Syrup Thermal Control for Ice Cream Machine Clogging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machines for making liquid or semi-liquid food products, such as ice creams and milkshakes, face challenges in efficiently distributing syrups under optimal conditions, leading to issues like clogging and inconsistent product quality.
Innovation Solution
A machine designed for making variegated ice cream or milkshakes, featuring a processing container with a stirrer, thermal treatment system, dispensing device, electronic control unit, and a separate syrup feeding device with heating and cooling capabilities, allowing for precise temperature control and independent syrup line management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If syrups are stored in containers without thermal treatment, then the machine structure is simpler, but the syrup viscosity becomes inconsistent leading to clogging and poor distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The syrup feeding system is segmented into independent controllable units, with each syrup container having its own heating/cooling device and pump. This allows individual thermal management of each syrup line, ensuring consistent viscosity and reliable distribution without requiring a complex centralized thermal system.
Solution Approach 2:
Thermal treatment is applied preliminarily to syrups before they are pumped and distributed. The heating/cooling devices are connected to syrup containers to pre-treat the syrup, maintaining optimal viscosity conditions before the syrup enters the distribution system, thereby preventing clogging and ensuring consistent flow.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple syrup containers are used with individual thermal control, then syrup distribution quality improves, but the device complexity and control difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single control unit is designed to universally control multiple actuators including multiple pumps and multiple heating/cooling devices. This multi-functional control system manages all syrup containers and thermal treatment devices through one centralized interface, achieving precise temperature control for each syrup line without proportionally increasing control system complexity.
3Ease of operation
If syrups are heated or cooled independently, then syrup viscosity is optimized for distribution, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The syrup containers are equipped with their own heating/cooling devices that can operate independently based on the specific requirements of each syrup type. This self-service thermal management allows each syrup line to maintain optimal viscosity only when needed, rather than continuously heating or cooling all syrups, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while ensuring proper flowability during distribution.
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
Ensures optimal distribution and mixing of syrups with the basic product, maintaining suitable viscosity and temperature, preventing clogging and ensuring consistent product quality.
Implementation Method 1
at least one heating and/or cooling device connectable to the at least one syrup container and/or connecting pipe and/or pump in order to thermally treat the syrups
Implementation Method 2
a processing container for processing a basic liquid or semi-liquid product, defining a processing chamber and provided with a stirrer rotating inside the processing chamber
Implementation Method 3
at least one syrup feed pump connected by at least one respective pipe to the at least one syrup container and to the dispensing device to transfer syrup from the at least one syrup container to the dispensing device
Data Source
AI summary
A machine for making liquid or semi-liquid products, including: a processing container for processing a basic liquid or semi-liquid product, defining a processing chamber and provided with a stirrer rotating inside the processing chamber; a thermal treatment system associated with the processing container for heating and/or cooling the processing chamber; a dispensing device which is associated with the processing container to receive therefrom the processed, basic liquid or semi-liquid product, and which is equipped with controls for delivering the processed, basic liquid or semi-liquid product to the outside of the processing container; an electronic control unit for controlling at least one actuator of the machine, a plurality of syrup containers, at least one heating and/or cooling device connectable to one or more of the syrup containers and/or connecting pipes and/or pumps in order to thermally treat the syrups.