Plasma-Activated Ice-Water Cooling for Low-Water Fruit Sterilization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fruit cooling and sterilization methods, particularly for fruits that undergo water immersion treatment like cherries, suffer from high water consumption, long processing times, and the need for additional sterilization, leading to inefficiencies and environmental pollution risks.
Innovation Solution
A fruit sterilizing and cooling device utilizing a plasma-activated ice-water mixture, with a tank body divided into an ice-water tank and a cooling tank, uses a plasma-activated water generator to create PAW, which is cooled by ice cubes, and a movable fence frame to turn over fruits gently, ensuring uniform cooling and sterilization without mechanical damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If spray cooling is used on fruits like cherries, then cooling effect is achieved, but water consumption increases and processing time extends
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines cooling and sterilization into a single integrated process by generating plasma-activated water that simultaneously provides both cooling effect and sterilization function, eliminating the need for separate treatment steps and reducing overall water consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of water by exposing it to plasma treatment, creating plasma-activated water with enhanced cooling efficiency and sterilization capability, thereby achieving better results with less water
2Reliability
If bactericide is added to spray water for sterilization, then sterilization effect is improved, but sewage production increases and pollution risk rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical sterilization methods with plasma physics-based sterilization, using plasma-activated water generation technology to create sterilizing agents without harmful chemical residues, thus eliminating sewage pollution issues
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes plasma-generated reactive oxygen species and other strong oxidizing substances to achieve effective sterilization through oxidation mechanisms, providing a chemical-free alternative to traditional bactericides
3Productivity
If plasma-activated water is used for cooling, then sterilization and cooling are achieved simultaneously, but the initial high temperature of PAW causes water temperature to rise easily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the treatment process into distinct stages with separate functional zones: a plasma-activated water generation zone for sterilization and a cooling zone with ice water for temperature control, allowing each zone to optimize its specific function without interfering with the other
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces ice water as an intermediary cooling medium that absorbs excess heat from the plasma-activated water, preventing temperature rise while maintaining the sterilization benefits of the plasma-treated water
4Speed
If fruits are cooled quickly on the surface, then cooling speed is improved, but the core remains high temperature affecting fruit quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures continuous cooling action by maintaining a sustained supply of cold plasma-activated water or ice water around the fruits throughout the treatment period, preventing heat buildup in the core and ensuring uniform cooling from surface to center
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 device effectively sterilizes and cools fruits simultaneously, reducing water consumption, processing time, and environmental impact, while maintaining fruit quality by using a stable plasma-activated ice-water mixture that prevents mechanical damage and chemical pollution.
Implementation Method 1
a plasma-activated water generator, to generate PAW
Implementation Method 2
ice cubes are added to an upper portion of the ice-water tank
Implementation Method 3
uses a plasma-activated water generator to generate PAW, which is cooled by ice cubes
Data Source
AI summary
A fruit sterilizing and cooling device using a plasma-activated ice-water mixture includes a top-opened tank body, where the tank body includes a front side provided with an ice-water tank, and a rear side provided with a cooling tank; a clapboard is provided between the ice-water tank and the cooling tank; a water passing port is formed in an upper portion of the clapboard; a grid plate is inserted at the water passing port; ice cubes are added to an upper portion of the ice-water tank; one side of a lower portion of the ice-water tank is connected to a plasma-activated water (PAW) generator; a valve is provided at a water outlet of the PAW generator; a fixed fence frame and a movable fence frame are provided in the cooling tank; and fruits to be treated are placed in the movable fence frame.