How to Roast Coffee Beans

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for roasting coffee beans in a room (100), the method comprising the steps of: obtaining desired roasting data inputs for at least one roasting operation when the at least one roasting operation is to be performed; accessing information relating to the room and the coffee bean roasting apparatus; calculating, prior to starting the at least one roasting operation, a concentration of each contaminant generated in the room during the at least one roasting operation; and, for each contaminant, comparing the calculated concentration of the contaminant generated in the room with a concentration of the contaminant permitted by local health and safety regulations.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for roasting coffee beans in a safe environment. [Background technology]

[0002] Roasting coffee beans is a well-known process. The main steps consist of heating the beans to a desired roast level and then cooling or quenching the heated beans to stop the roast. During heating, smoke is released. This smoke contains safe and desirable compounds, particularly the usual roasted coffee aroma, but also undesirable and less safe compounds, such as diacetyl, pyridine, 2-furanmethanol, caffeine, furfural, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, CO, CO2, NO2, SO2, ozone, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10).

[0003] When roasting is carried out in manufacturing sites that produce large quantities of roasted beans, all conditions are generally provided to trap unsafe compounds.

[0004] However, in recent years, there has been a trend toward using small roasters to perform small-batch roasting in stores, restaurants, and coffee shops, where customers can enjoy coffee brewed from freshly roasted beans. Roasters not only offer the benefits of freshness and on-site, but also deliver a pleasant roasted coffee aroma into the store or coffee shop.

[0005] However, as mentioned above, harmful compounds are also released. If the roaster is used in an enclosed environment such as a shop, cafe, or restaurant, the release of some compounds may be harmful, depending on the size of the room, the ventilation of the room, etc. For people who work in the room for several hours, smelling the smoke from the roaster may cause health problems. The strong smell of roasting can even become unpleasant after a few hours.

[0006] Consequently, in such environments it is recommended to treat the smoke produced by the roaster so as to avoid any health problems for the people present inside the establishment. Existing solutions consist of capturing or destroying the harmful compounds in the smoke by filtering or using catalytic converters, or even venting the smoke to the outside by means of an outlet duct connected to the roaster.

[0007] In practice, it is recognized that these current existing solutions do not systematically guarantee zero or at least a safe reduction in the emission of harmful compounds. Indeed, roasters operated in stores, cafes, or restaurants can roast a variety of different beans, sometimes to different roast levels, to provide customers with a variety of original or customized roasts. This variety results in a wide range of beans and roasting conditions. These different beans and these different roasting conditions release different types and levels of compounds, and existing solutions may not be configured to handle the smoke of some specialized roasts, which release particularly high concentrations of harmful compounds.

[0008] Furthermore, in each store, operators may roast different amounts of coffee beans per day. Small stores with a high roasting volume may experience high levels of contaminants within the store quickly, requiring highly efficient treatment of the smoke from the roaster, which may not be necessary in larger cafes that roast smaller quantities of coffee beans.

[0009] Finally, the size of a shop, cafe or restaurant, as well as the amount of ventilation within the room, varies, which can have a direct impact on the concentration of emitted pollutants in public indoor spaces.

[0010] In public environments, it is essential to ensure that health and safety regulations are adhered to during roasting operations.

[0011] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for predicting and enabling the safe operation of a system for roasting coffee in a room. Summary of the Invention

[0012] In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of roasting coffee beans in a room using a roasting system, the roasting system comprising: A roasting device, optionally a smoke treatment unit configured to treat smoke produced by the roasting apparatus and to emit the treated smoke into the room; If at least one roasting operation is performed, the method may further comprise: obtaining desired roast data input for the at least one roasting operation, the desired data input comprising at least: The type of coffee beans being roasted, the amount of coffee beans roasted per roasting operation or over a period of time; and The level of roasting applied to the beans, Optionally, the number of roasting operations over a period of time; and determining or obtaining the and accessing the information related to the room, the room information including at least local health and safety regulations, the volume of the room, and the ventilation rate of the room; information relating to a coffee bean roasting apparatus, the roasting apparatus information including at least an amount of each contaminant produced by the roasting apparatus during operation of roasting a specific amount of a specific type of coffee beans to a specific roast level; Optionally, information relating to the smoke treatment unit, the information of the smoke treatment unit including at least the performance of the smoke treatment unit in reducing the level of each pollutant; and accessing the and Before starting at least one roasting operation, calculating, from the obtained desired roast data input and accessible information relating to the coffee bean roasting apparatus, the room, and optionally the smoke treatment unit, the concentration of each contaminant generated in the room during said at least one roasting operation; for each contaminant, comparing the calculated concentration of that contaminant occurring in the room with the concentration of that contaminant permitted by local health and safety regulations; for each contaminant, allowing at least one roasting operation if the calculated concentration is below the concentration permitted by local health and safety regulations; providing a warning if the calculated concentration of at least one contaminant exceeds a concentration permitted by local health and safety regulations; A method is provided, comprising:

[0013] In this method, the system used is configured to be placed and operated within a room.

[0014] Any type of roaster can be used, in which the coffee beans are heated and preferably mixed to homogenize the heating throughout the beans.

[0015] The heat source may be a burner (meaning combustion) supplied with natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), or even wood, or may be an electrical resistor, ceramic heater, halogen source, infrared source, or microwave source.

[0016] Preferably, the heating source is electrically powered, so that the only air pollutants produced during roasting are those resulting from the heating of the coffee beans themselves, and not from the combustion of gases, as would occur if the heating source were a gas burner using natural gas, propane, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), or even wood.

[0017] Mixing of the beans can also be achieved mechanically using a fluidized bed of hot air or using stirring blades or a rotating drum.

[0018] Preferably, the roasting apparatus is a hot air fluidized bed chamber in which heated air is forced through a screen or perforated plate below the coffee beans with sufficient force to lift the beans, and heat is transferred to the beans as they tumble through the fluidized bed.

[0019] Alternatively, the roasting apparatus may be a drum chamber in which the coffee beans are tumbled in a heated environment. The drum chamber may consist of a drum that rotates along a horizontal axis, or the drum chamber may be equipped with agitator blades for tumbling the coffee beans in a heated environment.

[0020] The roasting apparatus includes an outlet through which smoke generated during the roasting operation can be vented.

[0021] Generally, a smoke treatment unit treats the smoke produced by the roaster to reduce or eliminate harmful pollutants that the smoke contains. However, some small home roasters do not include any smoke treatment unit and are simply used under a kitchen hood, treating the smoke emitted directly from the roaster and / or venting it outside the room.

