A low temperature sterilization device for fruit flavored honey products

Abstract

The utility model relates to a low temperature sterilization device for fruit honey product, including frame, feed tank, discharge tank, sterilization module and control system. Sterilization module includes material pump, filtration unit, first ultraviolet sterilization unit, ozone mixed solution unit and second ultraviolet sterilization unit in order along material flow direction intercommunication. Ultraviolet sterilization unit adopts quartz glass tube as material flow channel, and is arranged with deep ultraviolet LED lamp strip in its upper and lower sides;Ozone mixed solution unit realizes the uniform mixing of ozone and material through static mixing pipe;The device is also provided with integral cooling jacket, and is covered in the outside of sterilization unit to maintain low temperature operating environment. The utility model adopts non-thermal sterilization mode, and efficiently kills microorganism under low temperature condition, and the flavor, nutrition and active ingredient of fruit honey are reserved significantly, and have compact structure, simple operation, energy saving and environmental protection etc.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the technical field of food processing equipment, specifically relating to a low-temperature sterilization device for fruit-flavored honey products. Background Technology

[0002] Fruit-flavored honey products are blends of fresh fruit juice or pulp with honey. They are popular with consumers due to their combination of the nourishing properties of honey and the sweet flavor of fruit. However, these products face unique sterilization challenges during production: on the one hand, the active ingredients in honey are extremely sensitive to heat, and traditional heat sterilization can deactivate them and damage their flavor; on the other hand, the addition of fruit juice significantly increases the product's water activity, making it more susceptible to microbial growth and requiring higher sterilization intensity. Existing sterilization methods such as pasteurization (above 60℃) can destroy the activity of honey, and high-temperature instantaneous sterilization is even less suitable. Ultraviolet sterilization has insufficient penetration into viscous honey products with poor light transmittance, resulting in poor sterilization effects. Ozone sterilization, if the concentration or time is not properly controlled, can easily oxidize honey flavor substances. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a sterilization device specifically designed for fruit-flavored honey that can efficiently and uniformly kill microorganisms without raising the material temperature or with only a slight increase, while preserving the honey's natural active ingredients and flavor to the maximum extent. Utility Model Content

[0003] To address the aforementioned shortcomings, this utility model aims to provide a low-temperature sterilization device for fruit-flavored honey products. This device effectively sterilizes fruit-flavored honey under conditions of no heating or low temperature through a combination of physical methods, thus better resolving the contradiction between activity preservation and sterilization effect.

[0004] To achieve the above technical objectives, the following technical solution is adopted: A low-temperature sterilization device for fruit-flavored honey products includes a frame, a feed tank and a discharge tank mounted on the frame, a sterilization module connected between the feed tank and the discharge tank, and a control system. The sterilization module includes a material pump, a filter unit, a first ultraviolet sterilization unit, an ozone mixing unit, and a second ultraviolet sterilization unit, which are sequentially connected along the material flow direction via pipes. Both the first and second ultraviolet sterilization units include a sealed enclosure. Multiple parallel quartz glass tubes are fixed inside the sealed enclosure via tube sheets to form material flow channels. A set of deep ultraviolet LED light strips are arranged directly above and below each of the quartz glass tubes. The low-temperature sterilization device also includes a cooling jacket that covers the exterior of the first ultraviolet sterilization unit, the ozone mixing unit, and the second ultraviolet sterilization unit. The control system is electrically connected to the material pump, the first ultraviolet sterilization unit, the ozone mixing unit, and the second ultraviolet sterilization unit.

[0005] Furthermore, the filtration unit includes a filter housing, within which a coarse filter screen and a fine filter screen are detachably disposed from top to bottom.

[0006] Furthermore, the coarse filter screen has a pore size of 80-120 mesh, and the fine filter screen has a pore size of 200-300 mesh.

[0007] Furthermore, the inner diameter of the quartz glass tube is 15-25mm; the wavelength of the deep ultraviolet LED light strip is 200-280nm, the power is 15-40W, and the spacing between adjacent light strips matches the layout of the quartz glass tube.

[0008] Furthermore, the sealed housing is also provided with an independent coolant interface, which is connected to the internal flow channel of the cooling jacket through a branch pipe, forming an enhanced cooling circuit for the ultraviolet sterilization unit.

[0009] Furthermore, the ozone mixing unit includes an ozone generator and a static mixing tube. The inlet of the static mixing tube is connected to the outlet of the first ultraviolet sterilization unit, and its outlet is connected to the inlet of the second ultraviolet sterilization unit. An ozone injection interface is provided on the side wall of the static mixing tube, and the ozone injection interface is connected to the outlet of the ozone generator through a pipeline.

[0010] Furthermore, a miniature air pump and a flow meter are installed on the pipeline connecting the ozone injection interface to the ozone generator.

[0011] Furthermore, the cooling jacket is an integral double-layer sleeve structure that covers the outside of the first ultraviolet sterilization unit, the ozone mixing unit and the second ultraviolet sterilization unit. It is provided with a total coolant inlet and a total coolant outlet, and is connected to the cooling demand area of ​​each unit through an internally designed flow channel to ensure that the overall system temperature is maintained at 15-40℃.

