Pickling and sealing process of preserved vegetable and brine circulating device

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of pickled mustard tuber processing technology, specifically to a pickling and sealing process for pickled mustard tubers and a brine circulation device. The specific technical solution is as follows: A pickling and sealing process for pickled mustard tubers includes a pickling tank. A plastic film is longitudinally arranged along the tank wall inside the pickling tank, with its top end facing outwards towards the edge of the tank and its bottom end separate from the bottom. Mustard tubers are then pickled in the tank. After pickling, the plastic film spread along the edge of the tank is placed towards the inside of the tank to cover it. After covering, a limiting strip is placed along the edge of the tank to hold the plastic film in place. Finally, a sealing film is laid on top of the mustard tubers, and a pressure plate is placed on top of the sealing film. When the water output from the mustard tubers stabilizes, the brine from the bottom of the pickling tank is pumped through a water pipe on the brine circulation device to the top of the mustard tubers, gradually flowing back to the bottom of the tank. This invention solves the problems of easy spoilage of raw materials and poor circulation efficiency in traditional processes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pickled mustard tuber processing technology, specifically to a pickling and sealing process for pickled mustard tuber and a brine circulation device. Background Technology

[0002] Pickling is the core process in the pickled mustard tuber processing industry chain that determines the flavor and quality of the finished product. At present, the industry generally uses ground-excavated cement pickling tanks for batch pickling production. During the pickling process, it is necessary to seal the tubers and circulate brine to ensure uniform fermentation and inhibit the growth of miscellaneous bacteria.

[0003] Traditional methods of storing pickled mustard tubers involve layering the raw material into a pickling tank, covering it with a sealing film, and then evenly placing heavy objects such as bamboo mats, wooden boards, and stones on top to hold the film in place and prevent air from entering for anaerobic fermentation. However, during fermentation, the mustard tubers continuously dehydrate and shrink, causing the overall height of the pile to drop significantly. The sealing film detaches from the surface, exposing the raw material at the edges of the pickling tank to the air. This allows bacteria and dust to easily penetrate, leading to mold and white spots on the surface, and in severe cases, spoilage of the entire tank of raw material.

[0004] Meanwhile, the dehydration of radish cells causes salt to continuously penetrate into the raw material, resulting in a clear stratification of brine concentration in the pickling tank, with a higher concentration at the bottom and a lower concentration at the top. Simultaneously, metabolic byproducts such as organic acids and sugars produced during radish fermentation tend to accumulate locally, creating an uneven anaerobic fermentation environment, which can easily produce off-flavors and promote the growth of harmful microorganisms. Therefore, regular brine circulation is essential during the pickling process to ensure a uniform distribution of brine concentration, disperse metabolic byproducts, inhibit the growth of unwanted bacteria, and guarantee consistent pickling quality throughout the entire tank.

[0005] The common brine circulation method in the industry is as follows: during circulation, a rigid water pipe is temporarily inserted into the bottom of the vegetable pile, and the brine at the bottom of the pool is extracted by a water pump and sprayed directly onto the top of the vegetable pile through a simple pipe; some companies will install a single-layer filter screen on the water pipe or set up a small open sedimentation tank to perform preliminary sedimentation of the extracted brine before it is returned.

[0006] However, when temporarily inserting a water pipe into the vegetable pile, it is very easy to puncture the vegetable head tissue. The damaged area is easily infected by miscellaneous bacteria, leading to local rot of the raw materials. The insertion depth of the water pipe is difficult to control precisely, and a large amount of impurities from the bottom of the pool and vegetable leaves and debris from the vegetable head will be sucked in. This not only easily clogs the pipe, but the backflow of impurities will also directly contaminate the raw materials on the upper layer.

[0007] Based on the above problems, there is an urgent need for a pickling and sealing process for pickled mustard tubers with stable sealing performance, no damage during brine circulation, and simple operation, as well as a matching brine circulation device. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a pickling and sealing process for pickled mustard tubers and a brine circulation device, which solves problems such as easy spoilage of raw materials and poor circulation effect in traditional processes.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0010] This invention discloses a pickling and sealing process for pickled mustard tubers, comprising a pickling tank excavated in the ground, a plastic film arranged longitudinally along the tank wall inside the pickling tank, the top of the plastic film extending outwards towards the edge of the pickling tank, and the bottom of the plastic film being separate from the bottom of the pickling tank. Pickled mustard tubers are then pickled in the pickling tank. After pickling, the plastic film extending from the edge of the pickling tank is placed towards the inside of the pickling tank to cover it. After covering, a limiting strip is placed at the edge of the pickling tank to press down the plastic film. Finally, a sealing film is laid on top of the pickled mustard tubers, and a pressure plate is placed on top of the sealing film. When the water output from the pickled mustard tubers stabilizes, a brine circulation device is moved above the pickling tank. The water pump on the brine circulation device draws brine from the bottom of the pickling tank to the top of the pickled mustard tubers, and gradually flows back to the bottom of the tank, thus realizing brine circulation.

