A sesame drying system and a sesame drying method performed with this system

Abstract

The invention relates to a sesame drying system introduced to eliminate the problems of inefficient drying of sesame and a sesame drying method performed with said sesame drying system. Thanks to the sesame drying system of the invention and a sesame drying method carried out with said sesame drying system, the sesame drying capacity is increased by approximately 50%, the final moisture value of the dried sesame is reduced to less than 15%, the waste heat generated in the sesame drying process is used efficiently, quality and textural improvement is achieved in the dried sesame seeds, and the amount of sesame dried per unit time is increased by 20-40%.

Description

[0001] A SESAME DRYING SYSTEM AND A SESAME DRYING METHOD PERFORMED WITH THIS SYSTEM

[0002] Technical Field of the Invention

[0003] The invention relates to a sesame drying system introduced to eliminate the problems of inefficient drying of sesame and a sesame drying method performed with said drying system.

[0004] State of the Art

[0005] Sesame drying machines are devices used to effectively dry sesame seeds. The drying process reduces the moisture content of the sesame, allowing it to be stored for a longer period of time and maintaining the desired quality during processing. These machines often play an important role in the food industry, especially in the production of oil or the processing of products such as tahini. Sesame drying machines included in the present art generally perform drying by blowing hot air or with drum systems. Sesame seeds are dried at a certain temperature and in humid environment to try to prevent the deterioration of their natural oils.

[0006] Sesame drying machines included in the state of the art have some limitations in drying delicate products such as sesame. The available drying capacities of said machines are limited, which reduces efficiency in the production process and increases the costs of businesses. In sesame drying systems included in the present art, it is very difficult to reduce the products to the desired moisture value. In order to reduce the sesame seeds to the desired moisture values, the drying time must be extended, which leads to a decrease in the product capacity to be dried. It is very important to provide an effective air flow in the drying of small and light seeds such as sesame. When a large amount of sesame seeds is placed in the machine, the air flow between the sesame layers can be blocked, which reduces the drying efficiency and does not provide even drying. Without sufficient air circulation, some sesame seeds can remain moist. When the machine is overloaded, the heat may not be evenly distributed and some parts of the sesame may not dry properly. Machines are usually limited to a certain capacity to ensure a balanced distribution of heat. Sesame can have a high moisture content and this moisture must be discharged in a controlled manner during the drying process. As the capacity increases, intense steam may occur in the machine, and if this steam is not discharged quickly, the drying of sesame becomes difficult. As the machine capacity increases, energy consumption also increases, and achieving energy efficiency in large-volume drying processes becomes difficult. From an economic point of view, it is also more reasonable to dry a determined amount, as energy costs can increase significantly at high capacities. In addition, it should be noted that sesame seeds have a delicate structure that can be damaged under excessive temperature or improper drying conditions.

[0007] In the drying methods used in the sesame drying machines in the present art, the moisture content cannot be controlled at the desired level, resulting in deterioration in the quality and texture of the products. Sesame seeds are not capable of holding and distributing water evenly due to their internal structure and surface properties, and therefore some sesame seeds retain more moisture, while others can dry out faster. Existing machines are unable to take into account such micro-level moisture differences and apply an average drying process. This makes it difficult to achieve the targeted moisture amount. In drying machines, a constant and balanced heat distribution is required for sesame to dry evenly, but this cannot be achieved at the desired level in existing machines. The main reasons for this are the physical properties and moisture holding capacity of sesame, insufficient control of heat dissipation and deficiencies in air flow and moisture evacuation. Since the moisture content cannot be controlled to be at the desired levels, it becomes very difficult to fully control microbial activities. The inability to fully control microbial activities causes products to deteriorate and harmful substances such as aflatoxin to form. Many sesame drying systems included in the known state of the art cannot reduce the final moisture value below 15%, which causes quality problems in the long-term preservation of products. The main reason why the sesame drying machines / systems included in the state of the art are unable to reduce the final moisture value of sesame seeds below 15% is that said machines / systems do not include pre-drying equipment for performing pre-drying processes.

[0008] The inability to use waste heat efficiently in sesame drying machines included in the present art also increases energy costs. The inability to effectively recover waste heat increases energy costs and creates an environmental and economic burden. In order to reuse waste heat, heat recovery systems (recuperator or regenerator, etc.) are required in drying machines. However, such systems are either absent or limited in existing drying machines. Sesame drying machines are usually based on a simple drying logic and these machines do not offer any gain in ensuring that waste heat is recycled.

