Chocolate Tempering Apparatus with Segmented Crystallization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tempering apparatuses for chocolate mass are inefficient and costly due to the creation of unstable crystals, leading to reduced capacity and increased energy consumption, especially when tempering high-fat chocolate types like milk chocolate and nougat, and are cumbersome to handle and install due to their large size and weight.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus divides the chocolate mass into two streams, where only a smaller portion is cooled and crystallized for an extended period, while the larger portion remains crystal-free, allowing for increased capacity and reduced size and weight, with the two streams being mixed to achieve stable βV-crystals and lower energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the chocolate mass is cooled and crystallized in the crystallisation stage, then crystals are created in the mass, but in-stable crystals are created at the cold surfaces leading to reduced shelf life and increased energy consumption for reheating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-crystallizing a small portion (5-20%) of the chocolate mass in a separate crystallization stage before mixing it with the remaining liquid mass. This pre-formed crystal slurry is then used to induce crystallization in the bulk mass during mixing, eliminating the need for large-scale cold surface crystallization and subsequent reheating, thereby reducing energy consumption while ensuring stable βV-crystal formation for extended shelf life
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the chocolate mass into two portions: a small fraction (5-20%) that undergoes crystallization to form stable crystals, and the remaining larger portion that stays liquid. This segmentation allows the crystallized portion to act as a nucleation source for the liquid portion during mixing, achieving complete crystallization without requiring the entire mass to be cooled on cold surfaces, thus reducing energy consumption while ensuring product stability
2Reliability
If the chocolate mass is cooled to create crystals, then crystal creation is achieved, but the apparatus size and weight increase making it cumbersome to handle and install
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the crystallization function into a separate, compact crystallization stage that processes only 5-20% of the total mass. This small crystallization unit with its cold surfaces and mixing mechanism can be housed in a compact apparatus, eliminating the need for large-scale cooling surfaces required by conventional methods. The segmented approach maintains reliable crystal creation while significantly reducing apparatus size and weight for easier handling and installation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary crystal slurry as a mediator between the crystallization stage and the bulk chocolate mass. The pre-crystallized slurry acts as a nucleation source that induces crystallization in the remaining liquid mass during mixing, eliminating the need for large cold surfaces in contact with the entire mass. This intermediary approach enables reliable crystal creation using a compact apparatus with minimal cold surface area, reducing overall equipment weight and size
3Reliability
If the entire chocolate mass is cooled and crystallized, then complete crystallization is achieved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-crystallizing a small portion (5-20%) of the chocolate mass in a separate crystallization stage before mixing it with the remaining liquid mass. This pre-formed crystal slurry is then used to induce crystallization in the bulk mass during mixing, eliminating the need for large-scale cold surface crystallization and subsequent reheating, thereby reducing energy consumption while ensuring stable βV-crystal formation for extended shelf life
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies self-service by using the pre-crystallized slurry (5-20% of total mass) as a self-contained nucleation source that automatically induces crystallization in the remaining liquid mass during mixing. The crystal nuclei in the slurry serve themselves to catalyze crystal formation throughout the bulk mass without requiring external energy input for the entire volume, achieving complete crystallization with minimal energy consumption
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 increases the tempering capacity by up to 200% and reduces the physical size and weight of the apparatus by approximately 30%, achieving high-quality chocolate with significantly lower energy consumption, especially for high-fat chocolate types, and allows for easier handling and installation of large-capacity machines.
Implementation Method 1
the chocolate mass is being cooled to around 29-34°C in the cooling stage
Implementation Method 2
the mass passes through the crystallisation stage in which the temperature of the mass is typically lowered to 26-30°C
Implementation Method 3
crystals are created in the mass
Implementation Method 4
the mass is conditioned and the crystals are mixed out through the mass
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
Method and apparatus (1) for continuous tempering of a fat-containing, crystallisable chocolate mass, which has been heated, so that it is liquid, pumpable and free from crystals. The apparatus comprises a branching means (5) adapted for dividing the mass into a first stream of mass (9) and a second stream of mass (6), so that the amount of the first stream of mass is smaller than the amount of the second stream of mass. Cooling means (8, 11) is adapted for cooling of the mass, so that crystals are created in the first stream of mass during a period of more than 100 seconds, and so that the second stream of mass is still being essentially free from crystals. Furthermore is mixing means (14) adapted for mixing the first stream of mass and the second stream of mass together into one final crystallised stream of mass. Hereby is provided a method by which is produced chocolate with the highest quality and furthermore with severe energy-savings up to 70%. The apparatus is around 30% smaller in size and the weight is reduced 50%.