[0012] Furthermore, the material pump is a screw pump.

[0013] The beneficial effects achieved by this utility model are: This invention provides a low-temperature sterilization device for fruit-flavored honey products. Compared with existing technologies, this invention adopts a multi-stage synergistic sterilization mechanism of "ultraviolet-ozone-ultraviolet". The first stage of ultraviolet irradiation can initially kill surface microorganisms and destroy their DNA structure; the subsequent ozone mixing unit uses a static mixing tube to fully and uniformly mix micron-sized ozone bubbles with the material, utilizing its strong oxidizing properties to penetrate into the material and kill deep-seated microorganisms, especially effective against molds and yeasts; the second stage of ultraviolet irradiation can both supplement sterilization and effectively decompose residual ozone, avoiding the ozone odor from affecting the product flavor. At the same time, the entire sterilization process is carried out in a low-temperature environment (15-40℃) under the protection of the cooling jacket, completely avoiding thermal damage. The deep ultraviolet LED, as a cold light source, generates far less heat than traditional mercury lamps. Combined with efficient jacket cooling and independent cooling circuits, it ensures stable material temperature and maximizes the preservation of heat-sensitive vitamins, active enzymes, natural aromatic substances, and unique nutrients in fruit-flavored honey. Furthermore, a pre-filter unit is employed to remove solid particles that may block ultraviolet (UV) light, ensuring the penetration rate and effectiveness of subsequent UV sterilization. A small-diameter quartz glass tube is used as the flow channel within the sealed chamber, reducing the UV propagation distance and overcoming the adverse effects of high-viscosity materials like honey on UV penetration, ensuring the material receives a sufficient dose of UV irradiation. This invention also integrates a control system that can precisely adjust material flow rate, UV lamp power, ozone injection volume, and cooling temperature, achieving automated process control and parameterized operation, reducing human error, and ensuring the reproducibility and stability of the sterilization process. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The present invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the filter unit described in this utility model.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a three-view cross-section of the first ultraviolet sterilization unit of this utility model.

[0018] In the diagram: 1-Frame; 2-Feed tank; 3-Discharge tank; 4-Material pump; 5-Filter unit; 51-Coarse filter; 52-Fine filter; 6-First UV sterilization unit; 61-Sealed enclosure; 62-Quartz glass tube; 63-Depth UV LED strip; 7-Ozone mixing unit; 71-Ozone generator; 72-Static mixing tube; 73-Miniature air pump; 74-Flow meter; 8-Second UV sterilization unit; 9-Cooling jacket; 91-Main coolant inlet; 92-Main coolant outlet; 10-Control system. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of this utility model. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this utility model from the content disclosed in this specification. The described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0020] like Figure 1 As shown, this utility model discloses a low-temperature sterilization device for fruit-flavored honey products, comprising a frame 1, a feed tank 2, a discharge tank 3, a sterilization module connected between the feed tank 2 and the discharge tank 3, a cooling jacket 9, and a control system 10. The sterilization module includes a material pump 4, a filter unit 5, a first ultraviolet sterilization unit 6, an ozone mixing unit 7, and a second ultraviolet sterilization unit 8, which are sequentially connected through pipes along the material flow direction. The frame 1 is welded from stainless steel profiles to form a stable support structure. The upper platform of the frame 1 is used to install the filter unit 5, the first ultraviolet sterilization unit 6, the ozone mixing unit 7, and the second ultraviolet sterilization unit 8. The feed tank 2 and the discharge tank 3 are located on the left and right sides of the frame 1, respectively. The material pump 4 is a screw pump, installed below the outlet of the feed tank 2.

[0021] The material is first pumped into the filter unit by material pump 4. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the housing of the filter unit 5 contains an 80-mesh stainless steel coarse filter 51 and a 250-mesh stainless steel fine filter 52, which can be easily disassembled and cleaned.

[0022] The filtered material enters the first ultraviolet sterilization unit 6. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the unit includes a sealed enclosure 61, inside which ten parallel quartz glass tubes 62 with an inner diameter of 20 mm are fixed by a tube sheet. A deep ultraviolet LED strip 63 with a wavelength of 265 nm and a power of 30 W is attached directly above and below each quartz glass tube 62. A coolant inlet is provided on the side wall of the enclosure.

[0023] The material then enters the ozone mixing unit 7. This unit mainly consists of an ozone generator 71 and a static mixing tube 72. An ozone injection port is located on the side wall of the static mixing tube 72. The ozone injection port is connected to the ozone generator 71 via a pipeline. A miniature air pump 73 and a flow meter 74 are installed on this pipeline to control the ozone dosage. The material and ozone are thoroughly mixed within the static mixing tube 72.

[0024] After ozone treatment, the material enters the second ultraviolet sterilization unit 8, which has the same structure as the first ultraviolet sterilization unit 6, and is used for final sterilization and decomposition of residual ozone.

