Hydraulic Conveyor Sanitizing Device Using UV-C Photolysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic conveyors for floating objects like fruit and vegetables with recirculation systems face challenges in effectively sanitizing aqueous compositions due to limitations in activated carbon filtration, leading to residual pesticides and microorganisms, which can contaminate the water and fail to meet food safety standards.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic conveyor system equipped with a sanitizing device that uses photolysis chambers and irradiation devices to mix the aqueous composition with a photoreactive compound, such as hydrogen peroxide, and subject it to UV-C irradiation, transforming pollutants into non-pollutant compounds, ensuring efficient decontamination and compliance with food safety regulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If activated carbon filtration is used to sanitize the aqueous composition, then some pesticides and microorganisms are removed, but the filtration efficiency decreases over time and cannot guarantee continuous compliance with food safety standards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the sanitisation method from physical filtration (activated carbon) to photchemical transformation (UV-C irradiation). This transforms the mechanism from passive filtration to active degradation, allowing continuous effective sanitisation without the capacity limits of filter media. The UV-C irradiation continuously breaks down pesticides and microorganisms in the aqueous composition, maintaining reliable sanitisation effectiveness indefinitely.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical filtration system (activated carbon filter) with a photchemical system (UV-C irradiation). Instead of physically blocking contaminants, the system uses ultraviolet radiation to induce photodissociation and photoxidation reactions that chemically destroy pollutants. This substitution eliminates the diminishing filtration capacity issue inherent in mechanical filters.
2Productivity
If the aqueous composition is continuously recirculated through the hydraulic conveyor, then productivity is maintained, but the concentration of pollutants increases over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous photchemical sanitisation action throughout the recirculation process. UV-C irradiation devices are positioned to treat the aqueous composition continuously as it circulates through the hydraulic conveyor, ensuring that pollutants are constantly degraded rather than accumulating. This maintains both productivity through continuous recirculation and safety by continuous pollutant destruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system operates as a feedback-controlled process where the continuous recirculation of the aqueous composition through UV-C irradiation zones creates a self-regulating system. The irradiation continuously removes pollutants, preventing their accumulation, and the recirculation distributes the treated water throughout the system, maintaining safe pollutant levels without requiring interruption.
3Device complexity
If traditional filtration methods are used, then the system structure remains simple, but the decontamination efficiency is insufficient to meet modern food safety standards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical filtration systems with a relatively simple photchemical system. Instead of requiring sophisticated filter media, housings, and maintenance infrastructure, the system uses UV-C irradiation devices that can be directly positioned in the water flow. This provides superior decontamination efficiency while maintaining acceptable system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs photoxidation processes where UV-C irradiation generates highly reactive oxygen species and other oxidizing agents that rapidly degrade pollutants. This accelerated oxidation mechanism is far more effective than physical filtration, achieving complete decontamination of pesticides and microorganisms with minimal system complexity.
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 system achieves high-efficiency decontamination of pollutants like boscalid, fludioxonil, and patulin, reducing toxicity and ensuring the treated water is safe for human consumption, with a residual amount of photosensitive compounds below regulatory limits, even in hard water conditions.
Implementation Method 1
at least one irradiation device arranged to be able to irradiate a composition, named composition to be sanitised, formed by mixing at least some of said conveying composition and an amount of a composition, named photoreactive composition
Implementation Method 2
able to transform by chemical reaction at least one pollutant compound of said conveying composition into a non-pollutant compound
Data Source
AI summary
A hydraulic conveyor for floating objects, having recirculation of a liquid composition, named conveying composition, for conveying the floating objects, includes at least one device for sanitizing the conveying composition. The sanitizing device includes: at least one device irradiating a composition, named composition to be sanitized, formed by mixing at least some of the conveying composition and an amount of a composition, named photoreactive composition, including at least one photosensitive compound that forms, under the effect of irradiation by the irradiation device, at least one compound, named active compound, transforming by chemical reaction at least one pollutant compound of the conveying composition into a non-pollutant compound; and at least two photolysis chambers mounted in series such that the composition to be sanitized can flow successively into the at least two photolysis chambers, at least one irradiation device being arranged in an inner volume of each photolysis chamber.