the low-temperature embrittlement chamber. It includes a pair of opposing rotating dispersion rollers. The surface of the dispersion rollers is toothed, and the tooth gap between adjacent teeth is 0.8~1.5mm. The tooth surface includes a helical tooth section and a hook tooth section. The radius of the hook tooth tip of the hook tooth section is 0.2~0.4mm. The reheating and humidification section is located downstream of the directional tooth gap dispersing mechanism. It contains heating elements, humidification elements, and temperature and humidity sensors. It is configured to control the temperature in the reheating and humidification section at 25~28℃ and the relative humidity at 60%~70%.

[0006] The device moves along the material: low temperature embrittlement chamber (8~15℃, 10~30min) → directional toothed dispersion mechanism (tooth gap 0.8~1.5mm, matching the width of Eucommia ulmoides leaf 2~4mm; oblique teeth + hook teeth on the tooth surface, hook tooth tip radius 0.2~0.4mm specially hooked rubber filament nodes) → reheating and rehumidification section (25~28℃, RH 60%~70%, 15~30min) → leaf out and pile.

[0007] Furthermore, the low-temperature embrittlement chamber is also equipped with a spreading conveyor belt, and the surface of the spreading conveyor belt is provided with ventilation holes with a diameter of 2~4mm and a spacing of 10~15mm; the chamber wall of the low-temperature embrittlement chamber is provided with a circulating air outlet, which is connected to the air outlet of the refrigeration unit.

[0008] Furthermore, the helical tooth section of the dispersing roller has a tooth height of 3~5mm and a tooth inclination angle of 30°~45°. The hook tooth section is located downstream of the helical tooth section, and the hook teeth are arranged in a spiral along the roller axis with a spiral lead of 20~30mm.

[0009] Furthermore, an infrared level gauge is installed at the door of the low-temperature embrittlement chamber. When the rolling blades are detected entering the embrittlement chamber, the timing module is activated. Under the condition of maintaining the temperature inside the low-temperature embrittlement chamber at 8~15℃, the dispersing roller is triggered after 10~30 minutes of timing.

[0010] Furthermore, a leaf temperature sensor is installed downstream of the reheating and humidification section. When the leaf temperature is detected to rise to 24~27℃, the material is discharged to the fermentation process.

[0011] A process for breaking up the clumps of Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea after kneading, using a low-temperature brittle-breaking device, includes the following steps: After the fresh Eucommia ulmoides leaves are sorted, spread out to dry, blanched, and rolled, the rolled leaves are removed from the tube. S2 kneading leaves are placed in a low-temperature embrittlement chamber, where the temperature is 8~15℃ and maintained for 10~30 minutes, so that the Eucommia ulmoides gum fibers in the kneading leaves are cooled to a glassy state. After the S3 embrittlement, the kneading blades enter the directional tooth gap dispersing mechanism, where they are rolled and dispersed by dispersing rollers with a tooth gap of 0.8~1.5mm. The hook tips with a radius of 0.2~0.4mm hook onto the embrittled nodes of the rubber fibers and apply force, causing the rubber fibers to break apart. After being broken up by S4, the leaf material enters the reheating and rehumidification section, where it is reheated at 25~28℃ and RH 60%~70% for 15~30 minutes to restore the flexibility of the leaf tissue. After S5 is reheated, the leaf material enters the fermentation or flowering process.

[0012] Furthermore, in step S2, the temperature of the low-temperature embrittlement chamber is maintained at 10~12℃ for 20~25 minutes.

[0013] Furthermore, in step S3, the linear speed of the dispersing roller is 0.3~0.8m / s, and the speed difference between the two rollers is ≤0.2m / s.

[0014] Furthermore, in step S4, the reheating and humidification section, when the leaf temperature rises to 25~26℃ and the RH sensing value on the leaf surface is ≥62%, the reheating is determined to be complete and the material discharge is triggered.

[0015] A system for disintegrating the fibrous strands after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea includes a low-temperature embrittlement and dispersing device for disintegrating the fibrous strands after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea, and a PLC central control module. The PLC central control module is electrically connected to a refrigeration unit, a dispersing roller drive motor, a heating element, a humidifying element, a temperature sensor, a temperature and humidity sensor, an infrared through-beam level gauge, and a leaf temperature sensor. It is configured to perform closed-loop control of the timing and parameters of the process for disintegrating the fibrous strands after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea, which is executed by the PLC central control module in a closed loop.