[0009] Qualitative and textural improvements in sesame drying machines included in the state of the art are very limited; existing drying machines do not allow the processing of delicate products such as sesame at the desired quality level. This situation negatively affects the marketability of products and weakens the competitiveness of businesses. The conventional drying technology used in sesame drying machines is insufficient to maintain the quality and texture of sesame. Most sesame drying machines work with simple hot air blowing or convection drying methods. The uniform temperature and air flow used in existing sesame drying machines adversely affect the surface texture of sesame. If the temperature and moisture amount remain the same, excessive drying or tissue hardening may occur in some areas of sesame. Traditional drying machines increase the drying rate on the outer surface of sesame while quickly removing moisture. This rapid evaporation leads to excessive drying of the outer part of the sesame and roughness on the surface. As a result, the texture of sesame is unable to exhibit homogeneous drying and a decrease in quality is observed. In order for sesame to be dried in a high quality and texturally balanced way, the temperature and moisture amount must be precisely adjusted. However, this control is limited in sesame drying machines included in the present art. The lack of regular air circulation in sesame drying machines makes it difficult to dry each grain of sesame at the same rate, which directly affects the quality and texture of the product.

[0010] The drying times in the sesame drying machines included in the present art are quite long, which negatively affects the efficiency of the businesses. In addition, drying fewer products in a longer period of time slows down the production process, negatively affecting efficiency. The main reasons for the long drying times in sesame drying machines in the present art are based on factors such as the limitations of the technology used, the physical and chemical structure of sesame, unevenly distributed temperature and moisture control, and air circulation deficiencies. Sesame is a product that is difficult to adapt to the drying process due to its structure. The small grain and high oil content of sesame directly affect the drying time. In sesame drying machines included in the present art, the use of constant and high temperatures is mostly preferred. This leads to a slow drying process instead of quickly reducing moisture. In the drying process, insufficient air circulation prevents the moisture of sesame from being fully removed. Good air circulation ensures continuous moisture transport and homogeneous drying. Since precise moisture control is not provided in sesame drying machines, the drying time may differ in each batch. In machines with low energy efficiency, the temperature and moisture control required for the drying process cannot be fully achieved, which prolongs the drying time. Sesame drying machines are designed to dry large quantities of product, but the fullness rates above the capacity directly affect the drying time.

[0011] Due to reasons such as the limitations and inadequacies of the sesame drying machines / systems included in the state of the art, the drying capacities of the sesame drying machines in the state of the technique being quite limited, which reduces the efficiency in the production process and increases the costs of the businesses, not being able to control the moisture ratio at the desired level and not being able to control the microbial activities due to not being able to control the moisture ratio at the desired levels in the drying methods used in the sesame drying machines included in the present art, not being able to fully control microbial activity, leading to product spoilage and the formation of harmful substances such as aflatoxins, many sesame drying systems included in the state of the art being unable to reduce the final moisture value of sesame seeds below 5%, leading to quality problems in the long-term storage of the products, the inefficient use of waste heat in sesame drying machines included in the state of the art, resulting in increased energy costs and environmental problems, the quality and textural improvements in sesame drying machines included in the state of the art being at a very limited level and therefore negatively affecting the marketability of the products and weakening the competitiveness of businesses, and in addition to all these, the drying times of the sesame drying machines included in the present art being quite long, therefore negatively affecting the efficiency of businesses, it is necessary to introduce a sesame drying system and a sesame drying method performed with said drying system in which all these problems are eliminated. Summary and Objects of the Invention

[0012] The invention describes a sesame drying system introduced to eliminate the problems of inefficient drying of sesame and a sesame drying method performed with said sesame drying system. Thanks to the sesame drying system of the invention and a sesame drying method carried out with said sesame drying system, the sesame drying capacity is increased by approximately 50%, the final moisture value of the dried sesame is reduced to less than 15%, the waste heat generated in the sesame drying process is used efficiently, quality and textural improvement is achieved in the dried sesame seeds, and the amount of sesame dried per unit time is increased by 20-40%.

[0013] The object of the invention is to introduce a sesame drying system that increases the sesame drying capacity by approximately 50% and a sesame drying method performed with said drying system. In the sesame drying system of the invention, the sesame seeds leaving the washing chamber are first subjected to a preliminary water removal process with the help of a vibrating sieve having a vibration mechanism. Afterwards, a second water removal process is applied by passing the sesame seeds leaving the vibrating sieve through the air blowing ducts, and after the water removal stages, the products enter into the drying tunnel. Subsequently, a vacuum is created in the product entry chamber and the water remaining in the products is removed with the help of pressure and the water removed by pressure is removed from the system. After this, the sesame seeds with a moisture content of 50-60% that enter into the drying chamber are subjected to the drying process and after this drying, the moisture value of the sesame seeds is reduced to less than 15%. As a result, the sesame drying capacity is increased by approximately 50%.

