Immersion peeling container

Abstract

The immersion peeling device (10) includes a container (11) having an internal cavity (16) surrounded by an internal wall (18), an inlet (30) near the first end (12) and offset from the center with respect to the central axis, an outlet (19, 508) near the second end (13), a section of the internal cavity having a circular cross-section intermediate the first end and the second end, and a plurality of peeling members (25) supported within the internal cavity and near the internal wall. A fluid stream enters the internal cavity through the inlet, and a plurality of masses (50A) having skins thereon are introduced into the internal cavity near the inlet. By the fluid stream, the plurality of masses move in a helical pattern within the internal cavity of the container, thereby causing the masses to contact a plurality of peeling members, and each of the peeling members removes a skin fragment when contacting the mass.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for removing an outer surface from a plurality of masses having an outer surface such as, but not limited to, skin, peel, sheath, or hide. More specifically, the present invention relates to a floodable peeling container that allows the removed outer surface to be washed away from the apparatus from which the outer surface is removed and optionally carried conveniently in a stream of fluid discharged from a container to a downstream collection section.

Background Art

[0002] Foods exist in the form of masses. Some of these foods are fruits and vegetables such as, for example, potatoes, apples or oranges. Some of these foods can be peeled or are peelable, and then the peeled or peeled masses can be used for cooking and then packaged and sold to consumers. Various different methods are currently used to remove some or all of the outer surface from the masses. For this purpose, for example, some handheld instruments such as potato peelers or knives may be used. Some of these instruments require a great deal of labor and time to use.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0003]

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0004] One embodiment of the immersion peeling container of the present invention is a container comprising a first end, a second end having an outlet, an inner cavity intermediate the first end and the second end, and an inner wall surrounding the inner cavity. At least a portion of the inner cavity has a rounded or circular cross-section and a central axis extending therethrough. The container, a plurality of peeling members supported within the inner cavity and adjacent to the inner wall, an inlet coupled to the container for introducing an inlet stream having an inlet direction that is off-center with respect to the central axis of the inner cavity of the container, the inlet being adjacent to the first end of the container, and an outlet adjacent to the second end of the container. By introducing a fluid stream through the inlet into the inner cavity of the container, the inner cavity is filled from the inlet to the outlet, and a rotating vortex of the fluid is generated within at least a portion of the inner cavity about the central axis. When continuously introducing the fluid stream through the inlet, by introducing a plurality of masses having outer surfaces into the inner cavity, the plurality of masses are accelerated in a helical path around the central axis by the rotating vortex, and the plurality of masses hit the inner wall and at least some of the plurality of peeling members.

[0005] In one embodiment of the immersion peeling container of the present invention, the central axis is vertical. One embodiment of the immersion peeling container of the present invention further comprises a mass chute fluidly coupled to the container, through which the plurality of masses can be introduced into the internal cavity. One embodiment of the immersion peeling container of the present invention comprises a chute having a discharge end near a first end of the container for introducing a stream of a plurality of masses into the container near the first end. In that embodiment, the residence time is maximized or extended such that as the mass is propelled along the path, it encounters more peeling members before reaching the outlet.

[0006] One embodiment of the immersion peeling container of the present invention is supported on a liner removably received within the internal cavity and comprises a plurality of peeling members disposed on the liner to strike the mass as the mass is propelled through the path by a stream of fluid introduced at the inlet. In one embodiment of the immersion peeling container of the present invention, the plurality of peeling members includes the edges of a plurality of apertures, holes, or perforations in the liner. In another embodiment of the immersion peeling container of the present invention, the plurality of peeling members is connected to and supported on the internal wall of the internal cavity.

[0007] One embodiment of the immersion peeling container of the present invention comprises a strategically placed outflow trough located near the outlet from the container and near a second end of the container for receiving from the container a plurality of masses exiting the container, a fluid, and a plurality of fragments of the external surface removed from the masses. In one embodiment of the immersion peeling container of the present invention, the outflow trough comprises a first portion for receiving the plurality of masses, the fluid, and the fragments and a second portion for discharging one or more of the masses, the fluid, and the fragments. For example, without limitation, the second portion of the outflow trough may comprise a trough having a discharge hole for discharging the fluid phase and at least some of the fragments from the outflow trough while continuing to move the masses (except for the external surface) to another location.