[0011] Preferably, during the pickling process, a reserved pipe is provided at the four corners of the pickling tank and can be detachably connected to the water pump. A filter frame is fitted at the bottom of the reserved pipe. The top of the filter frame is closed and a pad is fitted on the side wall at the bottom. A threaded cylinder is provided through the top center of the filter frame, and the reserved pipe passes through the threaded cylinder and is threadedly connected.

[0012] Preferably, when brine circulation is required, the pressure plate and sealing membrane are removed, the brine circulation device is moved above the pickling tank, and the water pumping pipe on the brine circulation device is matched and connected to the reserved pipe one by one.

[0013] Correspondingly, a brine circulation device includes multiple vertically arranged pumping pipes, the top ends of which are connected to horizontal pipes. The other ends of the horizontal pipes face the center of the area enclosed by the multiple pumping pipes and are connected to a main pipe. The horizontal pipes are located below the main pipe, and the bottom end of the main pipe is connected to the inlet of a first pump. The outlet of the first pump is connected to a return pipe array. The return pipe array is placed on the top surface of the vegetable head, and several through holes are provided on the bottom surface and side walls of the return pipe array.

[0014] Preferably, the outlet of the first pump is connected to a sedimentation tank, and the sedimentation tank is connected to the return pipe via a second pump.

[0015] Preferably, an overflow plate is vertically installed in the sedimentation tank, and a filter screen is installed above the overflow plate, dividing the sedimentation tank into a sedimentation zone and a clear water zone. The outlet of the first pump is connected to the sedimentation zone, and the inlet of the second pump is connected to the clear water zone.

[0016] Preferably, the outlet pipe connected to the outlet of the first pump extends from the side wall of the sedimentation tank into the sedimentation zone, and the outlet of the end extending into the sedimentation tank is set downward. An energy dissipation cylinder with a top opening is provided in the sedimentation zone. The outlet pipe extends from the side wall of the energy dissipation cylinder into the energy dissipation cylinder. The cylinder wall of the energy dissipation cylinder is divided into a smooth section and an open section. The outlet pipe extends from the smooth section of the energy dissipation cylinder into the energy dissipation cylinder.

[0017] Preferably, the top of the sedimentation tank, above the sedimentation zone, is provided with a waist-shaped hole, the inner circle of which is an L-shaped stepped surface. A limiting ring is provided on the top circumference of the energy dissipation cylinder, and the limiting ring is placed on the stepped surface of the waist-shaped hole. When the energy dissipation cylinder moves away from the outlet pipe along the waist-shaped hole, the outlet pipe gradually detaches from the energy dissipation cylinder until it is completely detached from the energy dissipation cylinder.

[0018] Preferably, a return pipe is provided at the bottom of the sedimentation tank, and the outlet of the second pump is connected to the return pipe through a pipe. The bottom of the return pipe is connected to the return pipe bank. The bottom of the sedimentation tank is provided with slag discharge pipes that are connected to the sedimentation zone and the clear water zone respectively. The return pipe bank and the horizontal pipe are parallel.

[0019] Preferably, the brine circulation device is moved to the top of the pickling tank by a moving mechanism. The moving mechanism includes a correspondingly arranged lifting plate, a plurality of rollers are provided at the bottom of the lifting plate, and parallel support rods are provided between the lifting plates. Two of the support rods are located on both sides of the main pipe, and a slot is provided on the top surface of the support rod. The horizontal pipe is placed in the slot.

[0020] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] 1. This invention solves the problem of exposed and moldy edges of the vegetable heads in traditional sealing methods by setting a plastic film along the pool wall during the middle of the laying / piling of the vegetable heads and pressing the edges with a limiting strip. The plastic film sinks synchronously with the fermentation and dehydration of the vegetable heads. The invention also pre-buried a reserved pipe with a filter frame to avoid temporarily inserting the pipe during brine circulation and damaging the vegetable head tissue. At the same time, it prevents vegetable leaf debris from clogging the pipe opening and ensures a stable water pumping process.

[0022] 2. This invention incorporates an energy-dissipating cylinder combining smooth and perforated sections within the settling zone of the sedimentation tank. This allows the incoming water to swirl and buffer within the cylinder before slowly flowing out, preventing the incoming water from directly impacting the bottom of the tank and stirring up settled impurities. A vertically positioned overflow plate further divides the sedimentation tank into a settling zone and a clear water zone. A filter screen above the overflow plate intercepts scum, forming a purification system that combines settling and filtration, ensuring the cleanliness of the returned brine.

