Chocolate Conching with Integrated Coarse Comminution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional chocolate production methods using open roller mills are complex, expensive, and prone to product losses, hygiene issues, and safety risks, with inefficient conching processes requiring long times and precise temperature control to achieve desired taste and texture.
Innovation Solution
Reversing the comminution order by first coarsely crushing the chocolate components within the conche, followed by conching and subsequent fine grinding, allowing for increased temperature control and reduced conching time, while maintaining the desired particle size and rheological properties with a low fat content to prevent dust formation and agglomeration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If open roller mills are used for comminution, then high-quality chocolate can be produced, but the system becomes complex, expensive, and prone to product losses and hygiene issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the comminution function with the conching process by integrating a comminution device directly into the conche. This merging eliminates the need for separate rolling mill systems, reducing device complexity while maintaining chocolate quality through the integrated processing approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the comminution function from the traditional rolling mill system and relocates it within the conche. This separation allows the complex rolling mill system to be eliminated while preserving the essential comminution capability needed for high-quality chocolate production.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional comminution followed by conching is used, then desired particle size is achieved, but conching time becomes excessively long (6-16 hours)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs coarse comminution of sugar, milk powder, and fat before the conching process begins. This preliminary action reduces the particle size of key components in advance, so that when conching starts, less time is needed to achieve the final desired particle size of x90 ≤ 20 μm, reducing conching time from 6-16 hours to a much shorter duration.
3Productivity
If high temperature is applied during conching to accelerate processing, then drying speed increases, but agglomeration of milk powder occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces fat as an intermediary substance that coats milk powder particles before high-temperature conching. This fat layer acts as a protective barrier that prevents direct contact and agglomeration of milk powder particles during heating, allowing high temperatures to be used for accelerated drying without compromising milk powder homogeneity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies fat to milk powder particles in advance of the high-temperature conching process. This preliminary anti-action prevents the harmful agglomeration effect before it can occur during heating, allowing the system to exploit high temperatures for faster drying while maintaining product stability.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If coarse comminution is performed with high fat content, then dust formation is prevented, but the mixture becomes too viscous for effective processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies fat locally and selectively to specific components (sugar and milk powder) rather than to the entire mixture. This localized application prevents dust formation at the particle level where it matters most, while avoiding excessive overall fat content that would make the mixture too viscous for effective comminution and processing.
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
This approach reduces production effort and energy consumption, achieves the desired particle size and rheological properties, and allows for faster conching with improved flavor development and reduced risk of agglomeration, resulting in high-quality chocolate with lower fat content and lower operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
During this processing in the conche, volatile components of the product mass in the form of water and organic acids are removed under temperature control by means of gases (especially air) passed through the conche
Implementation Method 2
it is also possible to generate frictional heat through internal processes and leave it in the mixture
Implementation Method 3
volatile components of the product mass in the form of water and organic acids are removed under temperature control by means of gases (especially air) passed through the conche
Implementation Method 4
reactions between the organic components and the reactive carbohydrates of the cocoa mass or milk contribute to flavor development
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
Producing chocolate mass comprises crushing ingredients and then conching. An independent claim is also included for an apparatus for carrying out the above method, comprising a conche (1) connected downstream to a fine crushing mill (16).