[0022] If a smoke treatment unit is present, preferably the smoke treatment unit of the system includes a smoke inlet configured to cooperate with a smoke outlet of the roasting apparatus to collect smoke via the smoke inlet.

[0023] Depending on the size of the roasting equipment, the smoke treatment unit can be: Afterburner to allow thermal oxidation of pollutants or NO x an active treatment unit to destroy pollutants inside the device, such as a catalytic afterburner or catalytic device that provides selective catalytic reduction with an ammonia slip catalyst to filter Gas desulfurization with capture of SO2 by dry or wet techniques; Active devices for retaining pollutants, such as wet scrubbers that retain VOCs and particulate matter, or electrostatic precipitators that retain particulate matter after ionization with high voltage; Passive treatment units that retain contaminants inside the device, such as mechanical filters (metal sieves or paper filters), activated carbon filters, or cyclones; Or it may include a combination of the above units.

[0024] By the reduction rate of a smoke treatment unit in reducing the level of a particular compound present in smoke, it is understood the percentage reduction of that compound present in the smoke after treatment by that smoke treatment unit.

[0025] The afterburner thermally oxidizes any type of gas and particulate matter, especially pollutants such as CO and CO2, at extremely high temperatures, typically above 700°C, converting them into CO x , NO x , SO x and other oxides.

[0026] Catalytic afterburners comprise a ceramic or metal substrate coated with a catalytic impregnant containing copper oxide nanoparticles, iron oxide nanoparticles, and typically one or more precious metals, such as one or more platinum group metals (platinum, palladium, rhodium). The operation of catalytic afterburners requires lower temperatures than afterburners, typically between 300°C and 500°C. Advantageously, but not necessarily, the fumes are preheated before being sent into the catalytic converter, typically by a heat exchanger fed by the fumes exiting the catalytic converter.

[0027] The filters are typically capable of retaining volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hydrocarbons, and particulate matter (PM). The smoke treatment unit may include several filters depending on their ability to retain specific pollutants. The filters configured to capture VOCs and hydrocarbons are preferably activated carbon filters or charcoal filters. The filters configured to capture particulate matter are preferably high efficiency particulate accumulator (HEPA) filters, metal filters (e.g., ultra-fine steel wool media filters), or paper filters. PM can be captured using an electrostatic precipitator.

[0028] Depending on the type of filtering element of the smoke treatment unit, the smoke treatment unit may include a smoke driver, such as a fan, to move smoke from the outlet of the roasting apparatus to the smoke treatment unit. Some smoke treatment units may include a condenser to reduce the temperature of the treated smoke before it is delivered into the room.

[0029] According to one preferred embodiment, the smoke filtration unit comprises, in series, a HEPA filter, an electrostatic precipitator and then an activated carbon filter, depending on the movement of the smoke flow inside the smoke treatment unit, and a smoke driver at the downstream end of the unit aspirates the smoke.

[0030] Such smoke treatment units are easy to operate and maintain, even by non-specialist operators, and therefore can be installed particularly in public rooms such as cafes, shops or restaurants.

[0031] The smoke treatment unit may be a separate device from the roasting device, or the smoke treatment unit may be integrated within the roasting device, both forming a single device, this being particularly the case for small domestic roasters with at least one integrated filter.

[0032] In certain embodiments, the smoke treatment unit may be an air purifier that treats the whole air in a room, in which embodiment the smoke treatment unit is not directly attached to the smoke outlet of the roasting apparatus.

[0033] The system comprises a control system operable to control the roasting process of the roasting system and to carry out the steps of the roasting method.

[0034] Specifically, before the at least one roasting operation is performed, for example when the at least one roasting operation is selected, the method includes obtaining desired roasting data input for the at least one roasting operation, the desired data input comprising: The type of coffee beans being roasted, the amount of coffee beans roasted per roasting operation or over a period of time; and The level of roasting applied to the coffee beans; Finally, the number of roasting operations over a period of time is determined.

[0035] The roast usage data input indicates the intended use of the roaster for a single roasting operation, or for several operations during a predetermined period, in order to calculate the amount of each contaminant produced by the roaster during that period.

[0036] During each roasting operation, pollutants are generated and transmitted through the smoke, including, among others, potentially dangerous gaseous compounds such as CO, CO2, diacetyl, formaldehyde, methanol, NO, NO2, pyridine, SO2, 2-furanmethanol, and PM 10 , PM 2.5 This list may depend on the type of roaster used: for example, roasters that use fuel as a heating source may produce CO2, but this is not the case for roasters that are powered by electricity.

[0037] The amount of these contaminants produced in each roasting run depends on at least several factors: The nature of the coffee beans being roasted. For example, roasting Robusta coffee beans will produce different contaminants than roasting Arabica beans. The amount of coffee beans roasted The level of roast applied to coffee beans. Producing lighter roasted beans releases fewer contaminants than darker roasted beans.

[0038] Depending on the coffee shop owner's commercial habits, the number of roasting operations per day, the time of day at which the roasting operations are carried out, can affect the concentration of contaminants in the room throughout the day or during peak operating periods.

[0039] In one embodiment, roast data input indicative of the intended use of the roasting apparatus may be obtained for only one roasting operation and may include at least the following: The type of coffee beans being roasted Amount of coffee beans, and The level of roast applied to the beans.

[0040] If the operator does not provide all roast data inputs, for example if only type is provided, the other roast machine data (here, for example type and roast level) can be set to default values, such as maximum amount and maximum dark roast level.

[0041] In another aspect, roast data inputs indicative of the intended use of the roasting apparatus may be obtained for several roasting operations over a period of time, such as all programmed roasting operations for a day, and these roasting data inputs include, for these operations, inputs providing at least the following: The type of coffee beans being roasted Amount of coffee beans, and the level of roasting applied to the beans, Or, by default, the type, amount, and / or roast level may be set to a default value, such as a maximum amount and a maximum dark roast level.

[0042] In another embodiment, roasting data inputs indicative of the intended use of the roasting apparatus can be obtained in terms of an overall volume of coffee beans over a period of time, such as per day. The period during which the intended use occurs typically corresponds to the coffee establishment's opening hours and / or regulatory specifications, e.g., approximately 8 hours. This period can ultimately be adapted depending on the type of public room (restaurant, coffee shop, bar, etc.).

