High-Pressure Homogenizer for Artificial Meat Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current production machines for artificial meat, specifically twin-screw extruders, face high energy consumption, limited raw material flexibility, and an inability to produce high-moisture products, leading to expensive and restricted product offerings.
Innovation Solution
A production machine utilizing a pressure pump system that includes a raw material mixer, storage tank, vacuum pump, delivery pump, heating/cooling device, fiberizing and cooling mold, forming mold, and outlet, which allows for efficient mixing, pressurization, and shaping of plant-based proteins into artificial meat with adjustable pressure, temperature, and moisture content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a twin-screw extruder is used for artificial meat production, then the production process can be completed, but energy consumption becomes high and equipment volume becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional twin-screw extruder mechanical system with a high-pressure homogenizer system that uses hydraulic pressure (up to 200 MPa) to achieve protein fiberization and product formation, substituting mechanical extrusion with pressure-based processing to reduce energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the key processing parameter from mechanical shear force in extrusion to high hydrostatic pressure in the new system, enabling the same functional outcome (protein fiberization and product formation) with different physical parameters that consume less energy
2Productivity
If a twin-screw extruder is used for artificial meat production, then the production process can be completed, but the equipment volume becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the long, complex mechanical extrusion system with a compact high-pressure homogenizer system, significantly reducing the equipment footprint while maintaining production capability through pressure-based processing
3Productivity
If a twin-screw extruder is used, then processing can be performed, but raw material options are limited and moisture content must be controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the processing parameter from mechanical extrusion to high hydrostatic pressure, which fundamentally alters the processing window to accommodate high-moisture raw materials (up to 80% moisture content) and diverse plant-based proteins without requiring strict moisture control
Solution Approach 2:
The high-pressure homogenizer system is designed to process a universal range of plant-based proteins including soybean, pea, wheat, and other legume proteins, as well as high-moisture materials, making the equipment versatile for various artificial meat products
4Productivity
If a twin-screw extruder is used, then artificial meat can be produced, but production cost becomes high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the expensive twin-screw extruder with a more cost-effective high-pressure homogenizer system, reducing equipment investment costs while also lowering operational expenses through reduced energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
By changing to high-pressure processing, the system enables the use of lower-cost raw materials with higher moisture content and less refined plant proteins, reducing material costs while maintaining product quality
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 solution reduces energy consumption, minimizes equipment volume, expands raw material options, and enables the production of high-moisture artificial meat products, lowering production costs and increasing product variety.
Implementation Method 1
The vacuum pump is connected to the raw material storage tank for evacuating the raw material storage tank
Implementation Method 2
The pressure pump is communicated with the raw material delivery pump for receiving and pressurizing the mixture of plant-based protein from the raw material delivery pump
Implementation Method 3
the heating/cooling device heats the mixture of plant-based protein to a preset heating temperature within a preset time period
Implementation Method 4
cools the mixture of plant-based protein to a preset cooling temperature
Implementation Method 5
The fiberizing and cooling mold receives and performs an extrusion operation on the mixture of plant-based protein cooled by the heating/cooling device, so as to form fibrous materials from the mixture of plant-based protein
Data Source
AI summary
A production machine includes a first motor, a raw material mixer receiving a mixture of plant-based protein and stirring and mixing materials in the mixture; a raw material storage tank receiving and storing the mixture stirred and mixed by the raw material mixer; a vacuum pump evacuating the raw material storage tank; a second motor controlling discharging speed of the mixture from the raw material storage tank; a raw material delivery pump; a pressure pump receiving and pressurizing the mixture delivered by the raw material delivery pump from the raw material storage tank; a heating/cooling device heating the mixture to a preset heating temperature within a preset time period and cooling the mixture to a preset cooling temperature; a fiberizing and cooling mold receiving the cooled mixture and performing an extrusion operation thereon to form fibrous materials; and a forming mold shaping the fibrous materials to form an artificial meat.