Continuous Metering and Mixing Machine for Candy Solutions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing discontinuous production process for candy production is energy-intensive and inefficient, particularly in mass production, due to the need for boiling off large amounts of water from sugar and glucose syrup solutions.
Innovation Solution
A continuously operating dosing and mixing machine that separately supplies a liquid component and a powdered component, such as glucose syrup and crystalline sugar, directly into a mixing unit, allowing for continuous production of a starting solution with minimal water content, using a heat exchanger for preheating and quantity detection for accurate mixing, eliminating the need for intermediate storage and reducing energy requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a discontinuous production process is used to dissolve sugar and glucose syrup in water, then high accuracy in ingredient dosing and reproducibility can be achieved, but the production process becomes inefficient and energy-intensive due to the need to boil off large amounts of water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a continuous production process where sugar and glucose syrup are continuously fed into a mixing chamber with controlled water addition, eliminating the batch-wise discontinuous operation. This continuous mixing and subsequent continuous evaporation allows the system to maintain steady-state operation, improving production efficiency while maintaining dosing accuracy through controlled feed rates and continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the water removal step from the traditional batch process and implements it as a separate continuous evaporation stage. By separating the mixing function from the concentration function, the system can continuously produce accurate ingredient mixtures while efficiently removing water in a dedicated evaporation chamber, thereby improving both productivity and energy efficiency.
2Measurement precision
If a discontinuous production process with intermediate storage is used, then ingredient mixing can be completed with high accuracy, but large reservoirs are required for intermediate storage and demixing or sedimentation can occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates intermediate storage by implementing continuous flow from the mixing chamber directly to the evaporation chamber. This continuous operation ensures that the ingredient mixture remains in constant motion and does not have opportunities for demixing or sedimentation, removing the need for large intermediate storage reservoirs and associated complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the production process into distinct functional zones: a mixing chamber for precise ingredient combination and a direct evaporation chamber for water removal. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently while maintaining continuous flow, eliminating the need for intermediate storage infrastructure that would be required in a batch process.
3Stability of the object's composition
If large amounts of water are used to dissolve sugar and glucose syrup, then complete dissolution can be achieved, but significant energy is consumed to boil off the water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary heating to the water before it enters the mixing chamber, reducing the temperature difference required for dissolution. This pre-heating action decreases the total energy required in the subsequent evaporation stage, as the water and dissolved ingredients are already at a higher temperature, thereby reducing the energy needed to reach boiling point and remove water.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous evaporation of water from the ingredient mixture in a dedicated evaporation chamber. This continuous removal of water vapor allows the system to maintain optimal water-to-ingredient ratios throughout the process, ensuring complete dissolution while efficiently removing water with minimized energy consumption through sustained heat application and vapor removal.
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 significantly reduces energy consumption, enhances production flexibility, prevents demixing and sedimentation, and allows for high-solid content mixing, enabling efficient candy production with improved reproducibility and quality.
Implementation Method 1
The dosing and mixing machine according to the invention comprises a heat exchanger which is arranged in the first feed path. As a result, a preheating of the first liquid component, which is supplied via the first supply path, can be made possible.
Implementation Method 2
A mixing unit, into which the first and the second feed path open. The machine also includes a mixing unit, into which the first and the second feed path open
Implementation Method 3
Furthermore, a conveying device is provided in each case in the first and second feed path in order to carry out continuous conveying of the first or second component.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a continuously operating metering and mixing machine for producing a starting solution for sweets, in particular candies, comprising a first supply path (2) for supplying a first liquid component (4) for the sweets, a second supply path (3) for supplying a second, powdered component (5) for the sweets, a mixing assembly (6), wherein the first supply path (2) and the second supply path (3) each open into the mixing assembly (6) and the mixing assembly (6) homogeneously mixes the liquid component (4) and the powdered component (5) in order to obtain the starting solution, a first quantity detection unit, which is disposed in the first supply path (2), in order to continuously detect a supplied quantity of the first component (4), a second quantity detection unit (8), which is disposed in the second supply path (3), in order to continuously detect a supplied quantity of the second component (5), a first delivery device (9), which is disposed in the first supply path (2) in order to continuously deliver the first component (4), and a second delivery unit (10), which is disposed in the second supply path (3) in order to continuously deliver the second component (5).