[0008] In one embodiment of the immersion peeling container of the present invention, the inlet is tangential to the central axis and is coupled to the container to introduce the inlet stream having a direction in the vicinity of the inner wall of the container. In one embodiment of the immersion peeling container of the present invention, the inlet is strategically coupled to the container at a position and angle for introducing a stream of fluid into the container and causing it to impinge tangentially on the inner wall of the inner cavity of the container. By tangential impingement, as the term is used herein, it means that the stream of fluid exiting the inlet and introduced into the inner cavity of the container is gradually redirected along the inner wall by the inner wall and is directed so as to maintain its flow velocity while gradually changing direction. This method of introducing a stream of fluid has a significant impact on the sustainability of the helical flow along the path and, as a result, has a significant impact on the propulsion of the mass along the path to strike the peeling member supported within the inner cavity of the container. Embodiments of the immersion peeling apparatus of the present invention utilize a helical vortex path that moves the mass from the first end around the central axis of the inner cavity of the container to the outlet near the second end. This type of embodiment provides optimal utilization of a plurality of dispersed peeling members supported within the inner cavity. Embodiments of the immersion peeling apparatus of the present invention may utilize a helical vortex path that rotates around a vertical central axis, a horizontal central axis, or an inclined central axis. The strategic selection of the orientation of the central axis needs to be made based on factors including the density of the mass whose outer surface is to be removed. Embodiments of the immersion peeling apparatus of the present invention may include an inclined or vertical central axis with the first end disposed lower than the second end, and other embodiments of the immersion peeling apparatus of the present invention may include an inclined or vertical central axis with the first end disposed higher than the second end. A mass having a density greater than the density of the fluid constituting the stream of fluid may be introduced into an embodiment of the immersion peeling apparatus having an inclined or vertical central axis with the first end disposed lower than the second end in order to increase the residence time of the mass.Instead, a mass having a density less than the density of the fluid constituting the fluid stream may be introduced into an embodiment of the immersion peeling device having an inclined or vertical central axis with the first end disposed higher than the second end to increase the residence time of the mass. Similarly, strategic selection of the fluid can be used to affect the residence time of a mass of known density.

[0009] Embodiments of the immersion peeling device of the present invention may be implemented differently depending, among other factors, on the dimensions of the internal cavity of the device's container and the velocity and volumetric velocity at which the fluid stream is introduced into the internal cavity through the inlet. The orientation of the central axis, the specific gravity of the fluid, and the density of the mass from which the peeled skin fragments are removed also affect the performance of the device. The volumetric velocity at which the fluid stream is introduced into the internal cavity of the container of an embodiment of the device having an internal cavity of a given dimension may be optimized for best performance. The rotational speed of the helical vortex generated by introducing the fluid stream (with respect to a plane perpendicular to the central axis) off-center may in part determine the speed at which the mass entrained in the flow strikes the peeling member supported within the internal cavity of the container. The volumetric velocity at which the fluid stream is introduced into the internal cavity of the device's container, the specific gravity of the fluid, the density of the mass, and the dimensions of the internal cavity can affect the speed at which the entrained mass moves from the first end of the container to the second end of the container. These factors can result in a residence time of the mass that reflects the duration for which the mass can typically remain within the helical vortex path intermediate the first and second ends of the container.

[0010] Due to insufficient flow velocity components along the central axis around which the spiral vortex path rotates, the mass may remain in the container for an excessive amount of time, resulting in more loss of the outer skin of the mass than just the outer skin due to an undesirable duration of contact with a plurality of peeling members, or it may cause the mass to sink out of the spiral vortex path because it has a density excessively greater than that of the fluid. Due to excessive flow velocity components along the central axis around which the spiral vortex path rotates, the mass may remain in the internal cavity of the container of the device for an insufficient amount of time and be discharged from the second end of the container before a sufficient amount of the outer skin is removed by contacting a plurality of peeling members supported within the internal cavity of the container.

[0011] Some embodiments of the immersion peeling device of the present invention may be used to continuously receive and peel a plurality of masses. The masses may be continuously introduced into the first end of the internal cavity of the container of the device, for example, by a mass chute, and the peeled masses may be continuously discharged from the second end of the internal cavity of the container of the device. Other embodiments of the immersion peeling device of the present invention may be used to receive and peel a batch containing a plurality of masses. The plurality of masses, or a batch of masses, may be introduced into the internal cavity of the container of the device until all of the plurality of masses are peeled, and the peeled masses may be discharged from the second end, and then the device may be reset to receive a subsequent batch.

