Tunnel Pasteurizer Liquid Flow Redirection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tunnel pasteurizers face energy wastage and prolonged restart times due to over-pasteurization risks when the conveyor system stops, as existing solutions require cooling and reheating of liquids, leading to inefficient energy use and prolonged transient states.
Innovation Solution
The tunnel pasteurizer incorporates a movable intercepting structure that redirects liquid from heat treatment sub-zones to either the heating or cooling sub-zones during emergencies, preventing over-pasteurization and minimizing energy loss by avoiding mixing with hotter liquids, and utilizing auxiliary tanks to recover heat during restarts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cold water is mixed with hot water in the heat treatment zone tanks to prevent over-pasteurization during stops, then over-pasteurization is avoided, but energy is wasted due to cooling and subsequent reheating requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid collection system is segmented into separate tanks for heat treatment zone (50-65°C) and cooling zone (<20°C). During emergency stops, liquid is selectively drawn from the cooling zone tank rather than mixing cold water into the heat treatment tank, preventing unnecessary cooling and subsequent reheating energy waste while still enabling over-pasteurization prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
A third intermediary tank (auxiliary tank) is introduced to store cold liquid separately from the heat treatment zone tanks. This auxiliary tank acts as a mediator that provides cold liquid for emergency cooling without directly cooling the heat treatment zone tanks, thus avoiding the need to reheat them after restart.
2Reliability
If cold water is introduced to cool the liquid in heat treatment zones during emergencies, then product temperature is controlled, but restart time is prolonged due to need to reheat the liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid supply system is segmented into multiple independent sources: heat treatment zone tanks (50-65°C), cooling zone tanks (<20°C), and an auxiliary tank for cold liquid storage. During emergencies, liquid is selectively supplied from the cooling zone or auxiliary tank, allowing immediate temperature control without cooling the heat treatment zone tanks, thus eliminating restart reheating delays.
3Speed
If a dedicated emergency cooling system is implemented, then response time is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling zone tanks and auxiliary tank serve dual purposes: they function as normal cooling/liquid supply elements during regular operation and as emergency cooling sources when conveyor stops occur. This multi-functionality enables rapid emergency response without requiring dedicated emergency cooling equipment, thus avoiding increased system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own existing cooling zone infrastructure to provide emergency cooling functionality. The cooling zone tanks and auxiliary tank automatically serve as emergency liquid sources when needed, eliminating the need for separate emergency cooling systems and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining fast response capability.
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 minimizes energy wastage, reduces restart time, and prevents over-pasteurization by redirecting liquid flow during emergencies, allowing for rapid switching between normal and emergency states without the need for reheating or cooling, thus optimizing energy use and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a tunnel pasteuriser for heat treating packaged products by spraying a liquid (usually water) at a controlled temperature on them
Implementation Method 2
the liquid fed to the spraying means of the heating sub-zones is taken from the tanks of the cooling sub-zones, whilst the liquid fed to the spraying means of the cooling sub-zones is taken from the tanks of the heating sub-zones. In this way, it is possible to save the greater part of energy, since to heat the products in the heating zone it is possible to use the heat transferred to the operating liquid by the products in the cooling zones
Data Source
AI summary
A tunnel pasteuriser comprises forward movement means (2) for moving products (3) to be pasteurised forward on a forward movement path along which there is a heating zone (4), a heat treatment zone (5) and a cooling zone (6). Each of said zones is divided into two or more sub-zones equipped with spraying means (10) for spraying a treatment liquid (11) onto the products (3) in transit in the sub-zone, and at least one tank (12) for collecting the liquid (11) that was sprayed on the products (3). In each heat treatment sub-zone (9) there are also means (20) for collecting the liquid (11) which wet the products (3) being treated. The collecting means (20) can be switched between a first operating condition in which they direct the liquid (11) collected towards the collection tank (12) of the relative heat treatment sub-zone (9), and a second operating condition in which they prevent the liquid (11) collected from reaching the tank (12) of the relative heat treatment sub-zone (9).