[0023] 3. This invention adopts a dual-pump design that separates water pumping and reflux, and is equipped with a reflux pipe with through holes evenly distributed on the bottom and side walls. The spray pressure and flow rate can be flexibly adjusted to ensure that the brine penetrates evenly in all parts of the pickling head. It is equipped with a lifting and moving mechanism with rollers, which can adjust the height of the device to adapt to different batches of pickling heads. A single person can complete the movement and docking of the device between multiple pickling tanks. The energy dissipation cylinder adopts a suspended and detachable design, which can be quickly removed and cleaned by moving it horizontally, reducing the difficulty of device maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the pickling and sealing structure for pickled mustard tubers (without pressure packing);

[0025] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of part A in the middle;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the limit bar structure;

[0027] Figure 4 for Figure 1 The top view (since the sealing film is made of transparent or milky white material, it is not easy to show, so the sealing film is removed from this view).

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a brine circulation device installed above the pickling tank.

[0029] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Top view;

[0030] Figure 7 Top view of the brine circulation device after the horizontal pipe has been removed;

[0031] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A view of the intermediate settling tank from direction AA;

[0032] Figure 9 In order to be in Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the moving mechanism on the brine circulation device, based on the above.

[0033] Figure 10 for Figure 9 BB view of the middle lifting platform;

[0034] In the diagram: 1. Pickling tank; 2. Plastic film; 3. Limiting strip; 4. Sealing film; 5. Pumping pipe; 6. Reserved pipe; 7. Filter frame; 8. Pad; 9. Threaded cylinder; 10. Horizontal pipe; 11. Main pipe; 12. First pump; 13. Return pipe; 14. Sedimentation tank; 15. Second pump; 16. Overflow plate; 17. Filter screen; 18. Water outlet pipe; 19. Energy dissipation cylinder; 20. Waist-shaped hole; 21. Limiting ring; 22. Return pipe; 23. Pipe; 24. Slag discharge pipe; 25. Lifting plate; 26. Support rod; 27. Protective platform; 28. Baffle; 29. ​​Plate 1; 30. Plate 2; 31. Screw; 32. Motor; 33. Guide rod; 34. Limiting groove; 35. Slot. Detailed Implementation

[0035] 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. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] Unless otherwise specified, the technical means used in the implementation examples are conventional means well known to those skilled in the art.

[0037] refer to Figures 1-10This invention discloses a pickling and sealing process for pickled mustard tubers, including a pickling tank 1 excavated in the ground, with a protective platform 27 installed at the opening of the tank to prevent debris from entering. The inner wall of the pickling tank has already been treated, such as applying cement and laying an impermeable membrane. The pickling tank used in this invention can be used directly to pickle mustard tubers, instead of starting from digging the tank and subsequent related treatments. During the pickling of turnips, as the turnips increase in height within the pickling tank, when the height of the turnips reaches 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 of the height of the pickling tank (or the height of the turnips to be pickled), a ring of plastic film 2 is longitudinally arranged against the tank wall inside the pickling tank 1. The top of the plastic film 2 is spread outwards towards the edge of the pickling tank 1. Then, turnips are continued to be laid / piled into the pickling tank 1. After the turnips are laid / piled, the plastic film 2 spread at the edge of the pickling tank 1 is turned inwards to cover the turnips. After covering, a limiting strip 3 is placed at the edge of the pickling tank 1. The limiting strip has a triangular cross-section, and its inclined surface contacts the plastic film 2 to press the plastic film 2 down. Finally, a sealing film 4 is laid on top of the pickling heads, and a weight is placed on top of the sealing film 4. The weight can be a wooden board, bamboo sieve, or other heavy object to weigh down the pickling heads and prevent them from floating, getting moldy, or developing white spots. When the pickling heads produce stable water (generally, the brine is circulated every 7-15 days, with the time controlled within 1 hour to avoid prolonged exposure and spoilage; for large, deep pools larger than 2 meters, circulation can be done twice), the weight and sealing film are removed, and the brine circulation device is moved above the pickling pool 1. The water pump 5 on the brine circulation device draws the brine from the bottom of the pickling pool 1 to the top of the pickling heads, and it gradually flows to the bottom of the pool, thus achieving brine circulation. It should be noted that in this invention, when laying / piling the pickling heads in the pickling pool, after reaching a certain height, a plastic film is placed around the pool wall to prevent the pickling heads at the edge of the pickling pool from being exposed when the height of the pickling heads drops during fermentation, allowing air, bacteria, etc., to enter the pool and cause spoilage. After wrapping the vegetable head with plastic film, when it falls, a portion of the top of the film is folded over the top surface of the head, preventing the head from being exposed and reducing the risk of spoilage. Simultaneously, the placement of a retaining strip effectively holds the plastic film in place. Furthermore, the retaining strip's inclined surface is preferably a concave arc surface, increasing the contact area with the plastic film and further preventing the film from sliding downwards; instead, the plastic film, vegetable head, and retaining strip fall as a whole. Figure 4 As shown, a limiting strip is arranged around the inner wall of the pickling tank. The "vegetable head" mentioned in this invention is not a leafy green vegetable, but a vegetable with a tuberous stem, such as mustard greens, baby bok choy, turnip, etc.

