Steam and Cold-Water Injection Head for Vacuum Packaging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for continuous vacuum packaging of food products in rigid containers with metal lids lacking attachment means and elastic seals are inefficient in achieving rapid sterilization and cooling, particularly for pasty and poorly conductive products like vegetable purées, which require slow cooling by conduction, leading to quality and aroma preservation issues.
Innovation Solution
A steam and cold water injection head with a bell-shaped design featuring a mandrel with magnets, a steam injection system, and a cold water supply duct, which uses superheated steam to expel gases and then cold water to rapidly condense vapors and create a deep vacuum, allowing for rapid cooling and sterilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional vacuum packaging methods are used with metal lids lacking attachment means, then the packaging process can be simplified, but rapid sterilization and cooling cannot be achieved, particularly for pasty and poorly conductive products
Solution Approach 1:
The injection head is divided into multiple functional zones with separate steam injection circuits (first circuit for top chamber, second circuit for lower crown area) and independent cold water supply paths, allowing differentiated treatment of different product zones to achieve rapid and uniform sterilization and cooling
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary steam injection to expel air and incondensable gases from the head space before introducing the container, and pre-cools the lid with cold water jets before final vacuum sealing, ensuring rapid temperature reduction from 92-95°C to 60°C while maintaining packaging simplicity
2Reliability
If superheated steam is injected at high temperature and flow rate to sterilize the lid and head space, then sterility is maintained, but the cooling time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system alternates between steam injection phases for sterilization and cold water injection phases for rapid cooling. Steam is injected first to sterilize and expel gases, then cold water jets are applied to the lid to rapidly condense vapor and cool the product, achieving both sterility and rapid temperature reduction through periodic alternation
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes phase transition of water from liquid to vapor during steam injection for sterilization, then reverses the phase transition by introducing cold water to condense vapor rapidly, creating a deep vacuum and achieving rapid cooling through controlled phase changes
3Speed
If cold water is jetted over the lid to cause rapid condensation and vacuum creation, then cooling speed increases, but the complexity of the injection system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The injection head integrates multiple functions into a single device: steam injection for sterilization, cold water injection for rapid cooling and vacuum creation, and lid retention through magnetic fields. This multi-functional design achieves rapid cooling without proportionally increasing system complexity
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 rapid cooling of products from 92/95°C to 60°C, improving product quality, aroma preservation, and energy efficiency, allowing for the vacuum packaging of previously unpackageable products like vegetable purées, while enhancing conservation quality and reducing cooking time.
Implementation Method 1
superheated steam is injected at a temperature, a flow rate and/or a time which allows the sterilization of the lid and of the head space of the container by also expelling the air and the incondensables
Implementation Method 2
a jet of cold water is directed over the lid, which causes the lid to cool rapidly, the immediate condensation of the vapor phase in the headspace of the vessel and the placing under a deep vacuum
Implementation Method 3
a mandrel provided with lid retaining magnets
Implementation Method 4
the container is then pressed against the lid or vice versa and that a jet of cold water is directed over the lid
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The head has a mandrel provided with a hole (10) that is in relation with a cold water supply pipe (4). An upper part of the head is provided with a steam injection pipe in a steam distribution chamber (6) at a top of a dome under the mandrel. An annular ring (7) is mounted in the steam distribution chamber and in connection with the steam distribution chamber for distribution of steam supplied by a steam supply orifice from a steam supply circuit (8) to the distribution chamber that supplies the steam toward inside of the head. An independent claim is also included for a method for implementation of a steam and cold-water injection head in a continuous vacuum packaging installation.