Curd Draining Apparatus With Variable Volume Chambers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Continuous drainage towers in cheese production face challenges with microbial growth due to the enclosed environment rich in nutrients, which can lead to unsafe end products.
Innovation Solution
A novel design principle for the drainage chambers within the apparatus, where lower chambers have smaller volumes than upper chambers, reducing whey residence time and flow rate to mitigate microbial growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the drainage tower operates continuously with enclosed space, then high-capacity production is achieved, but microbial growth is promoted due to nutrient-rich environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the drainage chambers, specifically making lower chambers smaller than upper chambers. This parameter change reduces the residence time of whey in the system, thereby reducing microbial growth while maintaining continuous operation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The drainage system is segmented into multiple chambers of different sizes arranged vertically. This segmentation allows different residence times in different chambers, with lower chambers having smaller volumes to reduce overall whey residence time and microbial growth opportunities
2Device complexity
If drainage chambers are designed with equal volumes, then structural simplicity is maintained, but whey residence time increases leading to microbial growth
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the drainage system are given different qualities in terms of chamber volume. Lower chambers are designed with smaller volumes than upper chambers, creating local variations in residence time to reduce microbial growth in critical areas
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 solution effectively reduces microbial growth by minimizing whey residence time, ensuring safer and healthier cheese production.
Implementation Method 1
a lower drainage chamber is configured with a smaller whey-containing volume than an upper drainage chamber in the apparatus... the average residence time of the drained whey within the apparatus is reduced
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
An apparatus is configured for draining and forming curd from a mixture of curd and whey. The apparatus comprises a vertical casing (10), and a module that is removably inserted into the casing (10) to define at least one vertical column (20) therein. The column (20) is configured to receive the mixture at its top and yield drained crud at its bottom. Non-perforated sections (B1-B3) and perforated sections (P1-P3) alternate along the column (20). Horizontal dividers (21-24) in the module define drainage chambers (D1-D3) for receiving whey from the mixture in the column (20) through a respective perforated section. To account for a decreasing flow rate of whey into the drainage chambers (D1-D) along the column, a lower drainage chamber has a smaller volume than an upper drainage chamber. This will reduce the residence time of drained whey in the lower drainage chamber, thereby mitigating microbial growth.