[0038] Furthermore, to avoid damaging the vegetable heads during the insertion of the pumping pipes before brine circulation, pre-installed pipes are placed at the four corners of the pickling tank when the vegetable heads are laid / piled in the tank. The spacing of the pre-installed pipes must match the spacing of the pumping pipes on the brine circulation device to ensure that the pre-installed pipes connect to the pumping pipes when the brine circulation device moves above the pickling tank. The pre-installed pipes and pumping pipes are detachably connected via pipe fittings. The top of the pre-installed pipe is located inside the vegetable head and is sealed with a plug to prevent impurities such as vegetable leaves from entering. When the plastic film covers the vegetable heads in the pickling tank, it covers the area between the pre-installed pipes and the pickling tank. In this invention, the number of pre-installed pipes can be increased or decreased depending on the size of the pickling tank, and the number of pumping pipes is greater than or equal to the number of pre-installed pipes. Additionally, when burying the pre-installed pipes inside the vegetable heads, care must be taken to ensure that the limiting strip is not above the pre-installed pipes to avoid the need to move the limiting strip later.

[0039] Furthermore, to prevent the pre-reserved pipe from collapsing and affecting the laying / stacking of vegetable heads, a filter frame 7 is fitted at the bottom of the pre-reserved pipe 6. The filter screen can be cylindrical, cubic, or cuboid. The filter frame is entirely surrounded by the filter screen, mainly to block vegetable leaves and prevent them from clogging the opening of the pre-reserved pipe. The top of the filter frame 7 is closed, the bottom is open, and a pad 8 is fitted on the side wall to increase the contact surface with the bottom of the pool. Vegetable heads are piled on the pad and pressed down to prevent the pre-reserved pipe from tilting. A threaded cylinder 9 is installed through the center of the top of the filter frame 7, and the pre-reserved pipe 6 passes through the threaded cylinder 9 and is threadedly connected. It should be noted that only the part of the pre-reserved pipe that connects to the threaded cylinder is threaded. At the same time, a baffle 28 is installed above the threaded section of the pre-reserved pipe. The pre-reserved pipe is screwed until the baffle contacts the top of the filter frame, which stops the screwing to prevent the pre-reserved pipe or filter frame from disengaging from the threaded connection with the threaded cylinder. At this point, the bottom surface of the pre-reserved tube should ideally be flush with the bottom surface of the filter frame to prevent the bottom end of the pre-reserved tube from being suspended inside the filter frame, which would affect its stability. Simultaneously, a water inlet is provided on the side wall of the pre-reserved tube near its bottom end, with the area of ​​the inlet equal to the area of ​​the tube opening. The height of the pre-reserved tube is determined according to the height of the pickled mustard tuber stacking / laying as specified by the factory during the pickling process; the pre-reserved tube should be located inside the pickled mustard tuber to avoid interfering with the laying of the plastic film and sealing film.

[0040] When brine circulation is required, simply remove the pressure plate and sealing membrane 4. If the plastic film is above the reserved pipe, fold it over to the area between the reserved pipe and the pickling tank. Move the brine circulation device above the pickling tank 1 and connect the water pumping pipe 5 on the brine circulation device to the reserved pipe one by one.

[0041] This invention also provides a brine circulation device, which includes multiple vertically arranged pumping pipes 5. The top ends of each pumping pipe 5 are connected to horizontal pipes 10. The other ends of the horizontal pipes 10 face the center of the area enclosed by the multiple pumping pipes 5 and are connected to a main pipe 11, located below the main pipe 11. The bottom end of the main pipe 11 is connected to the inlet of a first pump 12. The first pump simultaneously pumps water from all four pumping pipes. The outlet of the first pump 12 is connected to a return pipe array 13, which is placed on the top surface of the pickled mustard greens. Alternatively, it can be submerged or partially submerged within the mustard greens. The bottom and side walls of the return pipe array 13 have several through holes. High-concentration brine is sprayed from the side and bottom of the return pipe array, preferably with the through holes partially submerged within the mustard greens. This allows the high-concentration brine to be sprayed directly into the mustard greens, preventing the through holes from being exposed. The brine is sprayed onto the inner wall of the pickling tank and flows downstream, while some mustard greens do not come into contact with the high-concentration brine. Figure 5 , Figure 6 The arrangement of the pumping pipes and horizontal pipes in this invention can be adapted to the number of pumping pipes; this is not the only arrangement method. It should be noted that, to accommodate different numbers of pre-embedded pipes and pumping pipes, the size of the return pipe array is determined by its location within the area containing multiple pre-embedded pipes. The required number of pre-embedded pipes can be installed around this area as needed. In actual production, since the size of the pickling tank is fixed, if the number of pre-embedded pipes exceeds the number of pumping pipes, it is inconvenient to modify the horizontal pipes and pumping pipes on-site. Therefore, the number of pre-embedded pipes should be less than or equal to the number of pumping pipes. If it is less, simply plug the openings of the excess pumping pipes.