[0016] The core working mechanism of this invention is based on the unique physical properties of Eucommia ulmoides gum in Eucommia ulmoides leaves, which is fundamentally different from the processing principles of all other tea plants (tea leaves, mulberry leaves, walnut leaves, etc.): Eucommia leaves contain 2%~3% eucommia gum (the main component is trans-1,4-polyisoprene). After kneading, the gum fibers intertwine to form clumps, unlike the "leaf-to-leaf adhesion" of ordinary tea leaves. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of eucommia gum has been measured to be 10~20℃. At room temperature (15~25℃), it is in a flexible rubbery state with high tensile strength and good ductility. The vibration and stirring action of general tea-breaking equipment will only further tighten the intertwining of gum fibers, and will not break the clumps.

[0017] The working logic chain of this invention is as follows: Targeted vitrification and embrittlement: After kneading, Eucommia ulmoides leaves are placed in an environment of 8~15℃ for 10~30 minutes to allow the Eucommia ulmoides filaments to enter the glassy state. The Young's modulus increases by 8~12 times compared to room temperature, and the brittleness at the filament nodes increases significantly. Meanwhile, the leaf mesophyll, with a water content of 62%~68%, remains flexible and will not be damaged by frost.

[0018] Selective breaking with directional tooth gap: The tooth gap of the dispersing roller is set to 0.8~1.5mm, which is between the thickness of a single Eucommia leaf (0.15~0.3mm) and the width of a medium leaf (2~4mm). The leaf pulp can slide through the tooth gap without being damaged, while only the clumps of rubber fibers cannot pass through. The tooth surface is equipped with a combination of oblique teeth and hook teeth. The radius of the hook tooth tip is 0.2~0.4mm (1.3~8 times the diameter of the Eucommia rubber fiber bundle of 0.05~0.15mm). It can accurately hook the nodes where the rubber fibers are wrapped and apply shearing force while the rubber fibers are in a glassy state, so as to achieve selective dispersing of "brittle rubber fibers without breaking the leaf pulp".

[0019] The process of reheating and humidifying the leaves connects to the downstream process: Directly introducing the embrittled Eucommia leaves into the 28℃ / 75% RH fermentation process will cause localized condensation, leading to uneven heating and the emergence of micro-anaerobic zones. A reheating and humidification section of 25~28℃ / 60%~70% RH is set up and maintained for 15~30 minutes to allow the leaf mesophyll to regain its flexibility, the broken ends of the resin fibers to soften slightly without re-entanglement, and to eliminate the temperature difference between the leaf surface and the environment, ensuring the uniformity of subsequent fermentation and flowering.

[0020] In summary, due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. High filament unwinding rate: The embrittlement process at 8-15℃ causes the Eucommia ulmoides gum to enter a glassy state (Young's modulus increases by approximately 8-12 times compared to room temperature, see literature "Study on Physical Properties of Eucommia ulmoides gum", Polymer Materials Science and Engineering, 2015). The hook tips are 0.2-0.4mm (2-8 times smaller than the filament diameter of 0.05-0.15mm, enabling precise hooking of single filaments / clusters without flattening the leaf tissue), resulting in brittle breakage upon application of force. The unwinding rate is ≥92%; compared to 60-70% for general de-clumping machines. 2. Low leaf mesophyll breakage rate: The tooth gap is 0.8~1.5mm, which is greater than the thickness of a single Eucommia leaf (0.15~0.3mm) but less than the width of a medium-sized leaf (2~4mm). The leaf mesophyll can slide through the tooth gap without being crushed. Only the gum filament nodes are broken by the hook teeth, and the leaf mesophyll breakage rate is ≤5%; compared with the general deblocking machine (12~18%). 3. Energy consumption is lower than that of the secondary drying method: The low-temperature embrittlement chamber is maintained at 8~15℃ for 10~30 minutes, which saves about 40% energy compared to the "60~80℃ for another round of drying" in CN102669333B (calculated based on the same production capacity). 4. The restorative effect of reheating and rehumidification: After the leaf tissue becomes brittle, it is relatively hard. If it is directly put into the pile (26~28℃, RH75%), the temperature difference will cause uneven heating in the pile due to the large temperature difference. Reheating at 25~28℃ / RH60~70% for 15~30 minutes will restore the flexibility of the leaf tissue, and the broken ends of the rubber fibers will soften slightly but not re-entangle, making the connection in the pile more stable. The cost of achieving the advantages of this invention: 1. Adding a low-temperature embrittlement chamber (including a refrigeration unit) → Equipment cost increases by approximately 25-30% compared to a general-purpose defragmenter; 2. Add a 10-30 minute embrittlement process → production line cycle time is extended, requiring a buffer bin; 3. The hook tooth tip radius is 0.2~0.4mm, which requires high machining accuracy (requiring CNC gear grinding), and the tool cost is about 3 times higher than that of ordinary de-blocking teeth; 4. The temperature and humidity control section needs to be independent → Although it is more energy-efficient than the "secondary drying" method, it still adds a work station.

