Vacuum dewatering machine and vacuum dewatering method

Abstract

The present application provides a kind of vacuum dewatering machine and vacuum dewatering method, including vacuum box, the side wall of the vacuum box is equipped with sealing box door, box door and box joint place is equipped with multiple sealing rubber strip 11;The vacuum box is connected with vacuum heat exchange system, for the vacuum inside box;Cooling chamber in the box is equipped with shelf, the shelf is configured as multi-layer structure, and heating coil is installed on the bottom surface of each layer of shelf, so that the vacuum of vacuum heat exchange system is extracted, and each layer of shelf is heated by heating coil simultaneously.The present application can effectively improve the dehydration speed, avoid material damage due to local overheating original component structure, can dynamically adjust process parameters according to material dehydration process, can ensure that the final dehydration effect is stable, adapts to the dehydration processing needs of different types of materials, compared with traditional dehydration equipment, with the advantages of reasonable structure design, good running stability, high degree of automation, suitable for large-scale dehydration production in food processing and other fields.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of food machinery, and particularly relates to a vacuum dehydrator and a vacuum dehydration method. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, sausages, cured meats, and meat products are mostly dried using natural air drying or hot air drying. Natural air drying is greatly affected by the environment and climate, resulting in a long production cycle and susceptibility to microbial contamination, making it difficult to meet the hygiene requirements for large-scale production. Hot air drying requires placing the material in a high-temperature environment for an extended period of time, which can easily destroy the nutrients in the food. It can also lead to uneven heating, where the outside is dried but the inside still retains excess moisture, affecting the taste and quality of the final product. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention proposes a vacuum dehydrator and vacuum dehydration method, which can effectively improve the dehydration speed, avoid damage to the original component structure of materials due to local overheating, dynamically adjust process parameters according to the material dehydration process, ensure stable final dehydration effect, and adapt to the dehydration processing needs of different types of materials. Compared with traditional dehydration equipment, it has the advantages of reasonable structural design, good operational stability, and high degree of automation, making it suitable for large-scale dehydration production in food processing and other fields.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: a vacuum dehydrator, comprising a vacuum chamber, wherein the side wall of the vacuum chamber is provided with a sealed door, and multiple layers of sealing strips 11 are provided at the joint between the door and the chamber; the vacuum chamber is connected to a vacuum heat exchange system for evacuating the interior of the chamber; a shelf is provided in the cooling chamber inside the chamber, the shelf is configured as a multi-layer structure, and a heating coil is installed on the bottom surface of each shelf, so that each shelf layer is heated by the heating coil while the vacuum heat exchange system is evacuating the vacuum.

[0005] Preferably, the vacuum heat exchange system includes an ejector connected to the pot body, a heat exchanger connected to the ejector, a vacuum pump connected to the heat exchanger, and a steam generator connected to the ejector, wherein the steam generator provides a heat source for the heating coil.

[0006] Preferably, the shelf includes a vertically arranged support frame, a horizontally arranged support part on the support frame, and the heating coil is connected to the bottom of the support part.

[0007] Preferably, the support frame is composed of multiple vertically arranged circular tubes, which are connected to the steam generator of the vacuum heat exchange system as steam input pipes and communicate with the heating coil.

[0008] Preferably, the support portion is a mesh structure capable of supporting food.

[0009] Preferably, it also includes a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a control system. The control system is electrically connected to the temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, the vacuum heat exchange system, and the steam generator, and can adjust the vacuum level of the vacuum heat exchange system and the heating power of the heating coil based on the real-time temperature and humidity data collected in the cooling chamber.

[0010] Preferably, the vacuum chamber is provided with a drain outlet at the bottom to automatically discharge the moisture generated by condensation to the outside of the equipment.

[0011] A vacuum dehydration method, using the aforementioned vacuum dehydrator, includes the following steps: S1. Place the material to be dehydrated on the multi-layer shelf inside the vacuum chamber, close the sealed chamber door and start the equipment; S2. The vacuum heat exchange system and the heating coil operate synchronously. The former evacuates the vacuum chamber to a preset vacuum level, while the latter heats the material by delivering steam through a steam generator. S3. The moisture in the material is heated and vaporized under vacuum and low pressure conditions. Some of the water vapor changes into liquid water in the box and is discharged through the drain port at the bottom of the box.