[0042] Furthermore, to monitor the brine condition for timely damage control and to allow impurities such as vegetable scraps to settle and prevent backflow into the pickles, thus affecting fermentation, the outlet of the first pump 12 is connected to a settling tank 14. The settling tank is made of transparent material, allowing observation of the brine's condition. If the brine shows signs of spoilage, the pickling process must be stopped immediately. The settling tank 14 is connected to the return pipe 13 via a second pump 15. Specifically, the outlet of the second pump is connected to an outlet pipe, which is connected to the settling tank. The settled clear liquid is pumped by the second pump to the return pipe, spraying out from through-holes in the bottom and side walls of the return pipe. The spraying speed is adjusted by controlling the pressure of the second pump.

[0043] Furthermore, since the natural settling speed is too slow, the sediment is pumped away by the second pump before it can settle. Therefore, an overflow plate 16 is vertically installed in the settling tank 14, and a filter screen 17 is installed above the overflow plate 16 to block scum. The top cover of the settling tank is detachable and fixed. C-shaped limiting grooves 34 are correspondingly installed on both sides of the settling tank. The overflow plate and filter screen are inserted into the openings of the limiting grooves on both sides to facilitate removal, cleaning, or replacement. The mesh size of the filter screen is selected according to the actual situation. The overflow plate and filter screen divide the settling tank 14 into a settling zone and a clear water zone. The outlet of the first pump 12 is connected to the settling zone, and the inlet of the second pump 15 is connected to the clear water zone. Specifically: The outlet pipe 18 of the first pump 12 extends from the side wall of the sedimentation tank 14 into the sedimentation zone, with the outlet end facing downwards. The sedimentation zone is equipped with a top-opening energy dissipation cylinder 19 to prevent the brine entering the sedimentation zone from directly impacting or disturbing the impurities at the bottom of the tank, thus preventing the impurities from settling. The outlet pipe 18 extends from the side wall of the energy dissipation cylinder 19 into the cylinder 19. The cylinder wall of the energy dissipation cylinder 19 is divided into a smooth section and an open section (several holes are provided below the smooth section to allow brine to flow out without causing strong impact). The outlet pipe 18 extends from the smooth section into the energy dissipation cylinder 19. The inlet pipe of the second pump passes through the sedimentation tank and extends into the clear water zone, with the pipe opening bent downwards and a certain distance from the bottom of the tank to prevent the removal of finer impurities from the clear water zone.

[0044] Furthermore, to facilitate the removal and cleaning of the energy dissipation cylinder from the settling tank, a waist-shaped hole 20 is provided at the top of the settling tank 14, above the settling zone. The inner ring of the waist-shaped hole 20 has an L-shaped stepped surface. A limiting ring 21 is provided on the top circumference of the energy dissipation cylinder 19, and the limiting ring 21 is placed on the stepped surface of the waist-shaped hole 20, allowing the energy dissipation cylinder to suspend within the settling zone. As the energy dissipation cylinder 19 moves away from the outlet pipe 18 along the waist-shaped hole 20, the outlet pipe 18 gradually detaches from the energy dissipation cylinder 19 until it is completely detached. It is easy to understand that there is a clearance fit between the outlet pipe and the energy dissipation cylinder, but no clearance between the outlet pipe and the settling tank. The end of the outlet pipe extending into the energy dissipation cylinder is a straight pipe with a bent end, and the outlet faces downwards. A handle is correspondingly provided on the top surface of the limiting ring for easy removal of the energy dissipation cylinder.

[0045] Furthermore, such as Figure 8As shown, a return pipe 22 is provided at the bottom of the sedimentation tank 14. The outlet of the second pump 15 is connected to the return pipe 22 via a pipe 23. The bottom of the return pipe 22 is connected to the return pipe bank 13. A slag discharge pipe 24, connected to both the sedimentation zone and the clear water zone, is provided at the bottom of the sedimentation tank 14. The return pipe bank 13 is parallel to the horizontal pipe 10. It should be noted that multiple reinforcing ribs are provided between the return pipe and the bottom of the sedimentation tank to increase the connection strength. The pipe is connected to the side wall of the return pipe, allowing the settled brine to be introduced into the return pipe bank. The shape of the return pipe bank can be the same as that of the pickling tank, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the return pipe array can be either a grid pattern or a cross pattern, with the pipes interconnected, and can be configured as needed.