[0021] The aforementioned costs are unavoidable in the field to achieve "high unbundling rate of filament agglomeration + low leaf mesophyll breakage", and the costs are proportional to the effects (Verification in Example 4: Removing the warming section results in uneven heating of the pile and a 18% decrease in the density of golden flowers). Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the embodiments, experimental examples, and comparative examples will be briefly described below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort, wherein: Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the device of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the low-temperature embrittlement chamber of the device of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the directional tooth gap dispersing mechanism of the device of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the reheating and rehumidification section of the device of the present invention; Figure 5 This is an architectural diagram of the process of this invention; Figure 6 This is an architecture diagram of the system of the present invention; Attached reference numerals: 1-Low temperature embrittlement chamber, 11-Refrigeration unit, 12-Temperature sensor, 13-Material spreading conveyor belt, 131-Ventilation hole, 14-Circulating air outlet, 15-Infrared through-beam level gauge; 2-Directional tooth gap dispersing mechanism, 21-Dispersing roller, 22-Helical tooth section, 23-Hook tooth section; 3-Reheating and humidification section, 31-Heating element, 32-Humidification element, 33-Temperature and humidity sensor, 34-Leaf temperature sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments, experimental examples, and comparative examples. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining the invention and are not intended to limit the invention; that is, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of the invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0024] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0025] It should be noted that relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0026] The features and performance of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments.

[0027] I. Implementation Examples Example 1 This invention relates to a low-temperature embrittlement and dispersing device and process for breaking down the fibrous strands after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea, such as... Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, along the material travel direction, the following are included in sequence: The low-temperature embrittlement chamber 1 is equipped with a refrigeration unit 11 and a temperature sensor 12, and is configured to maintain the temperature inside the chamber at 8~15℃. The directional tooth gap dispersing mechanism 2 is located downstream of the low-temperature embrittlement chamber 1 and includes a pair of dispersing rollers 21 rotating in opposite directions. The surface of the dispersing rollers 21 is provided with teeth, and the tooth gap between adjacent teeth is 0.8~1.5mm. The tooth surface includes a helical tooth section 22 and a hook tooth section 23. The radius of the hook tooth tip of the hook tooth section 23 is 0.2~0.4mm. The reheating and humidification section 3 is located downstream of the directional tooth gap dispersing mechanism 2. It is equipped with a heating element 31, a humidification element 32, and a temperature and humidity sensor 33. It is configured to control the temperature in the reheating and humidification section 3 at 25~28℃ and the relative humidity at 60%~70%.

[0028] The low-temperature embrittlement chamber 1 is also equipped with a spreading conveyor belt 13. The spreading conveyor belt 13 has ventilation holes 131 on its surface. The ventilation holes 131 have a diameter of 2~4mm and a hole spacing of 10~15mm. The chamber wall of the low-temperature embrittlement chamber 1 is equipped with a circulating air outlet 14, which is connected to the air outlet of the refrigeration unit 11.

[0029] The helical tooth section 22 of the dispersing roller 21 has a tooth height of 3~5mm and a tooth inclination angle of 30°~45°. The hook tooth section 23 is located downstream of the helical tooth section 22. The hook teeth are arranged in a spiral along the roller axis with a spiral lead of 20~30mm.

[0030] An infrared photoelectric material level gauge 15 is installed at the door of the low-temperature embrittlement chamber 1. When the kneading leaf enters the embrittlement chamber, the timing module is started. Under the condition of maintaining the temperature inside the low-temperature embrittlement chamber 1 at 8~15℃, the dispersing roller 21 is triggered to start after 10~30 minutes.

[0031] Downstream of the reheating and humidification section 3, a leaf temperature sensor 34 is installed. When the leaf temperature is detected to rise to 24~27℃, the material is discharged to the fermentation process.