[0012] Preferably, the method further includes step S4, in which the temperature sensor and humidity sensor acquire the temperature and humidity data inside the chamber in real time and transmit them to the control system. The control system dynamically adjusts the vacuum level and the heating power of the heating coil accordingly until dehydration is completed.

[0013] Preferably, step S5 is also included: after dehydration is completed, the vacuum heat exchange system and heating coil are turned off, the vacuum state inside the chamber is released, and the sealed chamber door is opened to take out the dehydrated material.

[0014] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages and positive effects of this invention are as follows: This invention addresses the problems of low dehydration efficiency, uneven heating of materials, and difficulty in precise control of the dehydration process in existing vacuum dehydration equipment by optimizing and improving the equipment structure and process method. By combining multi-layer racks with a layered heating structure, the material to be dehydrated can be uniformly heated in a vacuum low-pressure environment, effectively increasing the dehydration speed and preventing damage to the original component structure due to localized overheating. The vacuum heat exchange system of this invention works synchronously with the heating coil, and in conjunction with temperature and humidity monitoring and automatic control modules, it can dynamically adjust process parameters according to the material dehydration process, ensuring a stable final dehydration effect and adapting to the dehydration processing needs of different types of materials. Compared with traditional dehydration equipment, it has the advantages of reasonable structural design, good operational stability, and high degree of automation, making it suitable for large-scale dehydration production in food processing and other fields. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the storage rack of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a front view of the storage rack of the present invention; In the above figures: 1. Vacuum chamber; 11. Multi-layer sealing strip; 2. Sealed door; 3. Vacuum heat exchange system; 4. Shelf; 41. Heating coil; 42. Support frame; 43. Support part; 5. Control system. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present invention will now be described in detail through exemplary embodiments. However, it should be understood that, without further description, elements, structures, and features in one embodiment may be advantageously incorporated into other embodiments. Example

[0018] A vacuum dehydrator, see Figure 1-3 The system includes a vacuum chamber 1, with a sealed door 2 on the side wall of the vacuum chamber 1. The door and the chamber are joined by multiple layers of sealing strips 11. The multiple layers of sealing strips ensure a high degree of sealing after the door is closed, thereby effectively maintaining the stable vacuum environment required inside the chamber and preventing outside air from seeping in and affecting the vacuum level. The vacuum chamber 1 is connected to a vacuum heat exchange system 3, which is mainly used to continuously evacuate the inside of the chamber to form and maintain the low-pressure space required for dehydration.

[0019] The chamber is equipped with a dedicated cooling room containing shelves 4 for placing materials. These shelves 4 are designed with a multi-layered structure. This layered layout not only fully utilizes the available space within the chamber, increasing the material capacity for single processing, but also ensures good ventilation and heat distribution between the layers. A heating coil 41 is fixedly installed on the bottom surface of each shelf 4. This allows for uniform and controllable heating of the corresponding shelf 4 and the materials placed on it, while the vacuum heat exchange system 3 evacuates the chamber. This achieves a synergistic effect between the vacuum and heating processes, creating ideal conditions for the rapid evaporation of moisture from the materials.

[0020] The vacuum heat exchange system 3 specifically includes an ejector connected to the pot body of the vacuum chamber 1, a heat exchanger connected to the ejector for heat exchange, a vacuum pump, the core power equipment connected to the heat exchanger, and a steam generator that provides the working medium for the ejector. The steam generator, while providing power to the ejector, also serves as a heat source, providing high-temperature steam to the heating coil 41, enabling efficient heat transfer.

[0021] The structure of the shelf 4 specifically includes a vertically arranged support frame 42 body that plays the main role of load bearing and support. A support part 43 for directly supporting materials is horizontally arranged on the support frame 42 body. The heating coil 41 is tightly connected to and coiled around the bottom of the support part 43 to ensure that heat can be directly and evenly conducted to the support part 43 and the materials.

