Gaseous Biocide Treatment Chamber for Condensation-Free Food Processing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for applying gaseous biocides to foodstuffs face challenges in ensuring safe, uniform, and efficient application, particularly in maintaining biocide concentration, avoiding condensation, and managing workplace safety, while adhering to HACCP standards and material compatibility.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a treatment chamber with a vapor partitioning passage, a conveyor, air distribution and extraction systems, and a monitoring system to control air pressure and temperature, ensuring gaseous biocide application without condensation and maintaining biocide concentration on the food surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If a gaseous biocide is applied to a foodstuff to reduce microbial content and extend shelf life, then the shelf life is extended, but there is a risk of condensation forming on the food surface which can negatively impact food quality and safety
Solution Approach 1:
The system controls temperature and humidity parameters within the treatment chamber to maintain conditions that prevent condensation formation while allowing effective biocide application. By carefully managing these environmental parameters, the system achieves microbial reduction without the harmful condensation effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses air circulation as an intermediary mechanism to distribute the gaseous biocide uniformly throughout the treatment chamber while also preventing condensation. The air flow acts as a mediator that delivers the biocide to the food surface while maintaining conditions that avoid liquid condensation formation.
2Reliability
If a high concentration of gaseous biocide is used to effectively reduce microbial content, then the microbial reduction is more effective, but the safety risks and potential damage to food quality increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies the biocide at different concentrations to different locations within the treatment chamber based on local needs. The air circulation system creates zones of appropriate biocide concentration that are sufficient for microbial reduction while avoiding excessive concentrations that could damage food quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates monitoring to detect biocide concentration and food condition, using this feedback to adjust application rates and air circulation patterns. This ensures that effective microbial reduction is achieved while preventing damage from excessive biocide exposure.
3Productivity
If the vapor partitioning passage is designed to allow good contact between biocide and food surface, then the biocide application efficiency is improved, but it becomes difficult to prevent biocide from exiting the treatment chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment chamber is segmented into distinct zones: a treatment zone where biocide application occurs with optimized food contact, and a containment zone that prevents biocide escape. The air circulation system is also segmented into intake and exhaust pathways that maintain pressure gradients to contain the biocide while allowing efficient application to the food.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses asymmetric air flow patterns and pressure distribution within the treatment chamber. The air circulation creates a flow pattern that promotes biocide-f food contact in the treatment zone while simultaneously directing any excess biocide toward containment areas rather than allowing it to escape, thus achieving both efficient application and loss prevention.
4Reliability
If the treatment chamber is designed to maintain negative air pressure to prevent biocide escape, then biocide containment is improved, but air circulation patterns may create uneven biocide distribution on the food surface
Solution Approach 1:
The air circulation system operates dynamically with adjustable flow rates and patterns. The system can adapt the air flow characteristics to maintain negative pressure for containment while simultaneously ensuring uniform biocide distribution across the food surface. The dynamic control allows optimization of both containment and distribution simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The air circulation system performs multiple functions simultaneously: it maintains negative pressure for biocide containment, distributes biocide uniformly across the food surface, and prevents condensation formation. By designing the air circulation system to fulfill multiple roles, the system achieves both containment and uniform distribution without compromise.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves safe, uniform, and efficient application of gaseous biocides, reducing microbial content on food surfaces, extending shelf life, and minimizing operational costs and safety risks.
Implementation Method 1
the air distribution system is configured to maintain the temperature of surfaces in the treatment chamber above a dew point of the biocide
Implementation Method 2
air pressure within the treatment chamber is maintained lower than that outside the treatment chamber and lower than that within the vapor partitioning passage, whereby air drawn into the treatment chamber from outside thereof is directed away from the vapor partitioning passage
Implementation Method 3
the lower section passing through a stream of heated air from the air distribution system, whereby a temperature of the conveyor is maintained above a dew point of the biocide to vaporise partitioned or condensed biocide incident thereon
Data Source
AI summary
A system for applying a gaseous biocide to a foodstuff, comprising: a treatment chamber having a vapor partitioning passage in which biocide is applied to the foodstuff; a conveyor extending from a first location outside the treatment chamber for conveying the foodstuff, through a first aperture in a wall of the treatment chamber, through the vapor partitioning passage, through a second aperture in a wall of the treatment chamber, and terminating at a second location outside the treatment chamber; an air distribution system supplying air into the treatment chamber, and an air extraction system through which air and remaining biocide is drawn from the treatment chamber. Pressure within the treatment chamber is maintained lower than outside the treatment chamber and lower than within the vapor partitioning passage, whereby air drawn into the treatment chamber is directed away from the vapor partitioning passage and gaseous biocide is prevented from exiting.