Pasta Drying Airflow Control for Stable Humidity and Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pasta drying devices face issues with uncontrollable pressure variations in the stabilization region due to varying pasta amounts and shapes, leading to potential breakages or condensation, especially during transitory situations like loading/unloading or recipe changes.
Innovation Solution
A pasta drying device with controlled ventilation and thermoregulation systems, utilizing sensors and electronic control to manage air flow, temperature, and humidity, ensuring consistent pressure and humidity levels across the stabilization region.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If pasta amount or shape varies in the drying device, then processing flexibility is improved, but pressure control in the stabilization region deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Pressure sensors in the stabilization region provide real-time pressure data to a control system, which automatically adjusts fan speeds or opening sizes to maintain target pressure levels despite variations in pasta amount or shape
Solution Approach 2:
The ventilation system transitions from fixed configuration to dynamically adjustable components, where fan speeds and opening sizes can be modified in real-time based on detected pressure conditions and pasta load variations
2Device complexity
If ventilation system is simplified, then device complexity is reduced, but humidity uniformity in stabilization region deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple ventilation openings or adjustable vents are positioned at different locations within the stabilization region to create localized air flow patterns that ensure uniform humidity distribution across all pasta samples
3Manufacturing precision
If air flow rate is increased to improve humidity control, then humidity regulation is improved, but pasta breakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation system operates in periodic cycles, alternating between higher air flow rates for humidity regulation and lower rates to prevent excessive drying stress on pasta surfaces, thereby reducing breakage risk
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 solution effectively maintains uniform humidity levels, reducing pasta breakage and condensation risks, adapting to transitory conditions like shape or recipe changes, and ensuring consistent pasta quality.
Implementation Method 1
thermoregulation means which comprise, in each of the three regions of pre-drying, drying and stabilisation, heat exchangers in which a special heat transfer fluid flows, and internal fans placed in such a way as to generate an air flow that crosses the respective heat exchangers, exchanging heat therewith
Implementation Method 2
internal fans placed in such a way as to generate an air flow that crosses the respective heat exchangers, exchanging heat therewith
Implementation Method 3
one or more fans, external to the containment structure, which generate an air flow that enters the containment structure through the inlet opening, passes through the regions of pre-drying, drying and stabilisation, interacting with the respective thermoregulation means
Implementation Method 4
the air flow generated by the external fans is warmed up and therefore causes from the pasta with which it comes into contact the exit of a certain humidity, which is then carried to the region of stabilisation by the air flow itself
Implementation Method 5
in the regions of pre-drying and drying the air flow generated by the external fans is warmed up and therefore causes from the pasta with which it comes into contact the exit of a certain humidity
Implementation Method 6
exchanging heat and humidity therewith
Implementation Method 7
in the region of stabilisation said air flow is then cooled to a desired temperature, thereby causing an increase in its relative humidity, and therefore in the relative humidity within the region of stabilisation, which guarantees that the external surface of the pasta absorbs the humidity required
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention refers to a device (1) for drying pasta which comprises detection means (13) configured for detecting the value of a desired property or physical quantity dependent on the air flow that passes through a region thereof of stabilisation (8), and electronic control means (14) configured for controlling ventilation means (10) as a function of the value of the desired property or physical quantity detected by the detection means (13). The invention also concerns a drying method using such a drying device (1).