Microwave Sausage Treatment Chamber Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sausage processing devices face challenges in detecting and preventing contamination within the microwave application chamber, leading to potential overheating and burning of organic material, which compromises cleanliness and safety in food production.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a measuring device to continuously monitor the temperature within the application chamber, allowing for early detection of temperature increases due to contamination, and implementing a control system to stop microwave generation and conveyor operation when excessive temperatures are detected, enabling timely cleaning and preventing overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If microwave radiation is continuously applied to the sausage strand, then the throughput and processing speed are improved, but organic material may accumulate and overheat in the application chamber causing contamination and safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The measuring device continuously monitors the temperature in the application chamber before organic material reaches dangerous temperatures. This preliminary detection allows the control device to activate the microwave generating device only when needed and at appropriate power levels, preventing accumulation and overheating while maintaining continuous throughput capability
Solution Approach 2:
The control device receives temperature signals from the measuring device and adjusts the microwave generating device operation accordingly. When the temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control device reduces or stops microwave generation, creating a feedback loop that prevents overheating while allowing continuous operation at safe temperature ranges
2Manufacturing precision
If the microwave generating device operates at high power to ensure complete separation of sausages, then the separation effectiveness is improved, but the risk of overheating and burning organic material increases
Solution Approach 1:
The microwave generating device operates with dynamically adjustable power levels rather than fixed high power. The control device modulates the microwave power based on real-time temperature feedback from the measuring device, allowing high power when separation is needed but reducing power when temperature approaches dangerous levels, thus achieving complete separation without burning
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the microwave generating device based on temperature conditions. When the temperature is within the safe range, the microwave power is set to levels sufficient for separation; when temperature approaches the threshold, the power is reduced or stopped, thereby adapting the separation effectiveness to the thermal state to prevent burning
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 solution effectively monitors and controls the application chamber temperature, preventing contamination from overheating and potential fires, ensuring a clean and safe processing environment by allowing for early intervention and cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
The high-energy microwave radiation is applied in the application chamber. This microwave radiation thermally treats the strand of sausages, it is supplied with microwave energy, which leads to heating of the material.
Implementation Method 2
a measuring device for acquiring at least one measured value which represents a measure of the temperature prevailing in the application chamber
Implementation Method 3
a control device which, when a measured value is detected that indicates a temperature exceeding a reference value, switches off one or more microwave generating devices
Data Source
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AI summary
Device for treating a sausage strand consisting of several sausages arranged one behind the other with a sausage casing made of an organic material, each having a twist in the area between two sausages, wherein at least one microwave applicator with at least one application chamber is provided, to which at least one microwave generating device for generating microwave radiation to be supplied from the application chamber is assigned, and at least one conveying device for conveying the sausage strand through the at least one application chamber, wherein at least one measuring device (28, 29) for detecting at least one measured value, which represents a measure of the temperature prevailing in the application chamber (11), is provided.