Single-Vessel Sugar Processing with Sequential Heating and Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current processes for converting liquid sugar solutions into dry sugar products often require separate vessels for evaporation and crystallization, which can be inefficient and costly, and may not effectively handle heat-sensitive materials.
Innovation Solution
A system with a processing vessel having multiple temperature zones that sequentially heats and cools the liquid feedstock, vaporizing solvent and concentrating the solute to form a supersaturated solution, which can then crystallize into a dry or substantially dry solid within the same vessel, using a combination of heating and cooling media and a paddle dryer configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If separate vessels are used for evaporation and crystallization, then the process can handle large volumes, but the equipment complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the evaporation and crystallization operations into a single processing vessel, eliminating the need for separate evaporation vessels and crystallization vessels. The vessel is equipped with both heating zones (for evaporation) and cooling zones (for crystallization), allowing sequential execution of both operations in one container, thereby reducing equipment complexity while maintaining processing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing vessel is designed to perform multiple functions: it can heat the feedstock for evaporation, cool it for crystallization, and agitate the contents throughout the process. The jacketed structure with removable lids and multiple temperature zones enables the single vessel to replace what traditionally required multiple specialized vessels, achieving multi-functionality without compromising volume handling.
2Quantity of substance
If heating is applied to vaporize solvent, then concentration increases, but heat-sensitive materials may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary evaporation at controlled temperatures to concentrate the feedstock to a supersaturated state before initiating rapid cooling for crystallization. By pre-concentrating the solution under controlled heating conditions and then quickly cooling it, the system minimizes the time heat-sensitive materials are exposed to elevated temperatures, reducing thermal damage while achieving the necessary concentration for crystallization.
Solution Approach 2:
The process rapidly transitions from the evaporation phase to the crystallization phase by quickly cooling the concentrated feedstock. This rapid cooling 'skips' through the intermediate temperature range where heat-sensitive materials would be most vulnerable to degradation, allowing the system to achieve high concentration without prolonged thermal exposure.
3Productivity
If rapid cooling is applied to form supersaturated solution, then crystallization speed increases, but particle size control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic control of the crystallization process by initially applying rapid cooling to achieve high crystallization speed and productivity, then transitioning to a slower cooling phase to allow for controlled crystal growth. This dynamic adjustment of cooling rate enables the system to first generate numerous nucleation sites quickly, then allow uniform crystal growth, thereby maintaining both high productivity and particle size uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The crystallization process uses periodic or staged cooling: an initial rapid cooling period to induce supersaturation and nucleation, followed by a slower cooling period for controlled crystal growth. This periodic action pattern allows the system to achieve both fast crystallization onset and uniform particle size development through distinct phases of temperature 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 approach allows for efficient conversion of liquid sugar solutions into dry sugar products with controlled particle size and low moisture content, reducing the need for separate equipment and improving handling of heat-sensitive materials.
Implementation Method 1
heating the liquid and vaporizing a solvent
Implementation Method 2
heating the liquid material in a processing vessel to vaporize a solvent from the liquid material
Implementation Method 3
cooling the heated liquid within a downstream region of the same processing vessel
Implementation Method 4
the heated liquid can be cooled to a temperature below the temperature at which saturation for the solute occurs, thereby forming a supersaturated solution of the solute. The supersaturated solution can be solidified, with or without further drying, to form a dry or substantially dry solid material
Data Source
AI summary
A system can be used to process liquid materials, such as aqueous-based syrup solutions containing sugar molecules. In some examples, the system includes a processing vessel having multiple individually-controllable temperature zones arranged in series. In operation, an aqueous solution can be introduced into an inlet port of the processing vessel and passed sequentially through the series of temperature zones. Water from the aqueous solution can be evaporated within the initial stage(s) of the processing vessel to form a concentrated solution that is then cooled in subsequent stage(s). Accordingly, a supersaturated solution may be formed from the aqueous solution in the processing vessel that is then solidified to subsequently form a substantially dry solid material (e.g., sugar), still within the processing vessel. The substantially dry solid material can discharge through an exit port of the processing vessel.