[0012] In some embodiments of the immersion peeling apparatus of the present invention, where a central axis that is vertical is surrounded by a spiral vortex path, the first end of the inner cavity of the apparatus's container where the inlet is located may be vertically below the second end from which the peeled mass and the stream of fluid can be discharged from the inner cavity of the container, and the pieces of skin removed from the mass are entrained in the stream of fluid. In other embodiments of the immersion peeling apparatus of the present invention, where a central axis that is vertical is surrounded by a spiral vortex path, the first end of the inner cavity of the apparatus's container where the inlet is located may be vertically above the second end from which the peeled mass and the stream of fluid can be discharged from the inner cavity of the container, and the pieces of skin removed from the mass are entrained in the stream of fluid. These embodiments may be optimized to adjust the relative density of the plurality of masses compared to the specific gravity of the stream of fluid. For example, without limitation, a floating mass that is a mass having a density less than the density of the stream of fluid may require a greater downward velocity component of the spiral vortex path below that of a non-floating mass in order to move the mass downward along the central axis around which the spiral vortex path rotates. A plurality of masses of greater density may utilize the natural sinking action of the plurality of masses to move the masses from the first end to the second end of the inner cavity of the apparatus's container, and thus, the greater the density of the plurality of masses, the smaller the downward velocity component of the spiral vortex path may be used. Returning to the example of an inner cavity having a vertical central axis and an inlet at the first end of the inner cavity of the container that is vertically disposed below an outlet near the second end of the inner cavity of the container, a mass having a density greater than the stream of fluid may require an upward component of the velocity of the stream of fluid sufficient to overcome the density of the mass and move the mass upward toward the second end of the inner cavity of the container. The greater the density of the mass, the more the upward component of the velocity of the stream of fluid is required to overcome the tendency of the mass to sink within the inner cavity of the container and move the mass upward.

[0013] In some embodiments of the immersion peeling apparatus of the present invention, an extender may be added to the fluid stream to adjust the specific gravity of the fluid to optimize performance and to adjust the residence time of the mass within the apparatus. For example, without limitation, the addition of salt to a fluid stream of water can increase the specific gravity of the water. Similarly, in some embodiments of the immersion peeling apparatus of the present invention, a viscosifier may be added to the fluid stream to adjust the viscosity of the fluid to optimize performance and to adjust the residence time of the mass within the apparatus.

[0014] In some embodiments of the immersion peeling apparatus of the present invention, one or more blades, fins, or deflection members may be disposed within the internal cavity of the container of the apparatus so as to impart an enhanced swirling or rotational action to the fluid stream in which a plurality of masses are entrained in order to optimize performance and to adjust the residence time of the masses within the apparatus. In this way, the helical flow path can be manipulated, for example, to increase / decrease the residence time and thereby increase / decrease the number of times the masses can encounter the peeling members supported within the internal cavity of the container.

[0015] In some embodiments of the immersion peeling apparatus of the present invention, the plurality of peeling members may include, for example, without limitation, brush elements, wires, fins, or other flexible members instead of or in addition to rigid peeling members such as blades or other structures having a rigid edge. For example, without limitation, in some embodiments, the plurality of peeling members may be a plurality of flexible wires supported in the vicinity of the inner wall of the container of the immersion peeling apparatus, and the plurality of wires extend radially inwardly towards the central axis. It can be understood that the diameter, distribution, density, length, and / or flexibility of the plurality of wires can be optimized for the type of mass from which the skin is to be removed. The texture and thickness of the skin of the mass to be removed need to be considered when optimizing the process implemented using an embodiment of the immersion peeling apparatus of the present invention.

[0016] One embodiment of the immersion peeling device of the present invention is configured to receive a batch of chunks and peel or skin them, while holding the chunks within the container of the immersion peeling container, and may include a passage through the inner wall of the container or in the inner wall of the container for a fluid and solid fragments removed from the peeled or skinned chunks to pass through. In another embodiment of the immersion peeling container of the present invention, the unpeeled or unskinned chunks may be continuously fed into the immersion peeling device, the liquid stream may be continuously fed into the immersion peeling device, the liquid stream having solid fragments removed from the chunks is continuously removed, replaced, or discharged from the immersion peeling device, and the peeled or skinned chunks are continuously removed from the container of the immersion peeling device. In the latter embodiment, the liquid stream is sent to a settling tank or through a filter or screen to remove the solid fragments entrained therein, thereby adjusting the discharged liquid stream to be recirculated into the immersion peeling device.