[0022] To further optimize heat transfer efficiency, the support frame 42 is composed of multiple vertically arranged metal tubes. These tubes not only provide structural support, but also connect to the steam generator of the vacuum heat exchange system 3 through pipelines, serving as input channels for high-temperature steam. These steam input pipes are further connected to the heating coil 41 arranged below the support 43, forming a highly efficient steam circulation heating network.

[0023] The support part 43 is a mesh structure that can support and disperse food and other materials. It is usually made of high-temperature resistant and non-deformable metal material. Its mesh design ensures that the bottom of the material can receive sufficient heat radiation and convection, while allowing a small amount of condensate or steam to pass through smoothly.

[0024] The vacuum dehydrator also includes temperature and humidity sensors for monitoring key process parameters, as well as a control system 5 for centralized control and calculation. The control system 5 is electrically connected to the temperature sensors, humidity sensors, vacuum heat exchange system 3, and steam generator via cables or signal lines. Based on accurate data collected in real-time by the temperature and humidity sensors in the cooling chamber, the system automatically and in real-time adjusts the operating state of the vacuum heat exchange system 3 to control the vacuum level through built-in control algorithms and logic. Simultaneously, it adjusts the steam flow rate and temperature output from the steam generator to the heating coil 41, thereby precisely controlling the heating power and achieving automated closed-loop control of the entire dehydration process.

[0025] The vacuum chamber 1 has a drain outlet at its lowest point. This drain outlet is connected to an external collection pipe or drainage system. It is used to automatically and promptly discharge the liquid water generated by the condensation of water vapor through the vacuum heat exchange system 3 during the dehydration process, or the small amount of water directly condensed inside the chamber, to the outside of the equipment. This ensures that the inside of the equipment is dry and avoids water accumulation that could affect the dehydration effect or the operation of the equipment. Example

[0026] A vacuum dehydration method, using the vacuum dehydrator described in Example 1 above, includes the following specific operating steps: S1. Preparation and Loading Stage: The operator first places the materials to be dehydrated (such as food, medicine, etc.) evenly on each support part 43 of the multi-layer shelf 4 inside the vacuum chamber 1, ensuring that the materials are placed flat and without excessive accumulation. Then, the sealed chamber door 2 is securely closed, the main power supply of the equipment is turned on, and the control system begins initialization and prepares to execute the dehydration program.

[0027] S2. Vacuuming and Synchronous Heating Stage: The vacuum heat exchange system 3 and the heating coils 41 of each layer start up synchronously according to the preset program instructions. On one hand, the vacuum heat exchange system 3 starts working, continuously evacuating the inside of the sealed vacuum chamber 1 through components such as vacuum pumps and ejectors, gradually reducing the air pressure inside the chamber until it reaches the preset process vacuum value. On the other hand, the steam generator starts generating and delivering high-temperature steam. The steam is delivered through pipelines to the steam input pipe of the support frame 42, and then enters the heating coils 41 of each layer, starting to uniformly and stably heat the material to be dehydrated on the shelf 4, causing the material temperature to gradually rise.

[0028] S3, Dehydration Core Process Stage: In this stage, the boiling point of free water and some bound water in the material is significantly reduced under the low-pressure environment created by the vacuum. Simultaneously, under the continuous heat provided by the heating coil 41, they rapidly absorb heat and vaporize. The water vapor produced by evaporation diffuses inside the chamber, with most of it being drawn into the heat exchanger by the vacuum heat exchange system 3. There, it exchanges heat with the cooling medium and condenses into lower-temperature liquid water. This condensate, along with a small amount of water that may condense directly on the low-temperature walls inside the chamber, collects under gravity and is ultimately discharged from the equipment system continuously or intermittently through the drain outlet located at the bottom of the vacuum chamber 1, thereby effectively separating and removing moisture from the material.