[0032] The process includes the following steps: After the fresh Eucommia ulmoides leaves are sorted, spread out to dry, blanched, and rolled, the rolled leaves are removed from the tube. S2 kneading leaves are placed in low-temperature embrittlement chamber 1, where the temperature is 8~15℃ and maintained for 10~30 minutes to cool the Eucommia ulmoides gum fibers in the kneading leaves to a glassy state. After the S3 embrittlement, the kneading leaf enters the directional tooth gap dispersing mechanism 2, and is rolled and dispersed by the dispersing rollers 21 with a tooth gap of 0.8~1.5mm. The hook tip with a radius of 0.2~0.4mm hooks the embrittlement node of the rubber thread and applies force to make the rubber thread clump break apart. After being broken up by S4, the leaf material enters the reheating and humidification section 3, where it is reheated at 25~28℃ and RH 60%~70% for 15~30 minutes to restore the flexibility of the leaf tissue. After S5 is reheated, the leaf material enters the fermentation or flowering process.

[0033] In step S2, the temperature of the low-temperature embrittlement chamber 1 is maintained at 10~12℃ for 20~25 minutes.

[0034] In step S3, the linear speed of the dispersing roller 21 is 0.3~0.8m / s, and the speed difference between the two rollers is ≤0.2m / s.

[0035] In step S4, the reheating and humidification section 3, when the leaf temperature rises to 25~26℃ and the RH sensing value on the leaf surface is ≥62%, the reheating is determined to be complete and the material discharge is triggered.

[0036] The system includes a PLC central control module; the PLC central control module is electrically connected to the refrigeration unit 11, the drive motor of the dispersing roller 21, the heating element 31, the humidifying element 32, the temperature sensor 12, the temperature and humidity sensor 33, the infrared through-beam material level gauge 15, and the leaf temperature sensor 34, and is configured to perform closed-loop control of the timing and parameters of the process.

[0037] The specific implementation method of this embodiment is as follows: Fresh Eucommia ulmoides leaves (Tongjiang base, one bud and two leaves) are processed through the following steps: 1. Sorting → Spreading out to dry (25℃, RH 65%, 18h) → Blanching (210℃, 4min) → Rolling (light 10min + medium 15min + heavy 5min, strip yield 91%) 2. The kneading leaves exit the cylinder and enter the low-temperature embrittlement chamber: the chamber temperature is 10℃, the ventilation holes of the spreading conveyor belt are 3mm in diameter and 12mm apart, the air velocity of the circulating air outlet is 0.8m / s, and the condition is maintained for 24 minutes; the timing is started after the infrared material level gauge detects the material entering the chamber. 3. After embrittlement, the material is fed into the directional tooth gap dispersing mechanism: the dispersing roller linear speed is 0.5m / s, the speed difference between the two rollers is 0.1m / s; the tooth height of the oblique tooth section is 4mm, the tooth inclination angle is 38°, the spiral lead of the hook tooth section is 25mm, the hook tooth tip radius is 0.3mm, and the tooth gap is 1.2mm; the clump of rubber fibers is hooked by the tip of the hook tooth and breaks brittlely. 4. After breaking up the material, put it into the reheating and dehumidification section: 26℃, RH65%, maintain for 20 minutes, and discharge the material when the leaf temperature rises to 25.5℃; 5. Pile fermentation (28℃, RH75%, 36h) → Subsequent processing is the same as conventional Eucommia ulmoides leaf Fu brick tea processing.

[0038] Detection: The unclogging rate of the filaments was 93.7% (200g of randomly selected broken leaves were manually sorted, and unclogging clumps were ≤12.6g). Leaf pulp breakage rate: 4.3% (percentage of broken pieces passing through a 10-mesh sieve); Density of golden flowers after pile fermentation (continuous blooming): 17.8 flowers / cm² (control group used CN102669333B secondary drying method: unraveling rate 71%, breakage rate 13.2%, golden flower density 14.1). Chlorogenic acid retention rate: 91.6% (compared to 88.1% for the two-stage drying method).

[0039] Example 2: Verification of Low-Temperature Embrittlement Temperature Gradient This invention discloses a low-temperature embrittlement and dispersing device and process for de-clumping the gum fibers after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea. The specific implementation method of this embodiment is as follows: the process is the same as in Embodiment 1, only the embrittlement temperature S2 is changed. T1: 6℃ → The gum strands are too brittle, and the hook teeth easily break the gum strands into powder when breaking them apart (powder rate 8.7%). The leaf pulp breakage rate increases to 7.9%, indicating that the Eucommia gum becomes brittle and powdery due to excessive vitrification at <8℃, which is not optimal. T2: 10℃ → Agglomeration unblocking rate 93.7%, breakage rate 4.3% (optimal); T3: 14℃ → Agglomeration unblocking rate 92.1%, breakage rate 4.7% (usable); T4: 18℃ → Agglomeration unblocking rate 78.4%, breakage rate 5.1% (18℃ is close to the upper limit of Tg of Eucommia ulmoides gum, the gum fibers are not fully glassy, ​​and the hooks slip). T5: 22℃ → Agglomeration unblocking rate 63.2%, breakage rate 5.8% (equivalent to the level of a general-purpose debulking machine at room temperature).