[0014] The invention provides a sesame drying system which reduces the final moisture value of the dried sesame seeds below 15% and a sesame drying method performed with said drying system. By reducing the final moisture value of the dried sesame seeds to less than 15%, microbial activities are balanced and thus product spoilage and aflatoxin formation are prevented. In the sesame drying system of the invention, the sesame seeds leaving the washing chamber are first subjected to a preliminary water removal process with the help of a vibrating sieve having a vibration mechanism. Afterwards, a second water removal process is applied by passing the sesame seeds leaving the vibrating sieve through the air blowing ducts, and after the water removal stages, the products enter into the drying tunnel. Subsequently, a vacuum is created in the product entry chamber and the water remaining in the products is removed with the help of pressure and the water removed by pressure is removed from the system. After this, the sesame seeds with a moisture content of 50-60% that enter into the drying chamber are subjected to the drying process and after this drying, the moisture value of the sesame seeds is reduced to less than 15%.

[0015] Another object of the invention is to provide an environmentally friendly, efficient, and economical sesame drying system and a sesame drying method performed with said drying system, in which the waste heat generated in the sesame drying process is fed back into the system and thus energy costs are reduced. In the sesame drying system of the invention, energy efficiency is increased and costs are reduced by collecting waste heat and recycling it to the system, mixing the waste heat with the air flow after providing humidity control and monitoring with automatic systems.

[0016] With the invention, a sesame drying system allowing a delicate product such as sesame to be processed at the desired quality level and a sesame drying method performed with said drying system are introduced. With the system and method of the invention, quality and textural improvement is provided in dried sesame seeds. The concepts of quality and textural improvement in the invention refer to a series of advantages for the improvement of the physical and sensory properties of the product obtained at the end of the sesame drying process. Since sesame is a delicate product, factors such as high heat, uneven moisture or insufficient air flow during the drying process can deteriorate the quality and texture of sesame. The invention aims to obtain dried sesame with the desired properties at the end of the drying process by controlling these factors. Quality improvement aims to preserve and improve the qualities of sesame such as flavor, color, nutritional value, and general appearance as much as possible. Textural improvement focuses on maintaining and improving the surface texture, brittleness level, and general physical structure of sesame.

[0017] The invention provides a sesame drying system in which the amount of sesame dried per unit time is increased by 20-40% and a sesame drying method performed with said drying system. In the sesame drying system of the invention, the sesame seeds leaving the washing chamber are first subjected to a preliminary water removal process with the help of a vibrating sieve having a vibration mechanism. Afterwards, a second water removal process is applied by passing the sesame seeds leaving the vibrating sieve through the air blowing ducts, and after the water removal stages, the products enter into the drying tunnel. Subsequently, a vacuum is created in the product entry chamber and the water remaining in the products is removed with the help of pressure and the water removed by pressure is removed from the system. After this, the sesame seeds with a moisture content of 50-60% that enter into the drying chamber are subjected to the drying process and after this drying, the moisture value of the sesame seeds is reduced to less than 15%. As a result, the amount of sesame dried per unit time is increased by 20-40%. In the invention, a system and method that accelerates the sesame drying process and increases the amount of sesame dried per unit time by 20- 40% has been introduced. This is achieved through innovative technologies such as more efficient thermal management, improved air flow, waste heat recovery, moisture control and intelligent automation systems. Thanks to the system and method of the invention, the drying process becomes both faster and more energy-efficient.

[0018] In the invention, the energy consumption in the sesame drying process is minimized. In the system of the invention, energy consumption is minimized both because the amount of sesame dried per unit time increases and because the waste heat used in the system is fed back to the system.

[0019] Description of the Drawings

[0020] Fig. 1. Representative view of the sesame drying system of the invention.

[0021] Description of the References in the Drawings

[0022] 1. Hot air duct

[0023] 2. Vibrating sieve

[0024] 3. Air blowing duct

[0025] 4. Product entry chamber

[0026] 5. Vacuum System

[0027] 6. Water drain chamber

[0028] 7. Water exit chamber

[0029] 8. Perforated sheet metal

[0030] 9. Air collector 10. Drying chamber

[0031] 11. Product exit chamber

[0032] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0033] The invention relates to a sesame drying system introduced to eliminate the problems of inefficient drying of sesame and a sesame drying method performed with said drying system. Since the moisture value of the sesame seeds after exiting drying is reduced to less than 15%, quality and textural improvement is provided in dried sesame seeds. In the sesame drying system of the invention, the waste heat leaving the drying tunnel (the section between the product entry chamber (4) and the product exit chamber (11) is the drying tunnel) is fed back to the system, thus providing an environmentally friendly, efficient, and economical sesame drying system. In the sesame drying system of the invention and a sesame drying method performed with said drying system, the amount of sesame dried per unit time is increased by 20-40%. In other words, it is ensured that more products are dried effectively in less time with the invention. In the system of the invention, energy consumption is minimized both because the amount of sesame dried per unit time increases and because the waste heat used in the system is fed back to the system.