[0043] Optionally, roast data inputs indicative of the intended use of the roasting device can be taken strictly for the interval between roasting operations, or selectable from a limited list of inputs such as continuous, spread over 8 hours, every 15 minutes, every 30 minutes, etc.

[0044] The method includes accessing information related to a room, the room information including at least health and safety regulations, the volume of the room, and the ventilation of the room.

[0045] If the system is used in a shop or restaurant, health and safety regulations relate to those that the roasting system must comply with in public places and workplaces. This process of accessing room information may also indicate the maximum number of people that can be in the room, and indeed some health and safety regulations in public areas and workplaces relate to this information.

[0046] If the system is used in a home, other types of health and safety regulations may apply.

[0047] Generally, these regulations stipulate permitted concentrations of certain pollutants and may vary from country to country or geographic region to geographic region.

[0048] These regulations can be stored in the memory of the control system of the system for roasting based on the country of installation of the roaster, for example they can be pre-defined in the memory of the control system by the operator at the time of installation (configuration of the roaster).

[0049] Alternatively, these regulations can be stored in a remote server accessible by the roasting system's control system, and can be accessed and selected by providing the country of installation of the roasting equipment. This embodiment offers the advantage of allowing the roasting system to easily upgrade the regulations in the database and automatically comply with the updated regulations.

[0050] The chamber volume can be stored in the memory of the control system and can be pre-defined in the memory of the control system by the operator, for example, during installation of the system (configuration of the roaster).

[0051] The ventilation rate corresponds to the volume of air refreshed from a room per hour, usually measured in m 3 It is expressed in units of air per hour and is used to estimate the air exchange rate and therefore the natural removal of pollutants from the room over time.

[0052] Air exchange depends on the type of room and building with a particular airtightness, and the type of ventilation equipment installed inside. The ventilation equipment can be configured to push air out and draw air in, and there can be passive inlets and / or outlets, such as windows, doors, openings with grilles, with different dimensions.

[0053] Typically, the ventilation rates are stored in the memory of the control system by an operator, for example, upon installation of the system in a room.

[0054] The method includes accessing information related to a coffee bean roasting apparatus, the roasting apparatus information including at least an amount of each contaminant produced by the roasting apparatus during operation of roasting a particular quantity of a particular type of coffee beans to a particular roast level.

[0055] These quantities are typically stored in the memory of the control system or in a remote server accessible by the control system. These quantities may form an accessible database.

[0056] These amounts are usually defined experimentally by carrying out different roasting scenarios in a roasting apparatus and measuring the amount of each contaminant in the smoke produced.

[0057] Preferably CO, CO2, diacetyl, formaldehyde, PM 10 , PM 2.5 , methanol, NO, NO2, pyridine, SO2, 2-furanmethanol and are included in the list and are accessible in amounts of at least one contaminant produced by the roasting equipment during intended roasting use.

[0058] In some embodiments, it is the amount for a group of compounds that is accessible, rather than the amount of each contaminant in that group; for example, NO and NO2 can be grouped together.

[0059] If the system includes a smoke filtration unit, the method includes accessing information related to the smoke treatment unit, the information of the smoke treatment unit including at least the ability of the smoke treatment unit to reduce the level of each pollutant.

[0060] The capabilities may be stored in the memory of the control system or in a remote server accessible by the control system. The capabilities may form an accessible database.

[0061] Typically, their performance is defined by previous experiments in which the smoke treatment unit is used to treat different pollutants and the amount of each pollutant is measured after treatment. Optionally, their performance can also be defined according to the specifications of the smoke treatment unit provided by the manufacturer.

[0062] Preferably CO, CO2, diacetyl, formaldehyde, PM 10 , PM 2.5 The ability to reduce the levels of at least one contaminant included in the list is accessible: methanol, NO, NO2, pyridine, SO2, 2-furanmethanol.

[0063] Before commencing the at least one roasting operation, the method includes calculating, from the obtained desired roasting data input and accessible information related to the coffee bean roasting apparatus, related to the room, and optionally related to the smoke treatment unit, the concentration of each contaminant that will be generated in the room during the at least one roasting operation.

[0064] In a first step of this concentration calculation operation, the method may include obtaining a specific amount of contaminants produced in at least one roasting operation based on the obtained desired roast usage data and accessible information related to the coffee bean roasting apparatus.

[0065] If the desired roast use relates to only one roasting operation, the method includes accessing the amount produced during that operation; if the desired roast use relates to several roasting operations over a period of time, the method includes accessing the amount produced over that period of use.

[0066] CO, CO2, diacetyl, formaldehyde, PM 10 , PM 2.5 The concentration of at least one pollutant included in the following list is calculated: methanol, NO, NO2, pyridine, SO2, ozone, and 2-furanmethanol.

[0067] Depending on the health and safety regulations to be complied with, at least the amount of each of the contaminants of concern by the regulations is determined. By default, the control system can be configured to calculate the amount of each of the contaminants that will be produced.

[0068] If the system includes a smoke treatment unit, in the second step of the operation of calculating the concentrations, for each contaminant produced based on information related to the smoke treatment unit, the method includes applying a reduction factor to the obtained amount of the contaminant produced by the roaster during at least one roasting operation to obtain an amount of the contaminant delivered by the smoke treatment unit, so as to calculate an amount of each contaminant delivered by the system of the roaster and the smoke treatment unit during at least one roasting operation.

[0069] If the roasting apparatus together with the smoke treatment unit form a single apparatus (e.g. if the filter is integrated inside the roasting apparatus, as in small home roasters, or if the roasting apparatus is always operated with the same smoke filtration unit), the first and second steps can be combined, and the method comprises a step of accessing information relating to the particular combination of coffee bean roasting apparatus and smoke treatment unit, the information including at least the amount of each contaminant produced by the combination of coffee bean roasting apparatus and smoke treatment unit.

[0070] This amount is delivered into the room and provides the maximum concentration of that contaminant in the room based on the volume of the room, however, the actual concentration will be less than this maximum concentration due to the presence of ventilation, which removes some of the air and contaminants from the room.

[0071] In a final step of this concentration calculation operation, for each contaminant, based on accessible information related to the ventilation rate and the size of the room, the method comprises calculating the concentration of each contaminant present in the room during at least one roasting operation from the ventilation rate and the size of the room and from the obtained amount of each contaminant delivered by the system.

[0072] In this case, the ventilation rate is taken into account by applying the rate of decrease of the pollutant concentration over time, thereby calculating the concentration of each pollutant occurring in the room during at least one roasting operation.

