Pressure Swing Preservation of Liquid Products With ML Parameter Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current non-thermal preservation methods for liquid products face challenges in maintaining optical and organoleptic properties while inactivating microorganisms, as they often damage temperature-sensitive ingredients like vitamins and proteins, and struggle with variability in product composition and microbial load, requiring resource-intensive data collection for effective preservation.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method for continuous non-thermal preservation of liquid products involves a database of standard product parameter sets linked to process parameters, where specific product parameters are measured, matched, and adjusted to achieve target parameters through a pressure swing process, using machine learning to optimize process parameters and ensure reproducible preservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heat sterilization or pasteurization is used to inactivate microorganisms, then microbial inactivation efficiency is improved, but damage to temperature-sensitive ingredients (vitamins, proteins) increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal energy with mechanical energy (pressure waves) to achieve microbial inactivation. High-intensity pressure waves are applied to the liquid product to physically disrupt microbial cell structures while leaving temperature-sensitive ingredients intact, thus resolving the contradiction between effective sterilization and preservation of nutritional quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter used for microbial inactivation from temperature to pressure. By applying high-intensity pressure waves at controlled pressure levels, the system achieves microbial destruction without the thermal damage associated with traditional heat treatment, thereby maintaining both reliability of sterilization and minimizing harm to sensitive components.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If non-thermal pressure swing process is used to preserve organoleptic properties, then damage to temperature-sensitive ingredients is reduced, but standardization of the preservation process becomes difficult due to natural variability in product composition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system that continuously monitors product parameters (composition, microbial load, physicochemical properties) and adjusts pressure wave parameters accordingly. This closed-loop control enables standardization of the preservation process despite natural variability in biogenic products, as the system automatically adapts to each product's specific characteristics while maintaining consistent preservation outcomes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic adjustment of pressure wave parameters (intensity, duration, frequency) based on real-time product analysis. This dynamic approach allows the preservation process to adapt to variations in product composition, microbial load, and sensitivity characteristics, achieving both minimal damage to sensitive ingredients and standardized preservation results across different product batches.
3Manufacturing precision
If data collection for microbial and enzymatic inactivation kinetics is performed to understand product-specific behavior, then precision of preservation control is improved, but time and resources required increase enormously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary characterization of product parameters (composition, microbial load, sensitivity) before applying the pressure swing preservation process. This preliminary analysis enables the system to pre-determine optimal pressure parameters for each product type, achieving precise preservation control without requiring extensive time-consuming data collection during the actual preservation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes from extensive kinetic data collection to efficient parameter measurement using modern analytical techniques. By measuring key product parameters (composition, microbial load, physicochemical properties) with rapid analytical methods, the system achieves precise preservation control with minimal time and resource investment, replacing traditional lengthy kinetic studies with efficient parameter-based control.
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 method enables standardized, efficient, and reliable preservation of liquid products by iteratively matching specific product parameters with target parameters, minimizing damage to sensitive ingredients and maintaining product quality, thus improving the efficiency and consistency of the preservation process.
Implementation Method 1
the preservation of liquid or flowable products can be achieved by disrupting microbial cells after rapid decompression of a gas dissolved under pressure
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention concerns a process for the continuous production of, preferably non-thermally, conserved liquid products, a device for carrying out this process and a method for predicting optimized process parameters for the continuous, preferably non-thermal, conservation of liquid products.