Emulsifier Screen and Cutter Layout for Bone-Resistant Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional emulsification devices experience frequent downtime due to screen blockages caused by bones or large food particles, leading to reduced flow rates and localized clogging, especially in pet food applications where a percentage of bone is allowed in the mixture.
Innovation Solution
An emulsification system with alternating arrangements of fixed screens and rotating cutting assemblies, where each cutting assembly includes radially extending cutting elements with precise angular spacing, is used to shear food products into smaller sizes, and a collar and nut mechanism adjusts the spacing between cutting assemblies and screens to prevent direct contact and maintain efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional emulsification devices use screens to process food products, then food products can be ground into small pieces, but the holes of the screens become blocked by bones or large food particles causing frequent downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The screen is divided into multiple sections with different hole sizes arranged in sequence. Food products pass through progressively smaller holes, with larger holes at the beginning to accommodate bones and large particles, preventing blockages while still achieving fine grinding in subsequent sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The screen hole pattern transitions dynamically from larger holes to smaller holes along the processing path. This dynamic configuration allows the system to handle varying particle sizes efficiently, accommodating bones and large particles initially while maintaining high throughput.
2Manufacturing precision
If screens with smaller holes are used to achieve finer food product particles, then grinding precision is improved, but the screens clog more frequently reducing flow rates
Solution Approach 1:
The grinding process is segmented into multiple stages with progressively smaller screen holes. This segmentation allows the system to achieve fine particle uniformity in later stages while maintaining high flow rates in earlier stages with larger holes, preventing overall clogging.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the screen have different hole sizes optimized for their specific function. The local quality of each screen section is tailored to handle specific particle size ranges, with larger holes where large particles enter and smaller holes where fine grinding is required.
3Adaptability or versatility
If bones are included in the food product mixture for pet food applications, then product composition requirements are met, but screen blockages occur leading to frequent cleaning downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The screen is designed with larger holes at the entry section before the food product enters the grinding zone. This preliminary action creates a buffer zone that accommodates bones and large particles, preventing them from blocking the finer grinding holes downstream.
Solution Approach 2:
The progressive hole size configuration acts as an intermediary between the rough input containing bones and the fine grinding requirement. Each screen section with intermediate hole sizes gradually reduces particle size, mediating the transition from large particles to fine grind without causing blockages.
Data Source
AI summary
An emulsion system is provided. The system includes a shaft that supports a plurality of cutting assemblies and screens in alternating order, wherein the cutting assembly rotates with respect to an in close proximity to the screen. The cutting assemblies include a plurality of cutting elements that extend radially outward from a hub and are positioned at consistent radial spacing along the perimeter of the hub. Each cutting element includes front and back edges that cut food particles in conjunction with holes within the screen, wherein the front and back edges are substantially perpendicular.