[0025] The first UV sterilization unit 6, the ozone mixing unit 7, and the second UV sterilization unit 8 in the sterilization module are enclosed by a single stainless steel cooling jacket 9. The cooling jacket 9 has a main coolant inlet 91 and a main coolant outlet 92, and its internal flow channels are designed to ensure that the coolant can flow through all areas requiring cooling. Simultaneously, the cooling circuits of the two UV sterilization units are also connected to the cooling jacket 9 via distribution pipes, forming an enhanced cooling circuit. The cooling jacket 9 uses circulating low-temperature chilled water to consistently maintain the material temperature in the entire sterilization zone below 30°C.

[0026] The control system 10 uses a PLC controller, which is connected to the material pump 4, deep ultraviolet LED light strip 63, ozone generator 71, micro air pump 73 and flow meter 74 through a circuit. It can realize functions such as start and stop, flow regulation, lamp power regulation and ozone concentration monitoring.

[0027] In operation, the fruit-flavored honey product is conveyed from the feed tank 2 via the material pump 4, and sequentially passes through the filtration unit 5, the first-stage ultraviolet sterilization unit 6, the ozone mixing unit 7, and the second-stage ultraviolet sterilization unit 8 before entering the discharge tank 3 to complete the entire low-temperature sterilization process. The entire process is efficient, continuous, and perfectly preserves the original quality of the product.

[0028] Other aspects of this utility model that are not detailed herein are all conventional techniques known to those skilled in the art.

[0029] It should be noted that the terms “comprising,” “including,” or any other variations 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 process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0030] The scope of protection of this utility model is not limited to the technical solutions disclosed in the specific embodiments. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of this utility model shall fall within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A low-temperature sterilization device for fruit-flavored honey products, comprising a frame (1), a feed tank (2) mounted on the frame (1), a discharge tank (3), a sterilization module connected between the feed tank (2) and the discharge tank (3), and a control system (10); characterized in that: The sterilization module includes a material pump (4), a filter unit (5), a first ultraviolet sterilization unit (6), an ozone mixing unit (7), and a second ultraviolet sterilization unit (8) connected sequentially through pipes along the material flow direction; the first ultraviolet sterilization unit (6) and the second ultraviolet sterilization unit (8) each include a sealed box (61), and multiple parallel quartz glass tubes (62) are fixed inside the sealed box (61) through a tube sheet to form a material flow channel; a set of deep ultraviolet LED light strips (63) are arranged directly above and below each of the quartz glass tubes (62); the low-temperature sterilization device is also provided with a cooling jacket (9), which covers the outside of the first ultraviolet sterilization unit (6), the ozone mixing unit (7), and the second ultraviolet sterilization unit (8); the control system (10) is electrically connected to the material pump (4), the first ultraviolet sterilization unit (6), the ozone mixing unit (7), and the second ultraviolet sterilization unit (8) respectively.

2. The low-temperature sterilization device for fruit-flavored honey products according to claim 1, characterized in that: The filter unit (5) includes a filter housing, in which a coarse filter screen (51) and a fine filter screen (52) are detachably arranged from top to bottom.

3. The low-temperature sterilization device for fruit-flavored honey products according to claim 2, characterized in that: The coarse filter (51) has a pore size of 80-120 mesh, and the fine filter (52) has a pore size of 200-300 mesh.

4. The low-temperature sterilization device for fruit-flavored honey products according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner diameter of the quartz glass tube (62) is 15-25mm; the wavelength of the deep ultraviolet LED light strip (63) is 200-280nm, the power is 15-40W, and the spacing between adjacent light strips matches the layout of the quartz glass tube (62).

5. A low-temperature sterilization device for fruit-flavored honey products according to claim 4, characterized in that: The sealed housing (61) is also provided with an independent coolant interface. The coolant interface is connected to the internal flow channel of the cooling jacket (9) through a diversion pipe to form an enhanced cooling circuit for the ultraviolet sterilization unit.

6. The low-temperature sterilization device for fruit-flavored honey products according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ozone mixing unit (7) includes an ozone generator (71) and a static mixing tube (72). The inlet of the static mixing tube (72) is connected to the outlet of the first ultraviolet sterilization unit (6), and its outlet is connected to the inlet of the second ultraviolet sterilization unit (8). An ozone injection interface is provided on the side wall of the static mixing tube (72), and the ozone injection interface is connected to the outlet of the ozone generator (71) through a pipeline.

7. A low-temperature sterilization device for fruit-flavored honey products according to claim 6, characterized in that: A miniature air pump (73) and a flow meter (74) are provided on the pipeline connecting the ozone injection interface to the ozone generator (71).

8. A low-temperature sterilization device for fruit-flavored honey products according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cooling jacket (9) is an integral double-layer sleeve structure that covers the outside of the first ultraviolet sterilization unit (6), the ozone mixing unit (7) and the second ultraviolet sterilization unit (8). It is provided with a total coolant inlet (91) and a total coolant outlet (92), and is connected to the cooling demand area of ​​each unit through the internally designed flow channel to ensure that the overall system temperature is maintained at 15-40℃.

9. A low-temperature sterilization device for fruit-flavored honey products according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material pump (4) is a screw pump.

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