[0034] A sesame drying system of the invention introduced to eliminate the problems of inefficient drying of sesame comprises:

[0035] • a hot air duct (1 ) to be used as a necessary preliminary process to aid drying,

[0036] • a vibrating sieve (2) with vibration that removes water from the sesame seeds with the vibration technique for use in drying the washed sesame seeds,

[0037] • an air blowing duct (3) to be used to reduce the initial moisture of the product before drying and to ensure effective drying,

[0038] • a product entry chamber (4) to be used for the entry of pre-dried sesame seeds into the drying system,

[0039] • a vacuum system (5) to be used in subjecting pre-treated sesame seeds to a water removal process again during their entry to the drying system,

[0040] • a water drain chamber (6) to be used to drain water released from the products dried in the drying system, • a water exit chamber (7) to be used to discharge water released from the products dried in the drying system,

[0041] • a perforated sheet metal (8) to be used in the air circulation required to perform drying,

[0042] • an air collector (9) to be used to provide the required air circulation for the drying process,

[0043] • a drying chamber (10) in which the sesame seeds subjected to the drying process are exposed to air circulation and allowed to move forward,

[0044] • a product exit chamber (11 ) to be used for the discharge of sesame seeds after the drying process has been completed.

[0045] A sesame drying method performed with the sesame drying system of the invention comprises the process steps of: i. subjecting the washed sesame seeds to a pre-water removal process with the help of a vibrating sieve (2) having a vibration mechanism, ii. applying a second water removal process by passing the sesame seeds leaving the vibrating sieve (2) through the air blowing ducts (3), iii. after the water removal stages, entry of the products into the drying tunnel, which is the section between the product entry chamber (4) and the product exit chamber (11 ), and creating a vacuum in the product entry chamber (4), removing the remaining water in the products with the help of pressure and removing the water removed by pressure from the system, iv. subjecting the sesame seeds with a moisture content of 50-60% that enter into the drying chamber (10) to the drying process and after this drying, reducing the moisture value of the sesame seeds to less than 15%.

[0046] Thanks to reducing the moisture value of the sesame seeds to less than 15% after final drying, the growth of mold and yeast in sesame seeds is limited and the formation of aflatoxin is minimized. Since the moisture value of the sesame seeds after exiting drying is reduced to less than 15%, quality and textural improvement is provided in dried sesame seeds. The waste heat leaving the drying tunnel is fed back into the system and thus an environmentally friendly, efficient, and economical sesame drying system is provided. In the sesame drying system of the invention and a sesame drying method performed with said drying system, the amount of sesame dried per unit time is increased by 20-40%. In other words, it is ensured that more products are dried effectively in less time with the invention. Since the amount of sesame dried per unit time increases, and the waste heat used in the system is fed back to the system, energy consumption is minimized with a sesame drying system of the invention and a sesame drying method performed with said drying system.

[0047] Table 1. Comparison of the final moisture value in the sesame seeds dried after the drying process performed with a sesame drying system / machine included in the state of the art and the moisture value of the sesame dried after the system of the invention and the sesame drying method performed with this system.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A sesame drying system, characterized in that it comprises:• a hot air duct (1) to be used as a necessary preliminary process to aid drying,• a vibrating sieve (2) with vibration that removes water from the sesame seeds with the vibration technique for use in drying the washed sesame seeds,• an air blowing duct (3) to be used to reduce the initial moisture of the product before drying and to ensure effective drying,• a product entry chamber (4) to be used for the entry of pre-dried sesame seeds into the drying system,• a vacuum system (5) to be used in subjecting pre-treated sesame seeds to a water removal process again during their entry to the drying system,• a water drain chamber (6) to be used to drain water released from the products dried in the drying system,• a water exit chamber (7) to be used to discharge water released from the products dried in the drying system,• a perforated sheet metal (8) to be used in the air circulation required to perform drying,• an air collector (9) to be used to provide the required air circulation for the drying process,• a drying chamber (10) in which the sesame seeds subjected to the drying process are exposed to air circulation and allowed to move forward,• a product exit chamber (11) to be used for the discharge of sesame seeds after the drying process has been completed.

2. A sesame drying method performed in a sesame drying system, characterized in that it comprises the process steps of: i. subjecting the washed sesame seeds to a pre-water removal process with the help of a vibrating sieve (2) having a vibration mechanism, ii. applying a second water removal process by passing the sesame seeds leaving the vibrating sieve (2) through the air blowing ducts (3), iii. after the water removal stages, entry of the products into the drying tunnel, which is the section between the product entry chamber (4) and the productexit chamber (11 ), and creating a vacuum in the product entry chamber (4), removing the remaining water in the products with the help of pressure and removing the water removed by pressure from the system, iv. subjecting the sesame seeds with a moisture content of 50-60% that enter into the drying chamber (10) to the drying process and after this drying, reducing the moisture value of the sesame seeds to less than 15%.

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