Cylindrical HPP Carrier for Homogeneous Moderate-Temperature Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current HPP machines face challenges in controlling temperature gradients and maintaining temperature homogeneity during high-pressure processing, especially when operating at moderate temperatures, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs due to complex, heavy, and expensive insulated carriers that reduce filling ratio and are not suitable for horizontal machines.
Innovation Solution
A cylindrical carrier with small openings and ballast pieces coated with high adiabatic heating materials, designed for horizontal operation, minimizes heat loss through convection and conduction, maintaining temperature homogeneity and allowing use of standard commercial HPP machines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If complex insulated carriers are used to control temperature gradients, then temperature homogeneity is improved, but device complexity, weight, and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the temperature control function from the carrier structure itself and transfers it to the pressurizing fluid. By using a fluid with high heat capacity (water) as the pressurizing medium, the system achieves temperature homogeneity through the fluid's natural thermal properties rather than through complex insulated carrier construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressurizing fluid acts as an intermediary between the heat source and the product. The fluid circulates through the vessel, absorbing and distributing heat uniformly, thereby mediating the temperature control process without requiring the carrier to have active temperature regulation capabilities.
2Temperature
If insulated carriers are used to maintain temperature, then temperature stability is improved, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurizing fluid performs the temperature stabilization function autonomously through its high heat capacity and circulation. The system uses the fluid's own thermal properties to maintain temperature stability, eliminating the need for heavy external insulation materials on the carrier.
3Temperature
If insulated carriers are used to control temperature gradients, then temperature homogeneity is improved, but productivity decreases due to reduced filling ratio
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the insulation layer from the carrier design, extracting the temperature control function and placing it in the pressurizing fluid. This eliminates the space occupation by insulation material, thereby maintaining a high filling ratio and improving productivity.
4Device complexity
If standard HPP machines are used for moderate temperature processing, then device complexity is reduced, but temperature control capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of the pressurizing fluid from a standard low-heat-capacity fluid to a high-heat-capacity fluid (water at elevated temperatures). This parameter change enables the fluid to naturally maintain temperature homogeneity during processing, allowing standard HPP machines to achieve temperature control without additional complex systems.
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 carrier maintains stable and homogeneous temperature distribution within the product, retains productivity, and is cost-effective, lightweight, and easy to handle, addressing the limitations of existing insulated carriers.
Implementation Method 1
ballast pieces coated by one or several sheets of materials with higher adiabatic heating under compression than the pressurizing fluid
Implementation Method 2
minimizes heat loss through convection and conduction
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A carrier for high pressure processing (HPP) of food, beverage, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, or biological products at moderate temperatures in horizontal machines. The carrier comprises a cylindrical body, an inner space (3) to accommodate the products, and one or more small openings (4) longitudinally distributed along the carrier side wall. The carrier also has one or several inner pieces, acting as ballast (5), placed on the diametrically opposite side wall of the openings. Said pieces are coated by one or more sheets (6) of a material with high adiabatic heating properties upon compression. This carrier prevents the loss of heat, minimizing the gradients of temperature inside. Therefore, it allows developing applications that take advantage of the synergetic effect between pressure and temperature, having a simple industrial implementation in horizontal HPP commercial machines as it is light, easy to handle, and inexpensive.