Diffusion-Based Salinisation Unit for Dried Nuts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for salinisation, saccharisation, and aromatisation of dried nuts are inefficient, leading to non-homogeneous taste distribution, visual pollution, shortened shelf life, and lack of hygiene in production, as they primarily focus on surface coating rather than internal penetration and require manual intervention.

Innovation Solution

A unit for sweetening dried nuts using a diffusion method within a heated solution pool, where the nuts are immersed in a controlled environment to penetrate tastes like salt, sugar, or spices deep into the grain, ensuring homogeneous treatment and maintaining product robustness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If manual mixing and surface coating methods are used for salinisation and saccharisation, then the process is simple to operate, but the taste distribution becomes non-homogeneous and visual pollution occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetaste distribution homogeneityVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical mixing with an automated diffusion-based system. Nuts are immersed in a heated solution pool where salinity and sugar penetrate the nuts through diffusion, eliminating manual intervention and achieving homogeneous taste distribution throughout the nuts rather than just surface coating.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameters of the treatment medium by heating the solution pool to elevated temperatures. This temperature increase accelerates diffusion rates, allowing rapid and uniform penetration of salt and sugar into the nuts, thereby achieving homogeneous taste distribution in a controlled manner.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Duration of action of stationary object

If surface coating with flour and salt is applied, then the process is quick to implement, but shelf life is shortened due to flour binder degradation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshelf lifeVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates the flour binder entirely by replacing mechanical surface coating with diffusion-based impregnation. Salt and sugar dissolve directly into the nut tissue through the heated solution, creating a binder-free coating that does not degrade and extends shelf life.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses elevated temperature parameters to accelerate diffusion, allowing the impregnation process to complete quickly without requiring flour binders. The heated solution enables rapid penetration of seasonings, achieving both speed and shelf life extension.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If manual addition of mixture components is performed, then the process requires minimal equipment, but product standardization cannot be achieved due to wide tolerance ranges

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct standardizationVSAvoidequipment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual component addition with an automated controlled immersion system. The heated solution pool allows precise control of concentration and temperature parameters, ensuring consistent diffusion rates and homogeneous taste distribution across all nuts, thereby achieving product standardization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs controlled temperature and concentration parameters in the solution pool. By maintaining specific temperature ranges and solution concentrations, the diffusion process becomes reproducible and standardized, eliminating the variability inherent in manual mixing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If direct personal intervention in the product is performed, then the process is easy to monitor, but hygiene conditions are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehygiene conditionVSAvoidprocess monitoring ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual handling with an automated immersion system. Nuts are conveyed through the heated solution pool without direct human contact, eliminating contamination risks. The process is monitored through automated temperature and timing controls, maintaining both hygiene and operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

5Manufacturing precision

If only surface adherence of salt is achieved, then the process is simple and quick, but the interior of the product grain cannot be salinised or aromatised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepenetration depthVSAvoidprocessing duration
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses elevated temperature parameters to accelerate diffusion rates. The heated solution pool enables rapid penetration of salt and aromatics deep into the nut tissue, achieving thorough impregnation in a short time rather than requiring prolonged surface coating.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces surface-level mechanical coating with diffusion-based impregnation. The heated solution allows seasonings to penetrate throughout the nut interior through molecular diffusion, achieving deep and uniform distribution without requiring extended processing times.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 diffusion method ensures that dried nuts are evenly coated internally and externally, maintaining product quality and shelf life by boiling the nuts in a solution at 100°C or higher, preventing rancidity and ensuring a consistent taste experience.

Implementation Method 1

A unit for sweetening dried nuts using a diffusion method within a heated solution pool, where the nuts are immersed in a controlled environment to penetrate tastes like salt, sugar, or spices deep into the grain

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

maintaining product quality and shelf life by boiling the nuts in a solution at 100°C or higher, preventing rancidity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP2478781B1Method And Unit for Saucing Dried Nuts With Diffusion by Means of Salinisation, Saccharisation or Aromatisation
Publication Date: 2014.07.09 CESELSAN MAKINA SANAYI & TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI
  • EP2478781B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2478781B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2c
  • EP2478781B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention is unit (B) of salinisation-sweetening with diffusion, remaining between the raw material preparation unit (A) and the drying and roasting unit (C), giving dried or roasted food products such as dried fruits, dried nuts salty or sugary or spicy aromatic taste by means of the method of diffusing the solution up to the interior of the grains and is characterised in that; it comprises feeding system (20) that provides feeding of dried products to the unit (B) of sweetening with diffusion; heated boiler group (30) comprising solution pool (308) inside of which boiling or roasting dried product by the process of sweetening or salinisation with diffusion occurs, conveyor group that conveys, by being positioned on the heated boiler group (30), dried products into the solution pool (308), wherein dried products are passed through the solution pool (308), processed and extracted.