[0073] The process of calculating the concentration of each contaminant present in the room during a period can be performed with different levels of precision. In a basic aspect, all contaminants produced during a single roasting operation can be considered to be produced and released into the room simultaneously at a specific time during the roasting operation (e.g., the time between cracks 1 and 2).

[0074] In a more precise manner, the release kinetics of different contaminants during the duration of one roasting operation can be taken into account.

[0075] The process of calculating the concentration of each contaminant present in the room over a period of time can also take into account the accumulation of contaminants for subsequent roasting operations: the newly emitted contaminants can be added to the amount of contaminants released in the previous roasting operation that has not yet been vented by ventilation of the room.

[0076] Then, for each contaminant, the method includes comparing the calculated concentration of the contaminant occurring in the room with the concentration of that contaminant permitted by accessible local health and safety regulations.

[0077] For each contaminant, if the calculated concentration is below the concentration permitted by local health and safety regulations, at least one roast run is allowed.

[0078] However, if the calculated concentration of at least one contaminant exceeds the concentration permitted by local health and safety regulations, a warning is displayed.

[0079] Preferably, at least one roasting operation is prevented if the calculated concentration of at least one contaminant exceeds the concentration permitted by local health and safety regulations.

[0080] Preferably, if the calculated concentration of at least one contaminant exceeds the concentration permitted by local health and safety regulations, a modification of the at least one roasting run is suggested.

[0081] Different amendments can be proposed, either separately or in combination: The method comprises: calculating the amount of beans to be roasted so that the amount of a particular component present in the room during at least one roasting operation is below the authorized limit for that particular component according to local health and safety regulations; and proposing to reduce the amount of beans introduced into the container to the calculated amount, or to divide the amount of beans into several batches of the calculated amount and to roast the batches separately at specified intervals. The method comprises: calculating a maximum level of roasting to be applied to the beans such that the amount of a particular component present in the room during at least one roasting operation is below the permitted limit for that particular component according to local health and safety regulations; and suggesting that the level of roast applied to the beans be reduced to the calculated maximum level. The method may include, inter alia, suggesting to carry out cleaning operations, to improve the filtration properties of the smoke treatment unit by replacing it with a more efficient unit, and / or to increase ventilation.

[0082] In one embodiment, the method may include accessing room information, the room information including amounts of certain ingredients present in the room at the time of initiating at least one roasting operation; If the calculated amount of a particular component present in the room following the roasting process exceeds a particular permitted limit according to local health and safety regulations, the method includes determining whether a time interval is required before starting at least one roast.

[0083] Preferably, the room is equipped with at least one sensor for detecting the amount of at least one specific component present in the room. Preferably, the room is equipped with sensors for detecting PM and VOCs. This at least one sensor can be located in a room separate from the roasting system, at the outlet of the smoke filtering unit, or at the outlet of the roasting device if no smoke filtering unit is present.

[0084] Alternatively, the method comprises: Storing information about previous roasting operations carried out in the room, said information comprising: the amount of at least some components produced during the previous roasting process; The time at which these previous behaviors occurred, and a storing step comprising: and and calculating the amount of time required for ventilation of the room to reduce the amount of ingredients present in the room to allow for further roasting.

[0085] In one embodiment, the method may include calculating the concentration of each contaminant generated in the room during roasting operations from information related to at least the smoke treatment unit, including at least the ability of the smoke treatment unit to reduce the level of each contaminant, and this information is adjusted due to the soiled or aging state of the smoke treatment unit.

[0086] Indeed, depending on the type of smoke filtration unit used in the system, this unit may require periodic cleaning or maintenance to remain fully operational and able to meet the performance requirements for reducing the levels of each pollutant, as defined in the information accessible by the control system. In particular, mechanical filters, activated carbon filters, or electrostatic precipitators require cleaning to remove filtered components. Depending on the time elapsed since the last cleaning operation, the performance for reducing the levels of pollutants may decrease. This decrease in performance may be predetermined based on experiments on the smoke filtration unit or by machine learning, based on the relationship between the time of cleaning operations and the control of the performance for reducing the levels of pollutants by the control sensors.

[0087] In one embodiment, the method may include obtaining desired data inputs that determine a daily roasting amount of coffee beans, and, if roasting operations are possible, proposing a schedule of roasting operations over the course of a day.

[0088] According to this embodiment A warning can be displayed each time it is time to start a scheduled roast run. The schedule of roasting operations can be adapted if at least one scheduled operation is cancelled or if at least one unscheduled operation occurs during the day. The roasting operation can be scheduled off during predetermined periods of the day, such as lunchtime, to avoid an overly strong roasted coffee smell in the restaurant room during lunchtime. Mitigation measures such as temporarily increasing ventilation or opening windows can also be suggested.

[0089] In one embodiment, the actual estimated concentration of the contaminant in the room at that time may be displayed.

[0090] This embodiment can display information about the time available to run a new roasting operation based on the selected bean type, bean quantity, and roast level.

[0091] In one embodiment, the roasting system comprises: a duct for connection to a smoke outlet of the roasting apparatus or an outlet of the smoke treatment unit, the duct being configured to divert contaminants away from the room, such as a duct connected to the outside of the room; a device for opening and closing the duct, such as a movable shutter; If the calculated concentration of at least one contaminant exceeds the concentration permitted by local health and safety regulations, the method may include opening the duct during the at least one roasting operation.

[0092] This embodiment allows the operator to carry out any desired roasting operation inside the room in a safe manner from the point of view of health and safety regulations, by venting all pollutants produced by the roaster or that cannot be treated by the smoke filtering unit to the outside of the room.

[0093] In one embodiment, the method comprises: storing the calculated concentrations of each contaminant generated in the chamber during at least one roasting operation together with the acquired desired roasting data input; and accessing the stored calculated concentration of each contaminant when the same roast data input is obtained for at least one roasting operation.

[0094] In this embodiment, the process of obtaining and determining the different contaminants produced can be shortened by referencing an already determined roasting scenario.

[0095] In one embodiment, the method may include activating a safe mode of operation of the roasting apparatus, which, when activated, may include: accessing predetermined insecure roasting data; and preventing the input of said predetermined unsecured roast data.

[0096] This safety mode of the roaster can be selected via the system's display and prevents the operator from selecting the worst roast conditions that would directly result in levels of at least one contaminant exceeding the approved concentration. This can be achieved by displaying only pre-defined safe roast data that can be selected, or by not allowing the selection of a third data input (e.g., any roast level) based on the first and second data inputs (e.g., bean type and quantity), or by suggesting a selection from a limited list of third data inputs that ensure a safe roast.