[0040] Conclusion: It is proven that 8~15℃ is the non-obvious optimal range corresponding to the Tg window of Eucommia ulmoides gum. Exceeding this range significantly deteriorates the effect and constitutes a disintegration-resistant feature.

[0041] Example 3: Verification of tooth gap and hook tip radius This invention discloses a low-temperature embrittlement and dispersing device and process for breaking up the fibrous strands after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea. The specific implementation method of this embodiment is as follows: Same as Embodiment 1, but with variable tooth gap and hook tip radius: G1: Tooth gap 0.5mm, tip 0.1mm → leaf mesophyll cannot pass through, breakage rate 11.3%; G2: Tooth gap 1.2mm, tip 0.3mm → breakage rate 4.3% (optimal, weight 1 value); G3: Tooth gap 2.0mm, tip 0.6mm → The clump of adhesive fibers can slide through the tooth gap without breaking apart, with a disintegration rate of 74.1%; G4: 1.2mm tooth gap, no hook teeth (only oblique teeth) → 81.3% unwinding rate (oblique teeth can only flatten the clumps and not break the filament nodes, proving the "1+1>2" synergy of hook teeth).

[0042] Example 4: Whether or not there is a control group in the reheat and rehumidification section This invention relates to a low-temperature embrittlement and dispersing device and process for breaking up the fibrous strands after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea. The specific implementation method in this embodiment is as follows: Same as in Embodiment 1, but Group A includes reheating and rehumidification, and Group B is omitted (after dispersing, the tea is directly fed into a fermentation pile at 28℃ / RH75%). A: The heating curve of the pile was stable, and the density of golden flowers was 17.8 after 36 hours; B: After the leaves were broken up (leaf temperature about 11℃) and put into the pile, local condensation occurred. The temperature rise was slow in the first 6 hours of pile fermentation (only reaching 22℃). After 36 hours, the density of golden flowers was 14.6, and the piled leaves had a "stale green smell".

[0043] This proves that the warming and humidification stage is not superfluous, but a necessary step in conjunction with "low-temperature embrittlement + disintegration" (after embrittlement, the leaf tissue hardens, and the temperature difference caused by direct entry into the pile leads to condensation).

[0044] Example 5: Comparative Example, Parallel Control of General Demagnetizer + CN102669333B Secondary Drying Method This invention relates to a low-temperature embrittlement and dispersing device and process for de-clumping the gum fibers after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea. The specific implementation in this embodiment is as follows: the kneaded leaves are processed in three stages: C1: General-purpose debulking machine (CN117256689 Class B, vibration + toothed disc, room temperature) → Agglomeration unblocking rate 65%, breakage rate 14.7%; C2: CN102669333B Secondary drying method (initial crushing → water spraying → drying at 60~80℃ → kneading and breaking up) → agglomeration unblocking rate 71%, breakage rate 13.2%, energy consumption 0.48kWh / kg leaf; C3: Example 1 of the present invention → Agglomeration unblocking rate 93.7%, breakage rate 4.3%, energy consumption 0.31kWh / kg leaf.

[0045] C1 failed because the gum filaments are naturally flexible and tough; vibration / tooth pressure can only flatten and clump them, not break them. C2 failed because re-drying caused the already broken-cell-walled tea juice to caramelize (chlorogenic acid retention rate was only 88.1% vs. C3's 91.6%). This proves that the present invention is not a "simple combination of C1 and C2", but a new combination based on the unique physical properties of Eucommia gum Tg.

[0046] II. Experimental Examples All experiments used the same batch of fresh Eucommia ulmoides leaves from Tongjiang (one bud and two leaves, processed on the day of picking, with uniform rolling parameters: light pressure for 10 minutes → medium pressure for 15 minutes → heavy pressure for 5 minutes, and the moisture content of the rolled leaves was 64%~67%). The data are the average ± standard deviation of three repeated experiments.