[0017] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the immersion peeling device 10 of the present invention. The immersion peeling device 10 of Figure 1 includes an immersion peeling container 11. The container 11 has a first end 12 and a second end 13 spaced apart from the first end 12. The container 11 has an inlet 30 near the first end 12, and through the inlet 30, a fluid stream flows into the internal cavity 16 of the container 11 in the direction of arrow 32. The container 11 further includes an inner wall 18 surrounding the internal cavity 16. A plurality of peeling members 25 are supported within the internal cavity 16 and are near the inner wall 18. In the embodiment of the immersion peeling device 10 shown in Figure 1, the first end 12 of the container 11 is at the lowest point of the container 11, and the second end is at the highest point of the container 11. In the embodiment of the immersion peeling device 10 shown in Figure 1, the container 11 has a vertical height 24 and a horizontal diameter 22. The embodiment of the immersion peeling device 10 of Figure 1 further includes a block chute 38, through which a plurality of blocks 50 may be introduced into the internal cavity 16 of the container 11 and peeled. In the embodiment of the immersion peeling device 11 shown in Figure 1, the block chute 38 supplies the block 50A into the internal cavity 16 of the immersion peeling device 10 through an intake port 51 on the floor 17 (not shown in Figure 1). The embodiment of the immersion peeling device 10 of Figure 1 further includes an outflow trough (spill basin) 40 having a trough 42, which is disposed around and below the second end 13 of the container 11 and is positioned to receive a fluid stream when the fluid stream (not shown) is discharged from the outlet 19 of the second end 13 of the container 11. In the embodiment of the immersion peeling device 10 shown in Figure 1, the outflow trough 40 is inclined downward such that the fluid stream and / or the block 50A (not shown in the trough 42) received in the outflow trough 40 can move in the direction of arrow 44 and carry the discharged fluid stream, and / or the block 50A, and / or the peeled skin (not shown) from the block 50A to the discharge portion (not shown) of the trough in the direction of arrow 45. In some embodiments of the immersion peeling device 10 of the present invention, the block 50A may be discharged from the internal cavity 16 of the container 11 through an opening other than the opening through which the fluid stream is discharged. Similarly, in some embodiments of the immersion peeling device 10.

[0018] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation view of the immersion peeling container 11 of the apparatus 10 of Figure 1. The cross-sectional view of Figure 2 shows an inlet port 34 through which a stream of fluid (not shown) flowing through the inlet 30 enters the internal cavity 16 of the container 11 in the vicinity of the first end 12 of the container 11. Figure 2 shows that the inlet 30 and the inlet port 34 are arranged such that a stream of fluid (not shown) entering the internal cavity 16 through the inlet 30 and the inlet port 34 can be directed in an inlet direction indicated by an arrow 33 that is off-center with respect to the central axis 55. With such a configuration, a rotational vortex is generated in the internal cavity 16 by the stream of fluid, as indicated by arrow 36. At the same time, the internal cavity 16 of the container 11 is filled by the stream of fluid entering the container 11 at the inlet port 34 until the fluid level reaches the outlet 19 at the second end 13 of the container 11, and the direction of movement of the fluid within the internal cavity 16 at any location within the container 11 is a combination of the rotational vortex around the central axis 55 and the movement of the fluid from the first end 12 to the second end 13. This combination of the rotational vortex and the movement of the fluid from the first end 12 towards the second end 13 propels any mass introduced into the internal cavity 16 of the container 11, for example, through the mass chute 38 (shown in Figure 1 but omitted from Figure 2), along a path by the movement of the fluid in the path, in which path the mass is supported within the internal cavity 16 and is at least one of hitting, contacting, or colliding with a plurality of peeling members 25 in the vicinity of the inner wall 18 of the container 11 that surrounds the internal cavity 16. Each of the peeling members 25 is configured to remove small pieces of skin (not shown) from a mass 50A (see Figure 1) having skin, as shown in an enlarged view of one of the plurality of peeling members 25 in Figure 2. A mass that is at least one of hitting, contacting, or colliding with the plurality of peeling members 25 can exit the container 11 through the outlet 19 in a state where the skin has been removed. Small pieces of the removed skin (not shown) are entrained within the stream of fluid discharged from the internal cavity 16 through the outlet 19 and are carried by that stream of fluid and may, for example, enter the outflow tank 40 if there is an outflow tank 40 or clog within or on some of the plurality of peeling members 25 of the apparatus 10.The skin fragments received in the outflow tank 40 can be filtered from the fluid stream in the downstream process, and the skin fragments remaining in the container 11 can be removed during cleaning.