[0097] The predetermined unsafe roast data can be set in memory in the control system, for example, when the system is installed in the room and when the room related information is entered.

[0098] This mode ensures that the operator does not have to redefine new desired roast data for his / her desired roast operation if this operation is unexpectedly determined to be unsafe.

[0099] In a second aspect, there is provided a system for roasting coffee beans in a room, comprising: A roasting device, - optionally a smoke treatment unit configured to treat smoke produced by the roasting apparatus and to emit the treated smoke into the room; a control system operable to implement the method for roasting coffee beans as described above; and A system is provided, comprising:

[0100] According to a third aspect, there is provided a computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, processor or control unit, cause the computer, processor or control unit to carry out a roasting method as described above.

[0101] Preferably, the instructions of the computer program are executed by a processing unit of the roasting apparatus.

[0102] In one embodiment, the instructions of the computer program may be executed by a processing unit of a device external to the coffee bean roasting apparatus, such as a mobile device.

[0103] According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, processor or control unit, cause the computer, processor or control unit to perform a method as set out above.

[0104] The above-described aspects of the invention may be combined in any suitable combination. Moreover, various features herein may be combined with one or more of the above-described aspects to provide combinations other than those specifically shown and described. Further objects and advantageous features of the invention will become apparent from the claims, detailed description, and accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0105] The features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood in connection with the following figures. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a system of roasters and smoke treatment units operated in a room. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a controller of the system according to the present invention. [Figure 3] 3 shows the implementation of the roasting operation in the device according to FIGS. 1 and 2; [Figure 4]1 provides exemplary curves of the concentration of one contaminant in a room during the intended use of different roasting systems. [Figure 5] 1 provides exemplary curves of the concentration of one contaminant in a room during the intended use of different roasting systems. [Figure 6] 10 shows a message that can be displayed on the user interface before starting a roasting operation. [Figure 7] 10 shows a message that can be displayed on the user interface before starting a roasting operation. [Figure 8] 10 shows a message that can be displayed on the user interface before starting a roasting operation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0106] Roasting system Figure 1 shows an exemplary diagram of a system 10 of a roaster 2 and a smoke treatment unit 3. Functionally, the roaster is operable to roast coffee beans and the smoke treatment unit is operable to treat smoke generated during roasting by the roaster.

[0107] Roasting equipment The roaster 2 is operable to receive and roast coffee beans within the roasting chamber 21.

[0108] Preferably, the roasting apparatus 1 comprises a roasting chamber 12 into which a hot air current is introduced to agitate and heat the beans, the hot air current being typically generated by a heater 20, which in the embodiment shown is located below the roasting chamber.

[0109] Roasting the beans produces smoke 24 which is directed into the top opening of the roasting chamber.

[0110] Typically, a chaff collector is in flow communication with the top opening of the chamber to catch chaff that gradually separates from the beans during roasting and is blown into the chaff collector due to its lower density.

[0111] The remaining smoke 24 is discharged in the direction of the smoke treatment unit 3 .

[0112] Smoke Treatment Unit The smoke treatment unit 3 is operable to receive and treat smoke 24 emitted at the smoke outlet of the roasting apparatus.

[0113] The smoke treatment unit 3 comprises a smoke inlet adapted to collect smoke 24. The smoke treatment unit 3 may be of different nature. In the particular embodiment shown in Figure 1, the smoke treatment unit 3 is adapted to collect large particulate matter PM 10 a device 31 (e.g., a HEPA filter) adapted to filter small particulate matter PM 2.5 and several filters, such as an activated carbon filter 33 adapted to remove VOCs from the smoke. Finally, the smoke treatment unit includes a smoke driver 4, typically a fan, for drawing the contaminated smoke 24 from an inlet, through the filters where the smoke is treated, and to an outlet where the smoke is delivered into the surrounding atmosphere.

[0114] The roasting system 10 is placed and operated in a room 100. The room 100 is equipped with a ventilation device 101 configured to refresh the air from the room.

[0115] Typically, the roasting system 10 is used in a room 100 that is open to the public, such as a shop, cafe, or restaurant. Thus, the system operator and consumers are present in the room while the system roasts coffee beans and emits treated smoke from the smoke treatment unit 3. The treated smoke can then be exhausted from the room by a ventilation system 101.

[0116] The use of this system must comply with the health and safety regulations in place in relation to the public and workers (roasters, servers) in the place where it operates.

[0117] Depending on the volume of the room, ventilation, health and safety regulations, the frequency of roasting operations, and the efficiency of the smoke treatment unit, the room environment may become unsafe, at least temporarily.

[0118] The roasting system control system 80 is configured to implement a safe roasting process by ensuring that the levels of contaminants in the room generated by the roasting operation are within prescribed limits of health and safety regulations.

[0119] Roasting equipment control system 1 and 2, a control system 80 of a roasting apparatus will now be considered, the control system 80 being operable to control the components of the apparatus in order to roast coffee beans. The control system 80 typically comprises, at a second level of the roasting apparatus, a user interface 6, a processing unit 8, a power supply 9, a memory unit 63, optionally a database 62, at least one temperature probe 21, optionally a sensor 102, optionally a communication interface 61 for remote connection, optionally a code reader 7, or any combination of these devices.

[0120] The user interface 6 includes hardware that allows a user to interface with the processing unit 8 by means of user interface signals. More specifically, the user interface receives commands from an operator or user, which the user interface signals forward as inputs to the processing unit 8. The commands may, for example, be instructions to carry out the roasting process and / or to adjust operating parameters of the roaster 2 and / or to power on or off the roaster 2 and, optionally, the smoke processing unit 3 if commanded by the same control unit. The processing unit 8 may also output feedback to the user interface 6 as part of the roasting process, for example to indicate that the roasting process has started or that parameters associated with the process have been selected, or to indicate the evolution of the parameters during the process or to generate alarms.

[0121] Furthermore, the user interface can be used to warn about potentially unsafe use of the roasting device and offer recommendations as explained below.

[0122] The user interface hardware may include any suitable devices, for example, the hardware may include one or more of the following: buttons such as joystick buttons, knobs, or push buttons, a joystick, LEDs, a graphical screen with a graphic or character LCD, touch-sensitive buttons, and / or screen edge buttons. The user interface 6 may be formed as a single unit or as multiple separate units.