[0046] Furthermore, since the height of the radish heads does not remain consistent and fluctuates, when the pumping pipe is connected to the pre-installed pipe, the return pipe may be deeply embedded within the radish heads, or the return pipe may be suspended in mid-air, hindering proper brine return. Therefore, the pre-installed pipe is divided into multiple sections connected by threads. For example, one end of each section is inserted into the internal thread of another section, while the other end has an internal thread that connects to the other end of another section. In other words, each section has an external thread at one end and an internal thread at the other—this is the existing technology. Because the radish head height does not fluctuate significantly, the pipe sections are concentrated in the upper half of the pre-installed pipe. The height of the pre-installed pipe can be adjusted by disassembly and reassembly, thus adapting to different radish head stacking heights and ensuring the return pipe is positioned appropriately.

[0047] Furthermore, since the brine circulation device is inconvenient to move manually and is prone to contamination from contact with the ground, the brine circulation device is moved to above the pickling tank 1 via a moving mechanism. This moving mechanism also serves to support the entire brine circulation system. The moving mechanism includes a corresponding lifting plate 25 with multiple rollers at its bottom. The lifting plate is located on both sides of the pickling tank, which are also the sides of the protective platform 27. Because the protective platform has a certain height, the lifting plate raises the brine circulation device above the platform and then moves it along the length of the pickling tank until it reaches the designated position. The lifting plate then descends. The distance between the top of the pre-reserved pipe and the top surface of the vegetable head determines whether the water pump should be raised or lowered. The water pump is then connected to the pre-reserved pipe via a pipe connector. Then, the first pump is started to pump brine into the settling tank. When the liquid level in the clear water zone reaches a certain height (e.g., above the inlet pipe of the second pump), the second pump is started to pump the brine to the return pipe, thus achieving brine circulation. Note that the flow rate of the second pump must be less than or equal to the overflow flow rate of the overflow plate to achieve continuous brine circulation. Parallel support rods 26 are provided between the lifting plates 25. The two support rods 26 are located on both sides of the main pipe 11, i.e., on both sides of the settling tank. To prevent the horizontal pipe from sliding on the support rods, the top surface of the support rods 26 is provided with a groove 35. The horizontal pipe 10 is placed in the groove 35. The groove is inclined and adapted to the horizontal pipe, so that the horizontal pipe cannot slide along the groove.

[0048] Furthermore, the lifting of the lifting platform is existing technology, and as one implementation method, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the lifting plate 25 includes a first plate 29 and a second plate 30 arranged vertically. A threaded groove is provided at the center of the bottom of the first plate, and a screw 31 is fitted into the groove. The bottom end of the screw extends out of the first plate and is connected to a motor 32, which is fixed in a notch at the top of the second plate. To ensure the stability of the first and second plates during lifting, a guide rod 33 is provided at the bottom of the first plate, and a guide groove for inserting the guide rod is provided on the top surface of the second plate. The first plate is driven to move up and down by starting the motor.

[0049] Furthermore, to adjust the distance between the lifting plates, both ends of the support rod pass through the first plate with a clearance fit. Then, the support rods are fixed by radially inserting pins into the support rods on both sides of the lifting plate. By moving the lifting plate along the support rods in opposite or opposite directions and then fixing it with the pins, the distance between the support plates can be adjusted.

[0050] It is important to note that, due to the high concentration of chloride ions in the pickling brine, which is highly corrosive, all components in the pickling and sealing process and brine circulation device described in this invention that come into direct contact with the brine are made of corrosion-resistant materials, including but not limited to 316L stainless steel, food-grade polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, and high-density polyethylene. This effectively prevents component damage and secondary contamination of the brine caused by corrosion, extends the service life of the device, and ensures the hygiene and safety of the pickled food. The choice of pump depends on the application scenario and requirements, such as a centrifugal pump.

[0051] When using this invention, pickled mustard tuber raw materials are laid in the pickling tank 1. When the height of the raw materials reaches 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 of the designed height of the pickling tank 1, a plastic film 2 is laid longitudinally along the inner wall of the pickling tank 1, and the top of the plastic film 2 is spread and fixed outwards towards the protective platform 27 at the edge of the pickling tank 1.

[0052] Continue to lay the pickled mustard tuber raw materials into the pickling tank 1 to the preset height, and flip the plastic film 2 spread on the protective platform 27 inward to completely cover the top surface of the raw materials.

[0053] A retaining strip 3 is placed around the inner edge of the pickling tank 1, so that the inclined surface of the retaining strip 3 presses against the edge of the plastic film 2 to prevent the plastic film 2 from sliding as the raw materials sink.