[0019] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional plan view of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2, showing an inlet 30 that terminates at an inlet port 34. The inlet port 34 is arranged to direct the fluid stream such that the fluid stream exits the inlet port 34 in an inlet direction 33 that is off-center with respect to the central axis 55 of the container 11. The intake port 34 of FIG. 3 is near the floor 17 of the container 11. The spiral path 36 indicates a path that the mass 50A may follow after being introduced into the container 11 in the vicinity of the first end 12. The skinning member 25 is not shown in FIG. 3 for the sake of simplicity in explaining the path 36.

[0020] Figure 4 is an elevation view of a removably insertable liner 37 that can be used to support a plurality of skinning members 25 within the internal cavity 16 of the container 11 of one embodiment of the apparatus 10 of the present invention. The container 11 of the apparatus 10 of FIG. 4 is transparent to show the removably insertable liner 37. In the embodiment of the apparatus 10 of FIG. 4, the insertable liner 37 includes a number of apertures 25 that are uniformly distributed throughout the liner 37. The edges of the apertures 25 strike and remove small fragments of the skin of the mass when the mass moving in the spiral path 36 shown in FIG. 3 collides with them. FIG. 4 also includes an inlet 30 through which the fluid stream is introduced into the internal cavity 16 of the container 11 of the apparatus 10. The outflow tank 40 is shown here in FIG. 4.

[0021] FIG. 5 is an elevation view of one embodiment of apparatus 10 of the present invention having a centrally located mass chute 60 for introducing a plurality of masses into the interior cavity 16 of container 11 of apparatus 10 for peeling, the mass chute terminating before hitting the floor 17 of container 11 of apparatus 10 and centered on central axis 55. The centrally located mass chute 60 includes an upper end 62, a lower end 64, and a bore 65 therebetween. The mass 50A introduced into bore 65 at the upper end 62 of mass chute 60 descends downward along central axis 55 until it exits mass chute 60 in the vicinity of floor 17 of the interior cavity 16 of container 11 of apparatus 10. When masses 50A are discharged from mass chute 60 at the lower end 64, they are entrained in a stream of fluid (not shown in FIG. 5) and begin to move along the helical path 36 shown in FIG. 3 that causes masses 50A to strike the peeling member 25.

[0022] FIG. 6 is a plan view of container 11 of one embodiment of apparatus 10 of the present invention showing a plurality of inlets 30A, 30B, and 30C, each inlet supplying a stream of fluid flowing in the directions of arrows 32A, 32B, and 32C, respectively, into container 11 through inlet ports 34A, 34B, and 34C, respectively. The inlet ports 34A, 34B, and 34C shown in FIG. 6 are angularly separated from each other by 120° (2.094 radians). In one method of using apparatus 10 of the present invention having a plurality of inlet ports 34A, 34B, and 34C, the inlet flow into container 11 is equally divided among the three inlet ports 34A, 34B, and 34C. This equally distributed inlet flow promotes uniform rotation of the fluid in interior cavity 16 of container 11 and promotes uniform rotational movement of the masses when the masses (not shown in FIG. 6) rotate within container 11 and strike the peeling member (not shown in FIG. 6). Mass 50A, peeling member 25, and mass chute 38 are not shown in FIG. 6 for simplicity and to better show the distributed inlet ports 34A, 34B, and 34C.

[0023] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the container 11 of the apparatus 10 of the present invention, which includes an inner wall 18 surrounding the inner cavity 16 of the container 11. The inner wall 18 includes a polishing material consisting of a large number of small protruding peeling members 25 thereon. In one embodiment, this type of polishing material has the peeling members 25 and is applied as a sheet on which the peeling members 25 are disposed, or alternatively, it may be applied as a fluid material having grit or small hard fragments, and it is possible to spray it on the inner wall 18 and dry it to fix the peeling members 25. The advantage of the embodiment of the container 11 of the apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 7 is that it is possible to discontinue using the container 11, peel off the polishing material and the peeling members 25 therein from the inner wall 18, and apply a replacement sheet or a replacement coating to the inner wall 18 or spray it on the inner wall 18.

