Mechanical Honey Crystal Breakdown Without Heat
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional honey processing methods require heat to liquefy and re-crystallize honey, altering its natural properties and making it unspreadable for the majority of consumers, while raw honey enthusiasts seek unaltered products that can be too hard and inconsistent in texture and taste.
Innovation Solution
A method using a cylindrical container with a rotating auger to break down crystalline honey into a smooth, spreadable product without heat, by maintaining a clearance between the auger flight and the container wall, allowing the honey to mix and fracture crystals into a consistent texture and flavor, retaining the raw quality and natural properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If heat processing is used to liquefy and re-crystallize honey, then honey becomes spreadable and consistent in texture, but natural properties are altered and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal processing system with a mechanical system consisting of an auger and container that physically mixes and breaks down honey crystals through mechanical action, achieving spreadability without heat and preserving natural properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the processing parameter from temperature to mechanical stress, using the auger's rotation and the clearance between the auger flight and container wall to apply shear force and break down crystals, thereby achieving the desired texture without thermal alteration
2Ease of operation
If heat processing is used to liquefy and re-crystallize honey, then honey becomes spreadable, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the energy-intensive thermal processing system with a low-energy mechanical mixing system using an auger, dramatically reducing energy consumption while achieving the same spreadability outcome through mechanical crystal breakdown
3Temperature
If raw honey is kept unaltered, then natural properties are preserved, but texture becomes too hard and inconsistent for most consumers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical action through the auger system to break down hard crystals in raw honey, transforming the texture to be spreadable while keeping the honey unheated and preserving all natural properties, thus satisfying both raw honey enthusiasts and consumers requiring spreadability
4Stability of the object's composition
If conventional processing filters honey to remove impurities, then consistency is improved, but natural properties like pollen and propolus are removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the filtration step with mechanical mixing and crystal breakdown, achieving texture consistency through uniform distribution of broken crystals while retaining all natural constituents including pollen, propolus, and wax without removal
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical mixing process allows the honey to self-regulate its texture through continuous agitation and crystal breakdown, achieving natural consistency enhancement without external intervention like filtration that would remove beneficial substances
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
Produces a consistently soft, creamy, and spreadable honey product that maintains the natural taste, color, and texture of various floral honeys, using less energy and reducing environmental impact by avoiding heat processing, creating a product that remains soft and spreadable indefinitely.
Implementation Method 1
rotating an auger within the container with an exterior auger flight having an outer edge closely adjacent the container wall leaving a clearance therebetween
Implementation Method 2
the auger flight acting to drive material to one discharge end of the container with a discharge valve at the discharge end
Implementation Method 3
The continuous rotation of the auger ensures uniform mixing and prevents localized overheating
Data Source
AI summary
A soft, spreadable honey product is formed by feeding the honey in raw solid form through a side feed chute into a container defined by a vertical rotating auger with a clearance between the flight and the container. The auger flight drives the material to one discharge end of the container with a closed discharge valve at the discharge end to cause the honey to be admixed within the container and the crystals to fracture and to interact with one another so as to grind them down making them smooth and small. The mixing action is carried out until the crystals in the honey are broken down sufficiently to form the honey into the soft, spreadable honey product and carried out without the use of any heat at any time and without filtering the product.