[0054] A transparent sealing film 4 is laid on top of the raw material to ensure that the sealing film 4 completely covers the surface of the raw material. Then, a pressing board made of wooden boards or bamboo racks is evenly placed on top of the sealing film 4 to press down the raw material and prevent it from floating. This completes the sealing of the pickled mustard tuber and allows it to ferment.

[0055] When the fermentation of the pickled mustard tuber stabilizes (usually 7-15 days after pickling), prepare for brine circulation: first remove the pressure plate and sealing film 4, then fold the plastic film 2 covering the reserved tube 6 to the area between the reserved tube 6 and the inner wall of the pickling tank 1 (or just expose the reserved tube outside the sealing film, without folding it all over), exposing the plug at the top of the reserved tube 6.

[0056] Start the motor 32 to drive the screw 31 to rotate, adjust the lifting height of the adjustment plate 29, push the lifting plate 25 of the moving mechanism, so that the brine circulation device moves over the protective platform 27 to directly above the pickling tank 1, so that the bottom end of the water pumping pipe 5 is aligned with the top end of the reserved pipe 6.

[0057] Remove the plug at the top of the reserved pipe 6, control the lifting plate to descend, and then connect the water pumping pipe 5 and the reserved pipe 6 one by one through the quick pipe fittings to ensure that there is no leakage at the connection; at this time, the return pipe is embedded in the raw material.

[0058] When the first pump 12 is started, the brine at the bottom of the pickling tank 1 is filtered by the filter frame 7 to remove large vegetable leaf fragments. It then flows into the main pipe 11 through the reserved pipe 6, the pumping pipe 5, and the horizontal pipe 10. After being pressurized by the first pump 12, it is transported to the settling zone of the settling tank 14 through the outlet pipe 18.

[0059] Salt water enters the energy dissipation cylinder 19 from the downward outlet of the outlet pipe 18. After swirling and buffering to eliminate kinetic energy inside the cylinder, it flows out from the open section of the lower half of the energy dissipation cylinder 19 to the settling zone. Large particles of impurities naturally sink to the bottom of the pool in the settling zone. The upper layer of clear water gradually rises and overflows the overflow plate 16. After the scum is filtered by the filter screen 17, it flows into the clear water zone.

[0060] When the liquid level in the clear water zone exceeds the inlet pipe of the second pump 15, the second pump 15 is started to transport the clean brine from the clear water zone to the return pipe 22 at the bottom of the sedimentation tank 14 through the pipe 23. The brine is then evenly distributed to the return pipe row 13 by the return pipe 22 and sprayed onto the top layer of the pickled mustard tuber from the bottom surface and side wall through holes of the return pipe row 13.

[0061] The sprayed brine penetrates the pickled mustard tuber layer from top to bottom and eventually flows back to the bottom of the pickling tank 1, completing the circulation. The entire circulation process is controlled within 1 hour. During this period, the spraying pressure and flow rate can be controlled by adjusting the speed of the second pump 15.

[0062] After the circulation is completed, turn off the second pump 15 and the first pump 12 in sequence, disconnect the connection between the water pumping pipe 5 and the reserved pipe 6, and cover the plug of the reserved pipe 6; push the lifting plate 25 and start the lifting plate to move the brine circulation device away from the pickling tank 1, and clean the residual brine on the surface of the device.

[0063] Re-cover the top surface of the raw material with plastic film 2, lay the sealing film 4 and place the pressure plate, and continue to seal and ferment. After the brine circulation device is used 3-5 times, open the sludge discharge pipe 24 at the bottom of the sedimentation tank 14 to discharge the sludge in the sedimentation zone and the clear water zone respectively. When the opening of the energy dissipation cylinder 19 becomes blocked, hold the handle at the top of the energy dissipation cylinder 19 and move it horizontally along the waist-shaped hole 20 away from the water outlet pipe 18 so that the energy dissipation cylinder 19 is completely separated from the water outlet pipe 18. After cleaning, it can be reset along the original path.

[0064] 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.

[0065] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention should fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pickling and sealing process for pickled mustard tuber, comprising a pickling tank (1) excavated in the ground, characterized in that: A plastic film (2) is arranged longitudinally against the wall of the pickling tank (1). The top of the plastic film (2) is spread outward from the edge of the pickling tank (1), and the bottom of the plastic film (2) is separated from the bottom of the pickling tank (1). Then, the pickled vegetables are pickled in the pickling tank (1). After pickling, the plastic film (2) spread outward from the edge of the pickling tank (1) is covered inward. After covering, a limiting strip (3) is placed at the edge of the pickling tank (1) to press down the plastic film (2). Finally, a sealing film (4) is laid on the top surface of the vegetables, and a pressure strip is set on the top surface of the sealing film (4). When the water output of the vegetables is stable, the brine circulation device is moved above the pickling tank (1). The water pump (5) on the brine circulation device draws the brine from the bottom of the pickling tank (1) to the top surface of the vegetables and gradually flows to the bottom of the tank to realize brine circulation.

