Poultry Chiller Float Removal via Fan and Micro-Bubble Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water treatment systems in poultry chillers are ineffective in reducing the concentration of fats, oils, and grease, which hampers the efficacy of anti-microbial treatments and shortens the water's usability for chilling poultry products.
Innovation Solution
A water treatment system that includes a fan to blow float formed on the water surface into a float holding tank, where a float removal mechanism such as a paddle, rotary screen, or floating weir collects and removes the float, and a saturation pump with an injection nozzle to form micro-bubbles that collect debris, integrating components into the chiller tank to enhance treatment efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional water treatment systems are used in poultry chillers, then the system is simple to operate, but the concentration of fats, oils and grease is not effectively reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The water treatment system is segmented into distinct functional zones within the chiller tank: a float generation zone where micro-bubbles form and collect debris, a float removal zone where float is separated from water, and a circulation zone where treated water returns to the chiller. This segmentation allows effective FAT removal while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular functional areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The float removal mechanism is merged with the chiller tank structure itself, utilizing the tank's existing walls and bottom as part of the float separation process. The saturation pump and injection nozzle are integrated into the tank, eliminating the need for separate external treatment vessels and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining treatment effectiveness.
2Reliability
If anti-microbial treatment is applied to water with high FAT concentration, then anti-microbial agents can be applied, but the efficacy is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary float removal before anti-microbial treatment is applied to the water. By continuously removing FAT-containing float through the bubble formation and float separation process, the water quality is improved in advance, ensuring that subsequent anti-microbial treatments operate on cleaner water with lower FAT concentrations, thereby enhancing treatment efficacy.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If water is used for extended periods in poultry chillers, then operational continuity is maintained, but the water becomes unsuitable for use due to FAT accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The float removal mechanism operates continuously throughout the water's service life in the chiller. Micro-bubbles are constantly generated to collect new FAT deposits as they form, and the float removal mechanism continuously separates and removes accumulated float. This continuous action maintains water quality throughout extended operational periods, preventing FAT accumulation from rendering the water unusable and thereby extending its usable duration.
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 system effectively reduces the concentration of fats, oils, and grease, improving anti-microbial treatment efficacy and extending the water's usability for days, while reducing capital costs by integrating treatment components into existing chiller features and minimizing interference with the chiller's operation.
Implementation Method 1
at least one injection nozzle at an upstream section of the chiller tank, the injection nozzle configured to inject the water received from the saturation pump into the tank to form micro-bubbles that rise to the surface of the water in the chiller tank and collect small pieces of debris so that a layer of float is formed on the surface of the water in the chiller tank
Implementation Method 2
a fan at the downstream section of the chiller tank that is configured to blow float formed on a surface of water in the chiller tank into the float holding tank
Implementation Method 3
The floating weir may be further configured to float in the water of the float holding tank with the weir edge proximate the water level in the float holding tank
Data Source
AI summary
A water treatment system for a poultry chiller including a chiller tank is described herein. The system includes a float holding tank at a downstream section of the chiller tank; a fan at the downstream section of the chiller tank that is configured to blow float formed on a surface of the water in the chiller tank into the float holding tank; and a float removal mechanism at the float holding tank that is configured to remove the float from the float holding tank. Related methods are also described.