Continuous drying apparatus for bee pollen and related drying method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drying methods for bee pollen are inefficient, leading to high energy consumption, poor quality due to lipid oxidation, color change, and uneven drying, and lack automation and heat energy recycling, resulting in increased production costs and reduced shelf life.
Innovation Solution
A continuous drying apparatus utilizing a heat pump dehumidification heating structure, belt-type conveying, and staged heating to achieve efficient, closed-loop drying with inert gas preservation, reducing oxidative degradation and improving drying rate and product quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional drying methods (sun hot air drying, ventilation drying, electrothermal drying) are used for bee pollen, then the drying process can be completed, but the nutritional ingredients and active substances are easily oxidized and deteriorated, causing poor quality of dried bee pollen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inert atmosphere drying by replacing oxygen-containing air with inert gas (nitrogen or carbon dioxide) in the drying chamber. This prevents oxidative degradation of bee pollen's nutritional ingredients and active substances during the drying process, thereby maintaining high product quality while achieving effective drying.
2Loss of energy
If traditional drying methods are used for bee pollen, then drying can be achieved, but energy consumption is high due to lack of heat energy recycling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements heat energy recycling by capturing the heat from exhaust gases and reusing it in the drying process. The inert gas that has passed through the bee pollen is reheated and recirculated back into the drying chamber, reducing the need for continuous external heating and significantly lowering energy consumption while maintaining drying efficiency.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional drying methods are used for bee pollen, then drying can be completed, but the drying is uneven and causes color change and lipid oxidation
Solution Approach 1:
By creating an inert atmosphere throughout the drying chamber, the patent prevents lipid oxidation and color change that occur in traditional air drying. The uniform distribution of inert gas ensures consistent drying conditions across all bee pollen samples, eliminating uneven drying and associated quality defects.
4Extent of automation
If manual drying operation is used for bee pollen, then the process can be performed, but automation is difficult to implement and production cost is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous drying operation where inert gas continuously circulates through the bee pollen material, enabling automated processing without manual intervention. The system maintains continuous flow and heating, transforming traditional batch manual drying into an automated continuous process that increases productivity while controlling system complexity through standardized equipment design.
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 apparatus significantly enhances energy utilization, accelerates drying, and maintains the quality of bee pollen by reducing humidity and oxidative degradation, resulting in improved product quality and reduced production costs.
Implementation Method 1
the evaporator, a fan and a condenser which are sequentially connected, wherein the gas inlet of the evaporator is connected with the lower chamber
Implementation Method 2
the gas outlet of the condenser is connected with the upper chamber
Implementation Method 3
a fan for forcing air circulation
Implementation Method 4
a first heating plate disposed on a lower surface of the top wall of the box body and capable of performing first-stage heating to the bee pollen to be dried
Implementation Method 5
a first conveyor belt which is sleeved on outer side of the first main drive roller and the first driven roller at both ends, respectively, and is capable of conveying the bee pollen to be dried
Implementation Method 6
vacuumizing the inner chamber of the box body
Implementation Method 7
inert gas preservation, reducing oxidative degradation
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to the technical field of bee product processing, and discloses a continuous drying apparatus for bee pollen and related drying method. The continuous drying apparatus for bee pollen comprises: a box body; a first drying conveying structure; a second drying conveying structure; and a heat pump dehumidification heating structure. The continuous drying apparatus for bee pollen has the advantage of high drying efficiency.