[0029] It also includes a crucial control step S4, in which, during the continuous processes of S2 and S3, temperature and humidity sensors installed inside the chamber continuously acquire real-time temperature and relative humidity values ​​at key points within the chamber and transmit these real-time data signals to the central control system. The control system's built-in control algorithm compares and calculates the received real-time monitoring data with a preset dehydration process curve, dynamically and precisely adjusting the operating parameters of the vacuum heat exchange system 3 (such as the vacuum pump frequency) to maintain or adjust the vacuum level inside the chamber. Simultaneously, it adjusts the output of the steam generator (such as steam pressure and flow rate) to change the actual heating power of the heating coil 41. This dynamic adjustment based on real-time feedback continues until the system determines that the material has reached the preset dryness standard, at which point the dehydration process is considered complete.

[0030] Finally, there is a completion and unloading step S5: When the dehydration process is complete, the control system issues a command to sequentially shut down the vacuum heat exchange system 3 (stop vacuuming) and the heating coil 41 (stop heating). Then, clean air is slowly introduced into the chamber through specific valves or operations to smoothly and safely release the vacuum inside the chamber, restoring the internal pressure to normal. After confirming pressure balance, the operator can safely open the sealed chamber door 2 and remove the finished material, which has completed dehydration and reached the predetermined moisture content, from the shelf 4 for subsequent packaging or processing.

[0031] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A vacuum dehydrator, characterized in that: The device includes a vacuum chamber with a sealed door on its side wall. Multiple layers of sealing strips 11 are provided at the joint between the door and the chamber. The vacuum chamber is connected to a vacuum heat exchange system for evacuating the interior of the chamber. A shelf is provided in the cooling chamber inside the chamber. The shelf has a multi-layer structure, and a heating coil is installed on the bottom surface of each shelf so that each shelf can be heated by the heating coil while the vacuum heat exchange system is evacuating the vacuum.

2. The vacuum dehydrator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vacuum heat exchange system includes an ejector connected to the pot body, a heat exchanger connected to the ejector, a vacuum pump connected to the heat exchanger, and a steam generator connected to the ejector, wherein the steam generator provides a heat source for the heating coil.

3. The vacuum dehydrator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shelf includes a vertically arranged support frame, on which a horizontal support part is provided, and the heating coil is connected to the bottom of the support part.

4. The vacuum dehydrator according to claim 3, characterized in that: The support frame is composed of multiple vertically arranged circular tubes, which are connected to the steam generator of the vacuum heat exchange system as steam input pipes and are connected to the heating coil.

5. The vacuum dehydrator according to claim 3, characterized in that: The support portion is a mesh structure capable of supporting food.

6. The vacuum dehydrator according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a control system. The control system is electrically connected to the temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, the vacuum heat exchange system, and the steam generator, and can adjust the vacuum level of the vacuum heat exchange system and the heating power of the heating coil based on the real-time temperature and humidity data collected in the cooling chamber.

7. The vacuum dehydrator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vacuum chamber is equipped with a drain outlet at the bottom to automatically discharge the moisture generated by condensation to the outside of the equipment.

8. A vacuum dehydration method, using a vacuum dehydrator as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: S1. Place the material to be dehydrated on the multi-layer shelf inside the vacuum chamber, close the sealed chamber door and start the equipment; S2. The vacuum heat exchange system and the heating coil operate synchronously. The former evacuates the vacuum chamber to a preset vacuum level, while the latter heats the material by delivering steam through a steam generator. S3. The moisture in the material is heated and vaporized under vacuum and low pressure conditions. Some of the water vapor changes into liquid water in the box and is discharged through the drain port at the bottom of the box.

9. The vacuum dehydration method according to claim 8, characterized in that: It also includes step S4, where the temperature sensor and humidity sensor acquire the temperature and humidity data inside the chamber in real time and transmit them to the control system. The control system dynamically adjusts the vacuum level and the heating power of the heating coil according to this data until dehydration is completed.

10. The vacuum dehydration method according to claim 8, characterized in that: It also includes step S5, after dehydration is completed, shutting off the vacuum heat exchange system and heating coil, releasing the vacuum inside the chamber, opening the sealed chamber door and taking out the dehydrated material.

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