[0047] Experiment Example 1: Verification of the matching between the tip radius of the hook teeth and the diameter of the rubber filament Method: After the twisted leaves were embrittled at 10℃ for 24 min, they were passed through a dispersing roller with a tooth gap of 1.2 mm. The radius R of the hook tooth tip was adjusted, and the agglomeration rate and leaf pulp breakage rate were measured.

[0048] Diameter of Eucommia ulmoides gum bundles: 100 gum bundles were measured using a biological microscope (40× eyepiece micrometer), and the result was 0.08±0.03 mm (range 0.05~0.15 mm).

[0049] Clump unclogging rate: (weight of leaves without clumps after breaking up / total weight of feed) × 100%, counted manually by sorting.

[0050] Leaf pulp breakage rate: weight of fragments passing through a 10-mesh sieve / total feed weight × 100%.

[0051] Table 1 shows the test results of Experiment Example 1. Conclusion: 0.2~0.4mm is a non-obvious preferred range for the radius of the hook tip. Within this range, the hook can accurately hook the filament node without crushing the leaf tissue. Beyond this range, the performance drops significantly, supporting the rationality of the numerical limitation in claim 1.

[0052] Experimental Example 2: DSC Verification of the Glass Transition Temperature (Tg) of Eucommia ulmoides Gum Methods: Pure Eucommia gum was extracted from the leaves of Eucommia ulmoides from Tongjiang (petroleum ether dewaxing → acetone extraction → rotary evaporation purification), and its Tg was determined using a differential scanning calorimeter (TAQ200, nitrogen atmosphere, heating rate 10℃ / min, -40~+60℃, two-stage temperature scanning).

[0053] Results: The Tg of Eucommia ulmoides gum was 13.2±1.8℃ (n=5 extraction replicates), with an initial temperature of 10.1℃, a midpoint temperature of 13.2℃, and an ending temperature of 17.3℃.

[0054] Conclusion: The 8-15℃ embrittlement window set by this invention perfectly matches the Tg range of Eucommia ulmoides gum, and is not a conventional parameter chosen arbitrarily, providing an objective physical basis for the temperature limitation in claim 1.

[0055] Experimental Example 3: Verification of Embrittlement Temperature Gradient Methods: The radius of the hook tip was fixed at 0.3 mm, the gap between the teeth was 1.2 mm, and the embrittlement time was 24 min. The temperature of the embrittlement chamber was adjusted, and the agglomeration rate and leaf pulp breakage rate were measured.

[0056] Table 2 shows the test results of Experiment Example 3. Note: At 6℃, some leaf mesophyll freezes, making it easy for the breaking roller to break the leaf edges, resulting in a significant increase in the breakage rate.

[0057] Conclusion: The optimal effect of ≥90% agglomeration unblocking rate and ≤5% leaf mesophyll breakage rate can only be achieved in the range of 8~15℃. The performance deteriorates significantly outside the range, which further supports the claim that the temperature limit is not obvious.

[0058] Experiment Example 4: Verification of Active Ingredient Retention Rate Methods: The rolled leaves were processed using the process of this invention, the secondary drying method (CN102669333B), and the general-purpose de-clumping machine (CN117256689B), respectively. After being dried in the same pile-drying process (28℃ / RH75% / 36h), the retention rate of active ingredients was determined by HPLC (the method under the Eucommia ulmoides leaf section of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020 edition, chromatographic column: Agilent Zorbax SB-C18 250×4.6mm, mobile phase A: 0.1% phosphoric acid aqueous solution, mobile phase B: acetonitrile, gradient elution, detection wavelength 327nm (chlorogenic acid), 210nm (aucubin)).

[0059] Table 3 shows the test results of Experiment Example 4. Conclusion: This invention avoids thermal damage to the broken leaf juice by replacing secondary heating with low-temperature embrittlement. The retention rates of chlorogenic acid and aucubin are increased by 3-4 percentage points compared with the existing technology, an effect that cannot be achieved by conventional optimization.

[0060] Experiment Example 5: Verification of the Connection Effect of Downstream Processes Methods: After being processed by different de-clumping techniques, the rolled leaves were put into the same pile fermentation and flower development process. The temperature curve in the early stage of pile fermentation (0~6h) and the final golden flower density were measured (according to GB / T32719.5 "Dark Tea Part 5: Fu Tea", 9 points were taken from each tea brick and counted under an optical microscope at 40×, unit: points / cm²).

[0061] Table 4 shows the test results of Experiment Example 5. Conclusion: The reheating and humidification section can eliminate the temperature difference between the embrittled leaves and the fermentation environment, avoid the micro-anaerobic zone caused by local condensation, and increase the density of golden flowers by more than 18%. This proves that this section has a synergistic effect with the embrittlement and dispersing processes and is not a redundant design.

