Silver Ion Concentration Control in Food Wash Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food processing wash systems lack effective methods for monitoring and controlling the concentration of silver ions, which are costly and prone to reduction to less active elemental silver, limiting their antimicrobial effectiveness and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for controlling the concentration of silver ions in wash treatment solutions by reducing them to colloidal silver, which can be optically measured, allowing for precise adjustment and recycling of silver ions using reagents like ascorbic acid and alkali, and potentially ultraviolet light, within a food processing environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If silver ions are used in wash treatment solutions for food processing, then antimicrobial effectiveness is improved, but the silver ions are prone to reduction to less active elemental silver, reducing effectiveness and efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the concentration of silver ions in the wash treatment solution and provides feedback to the control system. When silver ions are reduced to elemental silver, the system detects this change and automatically adjusts the silver ion dosing to maintain effective concentrations, ensuring consistent antimicrobial performance throughout the wash process
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the chemical parameters of the wash solution by adjusting pH, adding oxidizing agents, or modifying other solution conditions to prevent the reduction of silver ions to elemental silver. These parameter changes stabilize the silver ion form and maintain antimicrobial effectiveness
2Loss of substance
If silver ions are monitored and controlled precisely, then cost-effectiveness is improved, but the complexity of the control system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system uses feedback from concentration measurements to automatically adjust silver ion dosing, reducing silver loss through precise control. The system learns from previous adjustments and optimizes dosing rates, minimizing expensive silver ion waste while maintaining effective sanitization
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment by automatically monitoring silver ion concentrations and modifying dosing rates without manual intervention. The control algorithm autonomously optimizes silver ion usage based on real-time measurements, reducing substance loss while keeping operational complexity manageable
3Productivity
If wash systems use chemical agents and mechanical agitation to enhance effectiveness, then water reuse is permitted, but the costs of water disposal and energy increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers and reuses silver ions in the wash treatment solution by monitoring their concentration and automatically replenishing them. This continuous recovery process allows the same silver ion solution to be used repeatedly across multiple wash cycles, maximizing the value of each silver ion and reducing overall energy and material costs
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
Enables efficient monitoring and control of silver ion concentrations, maximizing the antimicrobial effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of silver-based sanitizers in food processing, while ensuring stability and safety in production environments.
Implementation Method 1
reducing the silver ions in the sample stream to form colloidal silver in the sample stream
Implementation Method 2
optically measuring a concentration of the colloidal silver in the sample stream
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for assaying and controlling the concentration of silver ions in a wash treatment solution used in food processing are provided. One example method of controlling a wash treatment solution for a food product generally includes obtaining a sample stream of the wash treatment solution, wherein the wash treatment solution comprises silver ions; reducing the silver ions in the sample stream to form colloidal silver in the sample stream; and optically measuring a concentration of the colloidal silver in the sample stream.