Poultry Chiller Tank Antimicrobial Distribution via Side Streams

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing poultry processing systems face challenges in maintaining consistent antimicrobial efficacy due to concentration gradients of antimicrobial agents within processing tanks, which can lead to inadequate exposure of poultry carcasses to effective antimicrobial levels.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a system that introduces antimicrobial agents, such as peroxycarboxylic acids, through multiple side streams at different locations within the processing tank, ensuring consistent exposure and reducing concentration gradients. Additionally, an ancillary system is used to precisely control and maintain the pH of the processing solution, preventing fouling of pH probes and ensuring accurate monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If antimicrobial agents are introduced through a single location in the processing tank, then the device complexity is reduced, but concentration gradients develop across the tank leading to inconsistent antimicrobial exposure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantimicrobial efficacy consistencyVSAvoidnumber of injection points

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the single injection point into multiple injection points located at different positions within the processing tank. This segmentation allows the antimicrobial agent to be distributed more uniformly throughout the tank, reducing concentration gradients and ensuring consistent exposure across all poultry carcasses regardless of their position in the tank.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the concentration of antimicrobial agent is increased to ensure adequate exposure throughout the tank, then antimicrobial efficacy is improved, but the cost and potential harmful effects increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantimicrobial efficacyVSAvoidantimicrobial agent concentration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies the antimicrobial agent at multiple localized points throughout the tank rather than relying on a single high-concentration source. This creates locally optimized concentration zones that collectively ensure adequate exposure throughout the entire tank, allowing use of lower overall concentrations while maintaining efficacy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If pH monitoring is performed directly in the processing tank, then measurement accuracy is improved, but the pH probe becomes fouled by organic material

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovepH measurement accuracyVSAvoidprobe fouling

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an intermediary fluid stream that carries the pH probe away from the direct contact zone with fouling organic material in the processing tank. This intermediary stream allows the probe to measure pH of the processing solution without being exposed to the harmful fouling environment, maintaining both measurement accuracy and probe cleanliness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 approach significantly reduces concentration gradients across the processing tank, ensuring that poultry carcasses are consistently exposed to effective antimicrobial levels, thereby enhancing antimicrobial efficacy and reducing the need for excessive antimicrobial agent usage.

Implementation Method 1

reducing concentration gradients of antimicrobial agents within a processing tank

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConcentration gradient reduction: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

an ancillary system is used to precisely control and maintain the pH of the processing solution

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectpH control:

Implementation Method 3

PAA is a highly efficacious antimicrobial that was originally used as a hard surface sanitizer, but has more recently been recognized as possessing superior antimicrobial intervention chemistries for poultry carcasses. PAA provides a broad spectrum of kill of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Data Source

PatentUS12329173B1Methods for related apparatus for increasing antimicrobial efficacy in a poultry chiller tank

Publication Date: 2025.06.17 ZECO LLC

AI summary

Methods and related apparatus for improving the efficacy of antimicrobial agents within processing tanks. Processing tanks can include side streams for introducing antimicrobial agents into the processing tanks. The antimicrobial agents will be added and mixed in the side stream to form a processing solution. Additional actions can be conducted on the processing solution within the side stream including any and or all of heating, pumping, sampling, measuring, testing and pH adjustment of the processing solution. The processing solution is divided into at least two processing solution steams, which can be introduced at two different and distinct locations within the processing tank such as a carcass introduction end and a carcass removal end. By simultaneously introducing at least two processing solution streams at different locations of the processing tank, large concentration gradients of the antimicrobial agent are avoided.