[0024] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the container 11 of the apparatus 10 of the present invention, which includes an upper container segment 11A and a lower container segment 11B. The upper container segment 11A is dimensioned to engage a mating lower flange 11B disposed on the lower container segment 11B and includes an upper flange 21 disposed on the upper container segment 11A. The upper flange 21 of the upper container segment 11A and the lower flange 11B of the lower container segment 11B may be joined to each other in a contacting relationship using a plurality of threaded posts 26 to which threaded nuts 27 are attached, as shown in FIG. 8. In other embodiments, the upper container segment 11A and the lower container segment 11B may be fixed to each other using clamps, latches, etc. Some embodiments of the alternative embodiment of the container 11 may include two, three, or more segments.

[0025] "Fluid", as the term is used herein, includes either a liquid or a gas. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the specific gravity of the mass is higher than the density of the fluid. In most applications where the fragments removed from the mass are composed of solid material, the fluid is a liquid.

[0026] As used herein, the terms "peeling" and "skinning" include peeling, skinning, abrading, rubbing, buffing, and all other terms indicating that small portions or small fragments of material are removed as a result of peeling or skinning. A peeling surface may, for example, have a number of very small peeling members thereon, while the peeling members may also be larger and separated from each other as depicted in some of the drawings attached hereto. The drawings attached hereto show more widely separated peeling members for purposes of visual representation, but this is not to be construed as limiting the size or shape of the peeling members.

[0027] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The terms "comprises" and / or "comprising", as used herein, specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. The terms "preferably", "preferred", "prefer", "optionally", "may", and similar terms are used to indicate that the item, condition, or step being referred to is an optional (not essential) feature of the invention.

[0028] All means or steps+functional elements in the following claims, corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents thereof, shall be construed to include any structure, material, or act for performing a function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the disclosed form. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Claims

1. A device for removing peel from multiple pieces, A container comprising a first end, a second end having an outlet, an internal cavity located midway between the first and second ends, and an internal wall surrounding the internal cavity, wherein at least a portion of the internal cavity has a circular cross-section and a central axis passing through the circular cross-section, Supported within the aforementioned internal cavity, a plurality of peeling members located near the internal wall, An inlet, which is coupled to the container to introduce an inlet stream of fluid into the internal cavity of the container in an inlet direction off-center with respect to the central axis of at least a portion of the container, and is located near the first end of the container, comprises: By introducing a stream of fluid into the internal cavity of the container through the inlet in the inlet direction, the internal cavity is filled from the inlet to the outlet, and a rotational vortex of the fluid is generated within at least a portion of the internal cavity around the central axis. An apparatus wherein, as the stream of the fluid is continuously introduced, the plurality of lumps having skin are introduced into the internal cavity, thereby accelerating the plurality of lumps in a helical path around the central axis by the rotating vortex, and the plurality of lumps strike the internal wall and at least some of the plurality of peeling members.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the central axis is vertical.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a mass chute fluidly coupled to the container, wherein it is possible to introduce the plurality of masses into the internal cavity through the mass chute.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the lump chute is connected to the container such that it introduces the plurality of lumps into the internal cavity of the container near the first end.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of peeling members are supported on a liner which is sized to be removably received within the internal cavity.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of peeling members includes the edge of the aperture in the liner.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of peeling members are connected to the inner wall of the inner cavity.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an outlet located near the second end of the container, for receiving the plurality of lumps, the fluid, and the plurality of peeled skins from the container.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a trough of the outflow tank having a first end for receiving the plurality of lumps from the outflow tank and a second end for discharging the plurality of lumps.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inlet is coupled to the container to introduce the inlet stream having a direction tangential to the central axis.

11. A device for removing the peel from each of several chunks, An apparatus comprising: a container having an internal cavity; an inlet near the first end through which a stream of fluid can be introduced into the container; an outlet at the second end through which the stream of fluid is discharged from the container; and a plurality of peeling members supported near the internal wall surrounding the internal cavity of the container.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of peeling members are connected to the inner wall.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of peeling members are supported in the internal cavity near the internal wall by a removable liner.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a block chute, wherein the plurality of blocks can be introduced into the internal cavity near the first end through the block chute.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising an outlet tank arranged to receive the stream of fluid when the stream of fluid is discharged from the outlet.

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