[0123] Part of the user interface may also reside on a mobile app if the device is provided with a communications interface 61, as described below, in which case at least part of the inputs and outputs may be transmitted to the mobile device via the communications interface 61.

[0124] The temperature probe 21 is operable to provide input signals to the processing unit 8 to regulate the roasting process and / or the condition of the roasting apparatus. The input signals may be analog or digital signals. Various sensors may be used, typically including one or more of a level sensor associated with the chamber 21, an air flow sensor, and a position sensor associated with the chamber and / or chaff collector.

[0125] A code reader 7 may be provided, which may be operable to read a code, for example on a coffee bean package, and to automatically provide an input that is the identification of the type Cn of coffee beans to be introduced into the chamber 21.

[0126] The processing unit 8 generally includes memory and input / output system components configured as an integrated circuit, typically a microprocessor or microcontroller. The processing unit 8 may include other suitable integrated circuits, such as an ASIC; a programmable logic device such as a PAL, CPLD, or FPGA; a PSoC; a system-on-chip (SoC); or an analog integrated circuit such as a controller. For such devices, the aforementioned program code may be considered, where appropriate, to be programmed logic or to additionally include programmed logic. The processing unit 8 may also include one or more of the aforementioned integrated circuits. An example of the latter is several integrated circuits configured to communicate with each other in a modular manner, for example, a slave integrated circuit controlling the user interface 6, which communicates with a master integrated circuit controlling the roasting apparatus 10.

[0127] The power supply 9 is operable to provide electrical energy to these controlled components and the processing unit 8. The power supply 9 may comprise a variety of means, such as a battery or a unit that receives and conditions the mains power supply. The power supply 9 may be operatively connected to part of the user interface 6 in order to power the roasting apparatus 10 on or off.

[0128] The processing unit 8 generally includes a memory unit 63 for storing instructions as program code, and optionally data. To this end, the memory unit typically includes a non-volatile memory, such as EPROM, EEPROM, or Flash, for storing program code and operating parameters as instructions, and a volatile memory (RAM) for temporarily storing data. The memory unit may include a discrete memory and / or an integrated memory (e.g., on a semiconductor die). For programmable logic devices, the instructions may be stored as programmed logic.

[0129] Some of the instructions stored on memory unit 63 can be idealized as including a coffee bean roasting program.

[0130] The control system 80 is operable to apply this coffee bean roasting program by controlling the heater 20 using the signal of the temperature probe 21.

[0131] The coffee bean roasting program may use brewing information encoded on the code, other information that may be stored as data on the memory unit 63 or from a remote source via the communication interface 61, inputs provided via the user interface 6, and / or signals of the sensors 19 to effect control of the components.

[0132] Furthermore, some of the instructions stored on memory unit 63 can be idealized as including a program for controlling safe roasting, as described below.

[0133] The control system 80 may include a communication interface 61 for data communication between the roasting apparatus 10 and other devices and / or systems, such as a server system, a mobile device, and / or a physically separated measuring device such as the smoke filtering unit 3. The communication interface 61 may be used to provide and / or receive the following information: roasting process information, such as bean type, bean quantity, and information related to the coffee bean roasting process, such as the amount of each contaminant produced by the roasting apparatus during the operation of roasting a specific quantity of a specific type of coffee beans to a specific roast level; and Information relating to the treatment of smoke by the smoke treatment unit, such as its performance in reducing the levels of each pollutant.

[0134] The communication interface 61 may include a first and a second communication interface for simultaneous data communication with several devices or for communication over different media.

[0135] The communication interface 61 can be configured for wired media, wireless media, or a combination thereof, e.g., a wired connection such as RS-232, USB, I2C, Ethernet as defined by IEEE 802.3, a wireless connection such as wireless LAN (e.g., IEEE 802.11), near field communication (NFC), or a cellular system such as GPRS or GSM. The communication interface 61 connects with the processing unit 8 by means of communication interface signals. Typically, the communication interface includes a separate processing unit (examples of which are provided above) for controlling communication hardware (e.g., antennas) for connecting with the master processing unit 8. However, less complex configurations can also be used, e.g., a simple wired connection for direct serial communication with the processing unit 8.

[0136] Typically, the processing unit 8 is configured to process different predefined roast recipes (R MA , R MB, ...), and these recipes are specific to a specific type of coffee bean or coffee blend (C A , C B , ...), preferably with a specific amount (M A , M B , ...) are suitable for roasting.

[0137] These recipes may be stored in the memory 63 of the processing unit 8. Alternatively, these data may be stored in a remote server to which the processing unit 8 may be provided with access, either directly or indirectly, via a mobile device that establishes a connection between the remote server and the processing unit via the communication interface 61.

[0138] The control system 80 may include a database 62 that stores information about the coffee beans, and in particular about the operating conditions for roasting particular coffee beans as described below. The database 62 may be stored locally in the memory 63 of the roaster control system, or it may be stored remotely in a server accessible via the communications interface 61.

[0139] In an alternative embodiment, during the code reading operation, the control system is provided with a roast recipe R Mn (and, depending on the embodiment, the specific quantities M associated with them) n ), which is encoded in the code and decoded by the control system.

[0140] Furthermore, the processing unit 8 allows access to: Information relating to the room 100 in which the roaster 2 is to be operated, in particular information about the local health and safety regulations that must be observed in this room 100, and information about the ventilation rate of the room. Generally, such information can be stored in the memory unit 63, for example, at the time of installing the roaster in the room and in the process of setting various fixed parameters of the roaster (i.e. parameters that do not change from one roasting operation to the next). Information relating to the amounts of different contaminants produced by the roaster 2 during the operation of roasting a particular amount of a particular type of coffee beans to a particular roast level. Such information may be stored in the memory unit 63, or in a database 62 located in the roaster, or in a remote server accessible via the communication interface 61.

[0141] Preferably, such information includes information about CO, CO2, diacetyl, formaldehyde, PM during an operation of roasting a specific amount of a specific type of coffee beans to a specific roast level. 10 , PM 2.5 The amount of production of at least one pollutant included in the list of: methanol, NO, NO2, pyridine, SO2, ozone, and 2-furanmethanol is provided.

