Malted Beverage Particulate Expansion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The expansion of malt extract during drying in the production of malted beverage particulates leads to inefficiencies, such as increased energy use, reduced throughput, and contamination risks due to uncontrolled expansion and 'popping', which existing technologies fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the mixing of malt extract with expansion control agents like phosphatides, fatty acid esters, and polydialkyl siloxanes to form a liquid admixture, which is then dried and comminuted to produce a stable malted beverage particulate, controlling expansion and preventing bursting or surging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If malt extract is dried without expansion control agents, then the drying process is simple, but the malt extract expands excessively and uncontrollably during drying
Solution Approach 1:
An expansion control agent is introduced as an intermediary substance mixed with the malt extract before drying. This agent acts as a mediator that regulates the expansion behavior of the malt extract during the drying process, preventing uncontrolled puffing while maintaining the simplicity of the drying operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical or chemical parameters of the malt extract are modified by adding an expansion control agent. This changes the expansion characteristics of the malt extract, allowing it to dry with controlled volume increase rather than excessive and unpredictable expansion.
2Ease of manufacture
If malt extract is confined in containers during drying, then lateral expansion is restricted, but vertical expansion causes the product to contact overhead oven parts and ooze onto shelves
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion control agent is added beforehand to prevent the harmful effect of excessive expansion. By acting in advance, the agent counteracts the tendency of the malt extract to puff up and contact overhead parts or ooze onto shelves, thereby preventing contamination before it occurs.
3Reliability
If drying shelves are widely spaced to accommodate expansion, then expansion is accommodated, but energy use increases and throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion characteristics of the malt extract are modified by adding an expansion control agent, changing the volume expansion parameter during drying. This allows the use of closely spaced drying shelves while still accommodating the expansion, thereby increasing throughput and reducing energy consumption without sacrificing reliability.
4Stability of the object's composition
If malt extract expands suddenly and non-uniformly, then the product may burst or surge from containers, but consistent expansion is achieved with expansion control agents
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion behavior of the malt extract is stabilized by adding an expansion control agent, which modifies the physical parameters of the mixture. This results in uniform and predictable expansion during drying, eliminating sudden bursts or surges without requiring complex control mechanisms.
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 use of expansion control agents results in steady and controlled expansion, reducing the risk of contamination and energy inefficiencies, allowing for efficient production of malted beverage particulates that can be easily comminuted and blended with other ingredients.
Implementation Method 1
the expansion control agent being selected from one or more of: a phosphatide compound; a fatty acid ester; and a polydialkyl siloxane; to form a liquid admixture; b) a drying stage in which the liquid admixture is formed into a dried mass
Data Source
AI summary
A process for preparing a malted beverage particulate comprises: a) a mixing stage in which a liquid material comprising malt extract is mixed with an expansion control agent to form a liquid admixture; b) a drying stage in which the liquid admixture is formed into a dried mass, and c) a comminution stage in which the malted beverage particulate is formed from the dried mass. Also described is a malted beverage product comprising particles which comprise malt extract and an expansion control agent; and the use of an expansion control agent to improve the drying of malted extract.