Juice Extraction Waste Discharge Duct Liquid Injection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for extracting juice and puree from vegetable or animal food struggle with the efficient removal and transfer of dry, viscous, and sticky waste materials, which often jam extraction machines and require frequent maintenance due to their low humidity and high sugar content, especially in vacuum conditions.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves adding a measured amount of liquid to the waste material in the discharge duct to create a heterogeneous mixture, which is then removed by suction, utilizing a suction pump and a discharge duct with nozzles to prevent jamming and facilitate easy transfer, while maintaining a vacuum environment to minimize enzymatic reactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If waste material is removed dry to maintain extraction efficiency, then extraction efficiency is improved, but waste material becomes viscous and sticky causing machine jamming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextraction efficiencyVSAvoidmachine operation continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by adding liquid to the waste material before it enters the discharge duct, transforming it from a dry viscous state to a more manageable wet state. This pre-treatment prevents the waste from jamming the discharge system while maintaining extraction efficiency, as the liquid addition occurs prior to the potential jamming point in the discharge pathway.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses liquid as an intermediary substance that mediates between the dry waste material and the discharge system. By introducing liquid, the waste material's viscosity is reduced and it becomes less sticky, allowing it to be conveyed through the discharge duct without jamming the machine components while still maintaining the efficiency of the extraction process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If waste material is evacuated under vacuum conditions, then extraction quality is improved, but waste material sticking to walls obstructs the evacuation path

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextraction qualityVSAvoidwaste evacuation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by adding liquid to the waste material before evacuation under vacuum conditions. This pre-treatment modifies the waste's physical properties, reducing its stickiness and preventing it from adhering to the evacuation path walls. As a result, the waste can be evacuated smoothly under vacuum conditions without obstructing the discharge duct, maintaining both extraction quality and evacuation ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Speed

If rotor presses waste directly to discharge outlet, then discharge speed is improved, but waste material compacting jams the outlet

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedischarge speedVSAvoiddischarge system reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by adding liquid to the waste material before it is pressed by the rotor for discharge. This pre-treatment prevents the waste from compacting and jamming the discharge outlet by modifying its physical state. The liquid addition occurs prior to the pressing action, ensuring that when the rotor presses the waste, it does so without causing compaction that would block the outlet, thus maintaining both discharge speed and system reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 approach enhances the efficiency of waste discharge, reduces maintenance needs, and prevents machine obstruction, ensuring continuous operation even under vacuum conditions by converting dry waste into a manageable, non-sticky mixture that can be easily conveyed and separated.

Implementation Method 1

the heterogeneous mixture is removed by suction, utilizing a suction pump

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Implementation Method 2

maintaining a vacuum environment to minimize enzymatic reactions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Data Source

PatentEP2361021B1Method for removing waste products obtained from a process for extracting juice, or puree, from vegetable or animal food, and apparatus therefor
Publication Date: 2014.08.06 BERTOCCHI ALESSANDRO
  • EP2361021B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2361021B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2361021B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for removal of waste material in a process for extracting puree, or juice, from a starting product based on vegetable or animal food comprising a step of feeding a measured amount of starting product to a machine for extracting puree (101). The starting product can be pre- treated, for example softened (102), and then subject to an extraction step (103), obtaining a main product comprising the puree (104), which is discharged via a first outlet (41), and a waste material that is discharged via a second outlet (42) (105). The waste material is then mixed with a measured amount of a liquid, for example water, obtaining a heterogeneous mixture (106). The heterogeneous mixture can be thus easily removed by suction, for example by a hydraulic pump (107) connected to the second outlet, to be quickly withdrawn from the extraction section avoiding the risk of jamming the machine at the second outlet.