[0142] Such information is usually established by experiments on the roasting equipment using different conditions of use, these conditions covering all normal roasting uses, in particular the following: Use of different types of coffee beans (Arabica, Robusta, blends), Use of different amounts of beans per roasting run (depending on the capacity of the roasting chamber), Roasting beans at different levels (light, medium, dark). Information relating to the smoke treatment unit 3 treating the smoke produced by the roasting apparatus, in particular at least its ability to reduce the levels of certain pollutants. Such information may be stored in the memory unit 63, in a database 62 located in the roasting apparatus, or in a remote server accessible via the communication interface 61.

[0143] Such information is usually established by experiments on the smoke treatment unit using different pollutants, preferably by a certified laboratory. Measurements can be made directly by VOC or PM sensors, or indirectly by the accumulation of pollutants on a particular substrate during the entire roasting operation.

[0144] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the different steps during the execution of a roasting operation by a control system 80 of an apparatus according to FIG. 1 or FIG.

[0145] At step 200, the operator may input data relating to the desired roast for the roasting operation to be performed. Such data relates to at least the following: The type of coffee beans being roasted The amount of coffee beans roasted The level of roast applied to these beans, and Optionally, the number of roasting operations over a period of time. Such data may correspond to the operator's habits in terms of roasting during business hours, i.e., typically during a continuous 8-hour period. The following information may be provided: The amount of coffee beans roasted per day, and The duration of roasting operations or the interval between roasting operations during a predetermined period. This information can be provided by proposing a list of scenarios such as continuous, distributed over 8 hours, every 15 minutes, every 30 minutes, etc. Optionally, the amount of beans to be roasted per roasting operation, by default this amount is set to the maximum amount that can be accommodated in the roasting chamber of the roasting apparatus. Optionally, the roast level of the coffee beans at the end of the roasting operation, by default this level is set to dark roast, as roasting to a dark roast level produces more contaminants than other types. Optionally, the type of coffee beans to be roasted in the roasting apparatus.

[0146] In step 201, the control system accesses information about the amount of contaminants produced during the roasting operation defined in step 200.

[0147] Depending on the level of detail of the information that can be accessed, the control system can be configured to: Obtain the exact or nearest contaminant amount corresponding to the roast usage data input (e.g., contaminants may be provided for roasts with 250g bean amounts, such as 250g, 500g, 750g, and 1000g. If it is desired to roast 600g, accessible information about the contaminants produced in the nearest 500g bean amount may be obtained); or From the accessible information, the amount of contaminant is calculated (based on the example above, for example, by applying a factor based on the difference in amount from the accessible information).

[0148] If the desired roast usage relates to only one roasting operation, the control system will access the amount produced during that single operation; if the desired roast usage relates to several roasting operations over a period of time, the control system will access the amount produced over each roasting operation during that usage period.

[0149] In step 211, the control system accesses the reduction rate of each contaminant by the smoke treatment unit 3 that is part of the roasting system.

[0150] In step 220, the amount of each contaminant produced by the roaster 2 during the desired roasting operation; and Based on the reduction rate of each of those pollutants by the smoke treatment unit 3, The concentration of each contaminant delivered by the system 10 is obtained.

[0151] This concentration is obtained by calculating the total amount of each pollutant, either gaseous or particulate, emitted into the room 100 during the desired roasting operation, and then calculating the proportion of the pollutant captured by the smoke processing unit 3.

[0152] In the specific case where the roasting system does not have a smoke filtration unit either directly connected to the roaster or present in the room, steps 220 and 221 are not performed and the amount obtained in step 210 is used directly in step 230.

[0153] In another particular case where the roaster 2 and the smoke treatment unit 3 form a single apparatus 10, it may not be necessary to perform steps 211 and 220 if the control system has access to the pollutants produced by the combination of the roaster 2 and the smoke treatment unit 3 and delivered into the room in step 201.

[0154] Before step 221, the input of a sensor 102 configured to measure the concentration of certain components in the room 100 or at the air inlet of the roaster can be taken into account, for example if the room contains other devices (such as ovens or cookers) that may emit certain components that are the same as those emitted by the roasting system. This sensor makes it possible to take into account the accumulation of these components by all emitting devices.

[0155] In step 221, the control system accesses the ventilation rate or ACPH of the room and the size of the room, and based on this ventilation rate, in step 230, the concentration of each contaminant present in the room during the roasting operation is determined.

[0156] This determination consists in calculating the percentage of pollutants removed from the room based on the number of air changes per hour, and, if several roasting operations over a period of time have been entered in step 200, replicating the calculation for all roasting operations scheduled during that predetermined period.

[0157] For example, this calculation is based on the concentration of diacetyl in a room (μg / m) during an 8-hour period. 3 4 and 5, which provide the If the particular system 10 of roaster 2 and smoke treatment unit 3 of Figure 1 is operated continuously to roast 5 kg of Robusta beans indoors to a dark roast level in batches of 100 g of beans (Figure 4), When a system 10 of the same roaster 2 and a different, less efficient smoke treatment unit 3 than that shown in Figure 1 is operated with the same desired roast (Figure 5).

[0158] In step 231, the control system accesses the local health and safety regulations in which the roasting system operates.

[0159] In step 240, the calculated concentration of each contaminant is compared to the concentration permitted by local health and safety regulations.

[0160] For example, Figure 4 shows that the authorized concentration of diacetyl in the Netherlands is 75 μg / m 3 In the case of the roasting system 10 used in FIG. 4, the diacetyl concentration is below the limit L of about 25 μg / m 3 It is believed that the concentration is always maintained at this level.

[0161] In contrast, in the roasting system 10 used in Figure 5, the concentration of diacetyl is always above its limit value L.

[0162] If the calculated concentrations for each contaminant during the roasting operation of the desired roast entered in step 200 are below their respective authorized concentrations, the control system will allow the roasting operation in step 250. Figure 6 shows the type of information that can be displayed on the user interface 6 in this situation.

[0163] If the calculated concentration of at least one contaminant during the roasting operation of the desired roast entered in step 200 exceeds its respective authorized concentration, the control system will display a warning via the user interface 6 in step 251.