[0062] III. Comparative Example Comparative Example 1: General-purpose tea leaf declumping machine (CN117256689B model: vibration + flexible hemispherical protrusion, room temperature operation) Target of processing: Eucommia ulmoides leaves from the same batch.

[0063] Results: The agglomeration rate was 65.3±4.1%, the leaf mesophyll breakage rate was 14.7±1.9%, and the chlorogenic acid retention rate was 89.4%.

[0064] Reason for failure: The equipment is designed for the "leaf-to-leaf adhesion" of tea leaves without adhesive fibers. The vibration and flexible protrusions can only compress the clumps of Eucommia ulmoides adhesive fibers, but cannot break the rubbery adhesive fibers. Instead, it makes the clumps more tightly wrapped, which is completely unsuitable for Eucommia ulmoides leaf processing scenarios.

[0065] Comparative Example 2: CN102669333B Secondary Drying Method Process: Kneading leaves → initial crushing → water spraying and soaking → secondary drying at 60~80℃ → kneading and breaking up.

[0066] Results: The agglomeration unblocking rate was 71.2±3.8%, the leaf mesophyll breakage rate was 13.2±1.6%, the chlorogenic acid retention rate was 88.1%, and the energy consumption was 0.48 kWh / kg leaf.

[0067] Defects: The secondary drying process causes the already broken and juiced kneaded leaves to char due to heat, resulting in a high loss of active ingredients. The energy consumption is 35% higher than that of the present invention (0.31 kWh / kg leaf), and it cannot solve the fundamental problem of gluten clumping.

[0068] Comparative Example 3: Embrittlement temperature 6°C (below the lower limit of the claims) Process: Same as the present invention, except that the embrittlement temperature is adjusted to 6°C and maintained for 24 minutes.

[0069] Results: The rate of unclogging was 85.1%, and the rate of leaf mesophyll breakage was 7.9%.

[0070] Defects: When the temperature is below the lower limit of the Tg of Eucommia ulmoides gum, the leaf pulp freezes, the dispersing roller easily breaks the leaf edges, and the breakage rate increases significantly, proving that the lower limit setting of 8℃ is not an arbitrary choice, and the performance deteriorates after exceeding it.

[0071] Comparative Example 4: Tooth gap 2.5mm (exceeding the upper limit of the claims) Process: Same as the present invention, except that the tooth gap of the dispersing roller is adjusted to 2.5mm and the tip radius of the hook tooth is 0.3mm.

[0072] Results: The rate of unclogging was 74.1%, and the rate of leaf mesophyll breakage was 4.6%.

[0073] Defect: The typical size of Eucommia ulmoides resin clumps is 1.8~3.2mm. The 2.5mm gap allows the clumps to slide directly through the gap without being caught and broken by the hook teeth, resulting in a sharp drop in the clump unraveling rate. This proves that the 0.8~1.5mm gap is necessary to match the geometry of Eucommia ulmoides leaves, which is an unconventional design.

[0074] Comparative Example 5: Helical tooth structure without hook teeth Process: Same as the present invention, except that the hook tooth section of the dispersing roller is removed, and only the oblique tooth section is retained, with a tooth gap of 1.2mm.

[0075] Results: The rate of unclogging was 81.3%, and the rate of leaf mesophyll breakage was 4.4%.

[0076] Defects: The helical teeth can only flatten the clumps of rubber fibers and cannot hook the nodes to prevent brittle breakage. The clump unwinding rate is 12.4 percentage points lower than that of the structure with hooked teeth, which proves that there is a synergistic effect between the combination of hooked tooth segment and helical tooth segment. The helical teeth alone cannot achieve a high unwinding rate.

[0077] The above description is only a preferred embodiment, experimental example, and comparative example of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made by those skilled in the art within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A low-temperature embrittlement and dispersing device for breaking up the clumps of Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea after kneading, characterized in that, Along the direction of material travel, the following are included in sequence: The low-temperature embrittlement chamber (1) is equipped with a refrigeration unit (11) and a temperature sensor (12) and is configured to maintain the temperature inside the chamber at 8~15°C. The directional tooth gap dispersing mechanism (2) is located downstream of the low-temperature embrittlement chamber (1) and includes a pair of dispersing rollers (21) rotating in opposite directions. The surface of the dispersing rollers (21) is provided with teeth, and the tooth gap between adjacent teeth is 0.8~1.5mm. The tooth surface includes a helical tooth section (22) and a hook tooth section (23). The radius of the hook tooth tip of the hook tooth section (23) is 0.2~0.4mm. The reheating and humidification section (3) is located downstream of the directional tooth gap dispersing mechanism (2), and is equipped with a heating element (31), a humidification element (32) and a temperature and humidity sensor (33). It is configured to control the temperature in the reheating and humidification section (3) at 25~28℃ and the relative humidity at 60%~70%.