2. The pickling and sealing process for pickled mustard tuber according to claim 1, characterized in that: During the pickling process, a reserved pipe (6) is provided at the four corners of the pickling tank (1) and can be detachably connected to the water pump (5). A filter frame (7) is fitted at the bottom of the reserved pipe (6). The top of the filter frame (7) is closed and a pad (8) is fitted on the side wall of the bottom end. A threaded cylinder (9) is provided through the center of the top of the filter frame (7). The reserved pipe (6) passes through the threaded cylinder (9) and is threadedly connected.

3. The pickling and sealing process for pickled mustard tuber according to claim 2, characterized in that: When brine circulation is required, remove the pressure plate and sealing membrane (4), move the brine circulation device above the pickling tank (1), and connect the water pumping pipe (5) on the brine circulation device to the reserved pipe one by one.

4. A brine circulation device used in the pickling and sealing process of pickled mustard tuber according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: The brine circulation device includes multiple vertically arranged pumping pipes (5), the top of each pumping pipe (5) is connected to a horizontal pipe (10), the other end of the horizontal pipe (10) faces the center of the area enclosed by the multiple pumping pipes (5) and is connected to the main pipe (11), located below the main pipe (11), the bottom end of the main pipe (11) is connected to the inlet of the first pump (12), the outlet of the first pump (12) is connected to the return pipe (13), the return pipe (13) is placed on the top surface of the vegetable head, and several through holes are provided on the bottom surface and side wall of the return pipe (13).

5. The brine circulation device for pickling pickled mustard tubers according to claim 4, characterized in that: The outlet of the first pump (12) is connected to a sedimentation tank (14), and the sedimentation tank (14) is connected to the return pipe (13) through the second pump (15).

6. The brine circulation device for pickling pickled mustard tubers according to claim 5, characterized in that: An overflow plate (16) is vertically installed inside the sedimentation tank (14), and a filter screen (17) is installed above the overflow plate (16), dividing the sedimentation tank (14) into a sedimentation zone and a clear water zone. The outlet of the first pump (12) is connected to the sedimentation zone, and the inlet of the second pump (15) is connected to the clear water zone.

7. The brine circulation device for pickling pickled mustard tubers according to claim 6, characterized in that: The outlet pipe (18) connected to the outlet of the first pump (12) extends from the side wall of the sedimentation tank (14) into the sedimentation zone, and the outlet of the end extending into the sedimentation tank (14) is set downward. An energy dissipation cylinder (19) with a top opening is provided in the sedimentation zone. The outlet pipe (18) extends from the side wall of the energy dissipation cylinder (19) into the energy dissipation cylinder (19). The cylinder wall of the energy dissipation cylinder (19) is divided into a smooth section and an open section. The outlet pipe (18) extends from the smooth section of the energy dissipation cylinder (19) into the energy dissipation cylinder (19).

8. The brine circulation device for pickling pickled mustard tubers according to claim 7, characterized in that: The settling tank (14) has a waist-shaped hole (20) at the top, above the settling zone. The inner circle of the waist-shaped hole (20) is an L-shaped stepped surface. The top circumference of the energy dissipation cylinder (19) is provided with a limiting ring (21). The limiting ring (21) is placed on the stepped surface of the waist-shaped hole (20). When the energy dissipation cylinder (19) moves away from the outlet pipe (18) along the waist-shaped hole (20), the outlet pipe (18) gradually separates from the energy dissipation cylinder (19) until it is completely separated from the energy dissipation cylinder (19).

9. A brine circulation device for pickling pickled mustard tubers according to claim 6, characterized in that: The bottom of the sedimentation tank (14) is provided with a return pipe (22), and the outlet of the second pump (15) is connected to the return pipe (22) through a pipe (23). The bottom of the return pipe (22) is connected to the return pipe bank (13). The bottom of the sedimentation tank (14) is provided with a slag discharge pipe (24) that is connected to the sedimentation zone and the clear water zone respectively. The return pipe bank (13) and the horizontal pipe (10) are parallel.

10. A brine circulation device for pickling pickled mustard tubers according to any one of claims 4-9, characterized in that: The brine circulation device is moved to the top of the pickling tank (1) by a moving mechanism. The moving mechanism includes a corresponding lifting plate (25). Multiple rollers are provided at the bottom of the lifting plate (25). Parallel support rods (26) are provided between the lifting plates (25). The two support rods (26) are located on both sides of the main pipe (11). The top surface of the support rod (26) is provided with a slot (35). The horizontal pipe (10) is placed in the slot (35).

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