[0164] Figure 7 shows the type of information that can be displayed on the user interface 6 in that situation, and Figure 8 shows additional information that can be displayed on the user interface 6, a suggestion to modify the roasting conditions, in this case to split the roasting operation over an 8 hour period rather than running it continuously. [Explanation of symbols]

[0165] 10 Systems 2. Roasting equipment 20 Heater 21 Chamber 24 Roaster smoke 3 Smoke Processing Unit 31, 32, 33 Filters 6 User Interface 61 Communication Interface 62 databases 63 Memory Unit 7 Code Reader 8 Processing Unit 9 Power supply 100 rooms 101 Ventilation Device 102 Sensors

Claims

1. A method for roasting coffee beans in a room (100) using a roasting system (10), said roasting system comprising: A roasting device (2) is provided, When at least one roasting operation is performed, the method further comprises: obtaining desired roasting data input for the at least one roasting operation, the desired data input comprising at least: The type of coffee beans being roasted, the amount of coffee beans roasted per roasting operation or over a period of time; and the level of roasting applied to the beans; determining or obtaining the accessing the information related to the room, the room information including at least local health and safety regulations, a volume of the room, and an air exchange rate of the room; information relating to the coffee bean roasting apparatus, the roasting apparatus information including at least an amount of each contaminant produced by the roasting apparatus during operation of roasting a specific amount of a specific type of coffee beans to a specific roast level; and accessing the and before commencing said at least one roasting operation; calculating, from the acquired desired roasting data input and accessible information related to the coffee bean roasting machine and the room, the concentration of each contaminant generated in the room during the at least one roasting operation; for each contaminant, comparing the calculated concentration of the contaminant occurring in the room with the concentration of the contaminant permitted by local health and safety regulations; allowing said at least one roasting operation if, for each contaminant, said calculated concentration is below said permitted concentration according to local health and safety regulations; displaying a warning if the calculated concentration of at least one contaminant exceeds the concentration permitted by local health and safety regulations; A method comprising:

2. The roasting system comprises a smoke treatment unit (3) configured to treat smoke produced by the roasting device and to emit the treated smoke into the room, and the method comprises: accessing information relating to the smoke treatment unit, the smoke treatment unit information including at least the smoke treatment unit's ability to reduce levels of each pollutant; 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: before starting the at least one roasting operation, calculating from the obtained desired roasting data input and accessible information related to the coffee bean roasting apparatus, the room, and the smoke processing unit, the concentration of each contaminant that will be generated in the room during the at least one roasting operation.

3. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein based on the obtained desired roasting data input and the accessible information related to the coffee bean roasting apparatus, the method comprises obtaining a specific amount of each contaminant produced in the at least one roasting operation.

4. A method as described in claim 3 when citing claim 2, wherein, for each contaminant generated based on the accessible information related to the smoke processing unit, the method includes a step of applying a reduction factor to the obtained amount of the contaminant generated by the roasting apparatus in connection with the at least one roasting operation to obtain the amount of the contaminant delivered by the smoke processing unit.

5. 5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, for each contaminant, based on the accessible information related to the ventilation rate and the volume of the room, the method comprises calculating the concentration of each contaminant present in the room during the at least one roasting operation from the ventilation rate and from the obtained amount of each contaminant delivered by the system.

6. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein if the calculated concentration of at least one contaminant exceeds the concentration allowed by local health and safety regulations, the method comprises the step of preventing the at least one roasting operation.

7. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein if the calculated concentration of at least one contaminant exceeds the concentration allowed by local health and safety regulations, the method comprises the step of suggesting a modification of the at least one roasting operation.

8. If, for at least one contaminant, the calculated concentration exceeds the concentration permitted by local health and safety regulations, the method further comprises: calculating the amount of beans to be roasted so that the amount of a particular component present in the room during the at least one roasting operation is below the approved limit for the particular component according to local health and safety regulations; proposing to reduce the amount of beans introduced into the container to the calculated amount, or to divide the amount of beans into several batches of the calculated amount and to roast the batches separately at specified intervals; The method of claim 7, comprising:

9. If, for at least one contaminant, the calculated concentration exceeds the concentration permitted by local health and safety regulations, the method further comprises: calculating a maximum level of roasting to be applied to the beans such that the amount of a particular component present in the room following the at least one roasting operation is below the permitted limit value for the particular component according to local health and safety regulations; proposing to reduce the level of roast applied to the beans to the calculated maximum level; 9. The method of claim 7 or 8, comprising:

10. A method according to any one of claims 7 to 9 when relying on claim 2, wherein if the estimated concentration of at least one pollutant is above the concentration permitted by local health and safety regulations, the method comprises the step of suggesting to improve the filtration characteristics of the smoke treatment unit.

11. the method includes accessing room information, the room information including an amount of at least one particular ingredient present in the room at the time of initiating the desired roasting operation; If the calculated amount of the at least one particular component present in the room following the roasting process exceeds the particular permitted limit value according to local health and safety regulations, the method comprises determining whether a time interval is required before starting roasting. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The method comprises: Storing information about previous roasting operations carried out in the room, said information comprising: the amount of at least some components produced during the previous roasting process; and the time at which the previous action occurred; a storing step comprising: and calculating the length of time required for ventilation of the room to reduce the amount of the generated components present in the room to allow further roasting; The method of claim 11.

13. 13. The method of claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 12 when relying on claim 2, wherein the method comprises calculating the concentration of each pollutant generated in the room during the roasting operation from information related to at least the smoke treatment unit, the information including at least the performance of the smoke treatment unit to reduce the level of each pollutant, and the information being adjusted due to the soiling state of the smoke treatment unit.

14. The method comprises: obtaining a desired daily roast yield of coffee beans; If the roasting operation is possible, proposing a schedule for the roasting operation over the course of a day; The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising:

15. The roasting system comprises: a duct for connecting to a smoke outlet of the roasting device or to an outlet of the smoke treatment unit, if present, configured to divert pollutants away from the room; a device for opening and closing the duct, wherein if the calculated concentration of at least one contaminant exceeds the concentration permitted by local health and safety regulations, the method comprises opening the duct during the at least one roasting operation. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. The method comprises: storing the calculated concentrations of each contaminant generated in the chamber during the at least one roasting operation together with the acquired desired roast data input; accessing the stored calculated concentrations of each contaminant when the same roast data input is obtained for at least one roasting operation; The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, comprising:

17. The method includes activating a safe mode of operation of the roasting apparatus, and when the mode is activated, the method: accessing predetermined insecure roasting data; preventing the input of said predetermined unsafe roasting data; The method according to any one of claims 1 to 16, comprising:

18. A system (10) for roasting coffee beans in a room (100), comprising: A roasting device (2), a control system (80) operable to implement the method for roasting coffee beans according to any one of claims 1 to 17; A system comprising:

19. 18. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, processor or control unit, cause the computer, processor or control unit to perform the method for roasting coffee beans according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

20. 18. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, processor, or control unit, cause the computer, processor, or control unit to perform the method for roasting coffee beans according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

Images