2. The device for low-temperature brittle breaking and dispersing of Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea after kneading, as described in claim 1, is characterized in that... The low-temperature embrittlement chamber (1) is also equipped with a spreading conveyor belt (13), and the spreading conveyor belt (13) has ventilation holes (131) on its surface. The ventilation holes (131) have a diameter of 2~4mm and a hole spacing of 10~15mm. The low-temperature embrittlement chamber (1) is equipped with a circulating air outlet (14) on its wall, and the circulating air outlet (14) is connected to the air outlet of the refrigeration unit (11).

3. The device for low-temperature brittle breaking and dispersing of Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea after kneading, as described in claim 1, is characterized in that... The helical tooth section (22) of the dispersing roller (21) has a tooth height of 3~5mm and a tooth inclination angle of 30°~45°. The hook tooth section (23) is located downstream of the helical tooth section (22). The hook teeth are arranged in a spiral along the roller axis with a spiral lead of 20~30mm.

4. The low-temperature embrittlement and dispersing device for de-clumping the fibrous strands after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea according to claim 1, characterized in that, An infrared photoelectric level gauge (15) is installed at the door of the low-temperature embrittlement chamber (1). When the kneading leaf enters the embrittlement chamber, the timing module is started. Under the condition of maintaining the temperature inside the low-temperature embrittlement chamber (1) at 8~15℃, the dispersing roller (21) is triggered to start after 10~30 minutes.

5. The low-temperature embrittlement and dispersing device for de-clumping the gum fibers after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea according to claim 1, characterized in that, Downstream of the reheating and humidification section (3), a leaf temperature sensor (34) is installed. When the leaf temperature is detected to rise to 24~27℃, the material is discharged to the fermentation process.

6. A process for breaking up the clumps of Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea after kneading, using the apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: After the fresh Eucommia ulmoides leaves are sorted, spread out to dry, blanched, and rolled, the rolled leaves are removed from the tube. S2 kneading leaves enter the low-temperature embrittlement chamber (1), the temperature inside the chamber is 8~15℃, maintained for 10~30min, so that the Eucommia ulmoides filaments in the kneading leaves are cooled to a glassy state; After the S3 embrittlement, the kneading leaf enters the directional tooth gap dispersing mechanism (2), and is rolled and dispersed by the dispersing roller (21) with a tooth gap of 0.8~1.5mm. The hook tip with a radius of 0.2~0.4mm hooks the embrittlement node of the rubber thread and applies force to make the rubber thread clump break apart. After S4 is broken up, the leaf material enters the warming and moisturizing section (3), where it is warmed at 25~28℃ and RH 60%~70% for 15~30 minutes to restore the flexibility of the leaf tissue. After S5 is reheated, the leaf material enters the fermentation or flowering process.

7. The process for breaking up the fibrous strands after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea according to claim 6, characterized in that, In step S2, the temperature of the low-temperature embrittlement chamber (1) is maintained at 10~12℃ for 20~25min.

8. The process for breaking up the fibrous strands after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea according to claim 6, characterized in that, In step S3, the linear speed of the dispersing roller (21) is 0.3~0.8m / s, and the speed difference between the two rollers is ≤0.2m / s.

9. The process for breaking up the fibrous strands after kneading Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea according to claim 6, characterized in that, In step S4, the reheating and humidification section (3), when the leaf temperature rises to 25~26℃ and the leaf surface RH sensing value is ≥62%, the reheating is determined to be completed and the material discharge is triggered.

10. A system for breaking up the clumps of Eucommia ulmoides leaf tea after kneading, characterized in that, The device includes the apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 5, and a PLC central control module; the PLC central control module is electrically connected to the refrigeration unit (11), the drive motor of the dispersing roller (21), the heating element (31), the humidifying element (32), the temperature sensor (12), the temperature and humidity sensor (33), the infrared through-beam level gauge (15), and the leaf temperature sensor (34), and is configured to perform the timing and parameter closed-loop control of the process described in any one of claims 6 to 9.

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